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Rent Party

"#B9DCFF">House Rent parties or Skiffles as they were also known originated in the South with Church socials designed to raise money. The rent party was refined in Harlem to raise the funds to pay the rent. By 1932, Harlem's landlord's were charging newcomers exorbitant rents in their buildings during the depression and in order to pay these high rents, rent parties were thrown and was a

good cheap excuse to get together and socialize.

- The rent party was a place everyone could let loose. Usually the rent party consisted of a stride pianist, someone's home or Building, Alcohol and plenty of home cooked food, such as "Hog Maws, Pickled Pigs Tails/ Feet, Southern Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Chittlin's, Corn Bread, Crab Soup, Red Beans & Rice, and sometimes Chinese dishes such as Chop Suey. Much alcohol was supplied to these socials. Dancers would dance in the living rooms to the music supplied by the Musician (s). These played a major part in the development in Jazz and Blues Music.

Birth Place Creation Date Creator Dance Type
the South 1900s Church Socials function
 
Posters, Lobby Cards etc. Sheet Music Covers Music Titles
Boarding House Blues n/a 1930s - Raisin' the Rent (Ellington)
House Rent Party       1946? - Mama's Got To Get The Rent
            Beesknees
            Chicago House Rent Party Blues (slim)
            Rent Party
            Rent Party Blues (Ellington)
            $ House Rent Party
            House Rockin' Party
            House Party (Tonight)
 
Night Clubs Theaters Locations
n/a n/a n/a
             
                 
 
Films Television Ballets / Stage
1933 - Mill's Blue Rhythm Band n/a 1929 - Harlem!
1935 - The Life Of The Party        
1936 - Dancing Feet        
1946 - House Rent Party       Publications
Mississippi Delta Blues       6/22/46 - New Amsterdam News
        1983 - Showtime at the Apollo
        1998 - African American Films
        $2001 - Rent Party Jazz (Fiction) (Miller)
 
Other Related Dances of the time...
Breakaway Lindy Hop Shim Sham Shimmy Slow Drag n/a
Jitterbug Mooch and Sugar Texas Tommy    
 
Dancers, Choreographers etc. Political
Most African-American dancers of the times n/a n/a
     
 
Books, Magazine Articles on the dance...
Title Author Date Published Publisher
NEGROES SUPPORT DANCE-HALL POLICY
("Rent Parties" as Occasions for "All Manner of Debauchery.") 6/21/1926 (pg.5) N.Y. Times Newspaper
                       
 
Musicians Singers Poets / Writers
Clarence "Pinetop" Smith n/a n/a
Fats Waller (1904-1943)      
James P. Johnson (1891-1955)      
Jimmy Yancey (& Mamma)        
Memphis Slim        
Speckled Red        
 
Misc. Research Words that may be related ... to help your searches
Boogie Blues Bands Blue Monday Party
Skiffle Jazz Pianist / Piano Chitterlings Rags
House Hop House Shout Parlor Social  
 

Other...

n/a

August 30, 2005
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