Harlem's Oldest Black-Owned Real Estate Firm Turns 100
ESRA, Harlem’s oldest Black-owned real estate firm, is celebrating its centennial at the historic Alhambra Ballroom. The milestone highlights a long legacy of intergenerational wealth-building and the role of Black-owned businesses in shaping urban American landscapes. The celebration honors the firm's 100-year history in the community.
- The firm, originally named "Edward's Sisters Realty," was founded in 1925 by three sisters who migrated from Guyana: Millicent, Sarah, and Lucille Edwards. They established the business to address a lack of community housing for Caribbean immigrants settling in Harlem. - One of the founders, Lucille Edwards Chance, was a trailblazer in her own right. In 1929, she became one of the first four Black women to graduate from NYU Law School and was the first Black woman to practice law in New York State. - ESRA was a key player during the Harlem Renaissance, providing services that included property management, real estate law, mortgages, brokerage, and appraisals, which helped thousands of families purchase homes. - The firm is now in its third generation of family leadership, with descendants of the original founders continuing to run the business. The current owners include members of the second and third generations of the family. - Over its history, ESRA has owned up to 60 properties and managed countless others, contributing significantly to the real estate landscape of Harlem. - The centennial celebration was held at the Alhambra Ballroom, a venue with its own deep history in Harlem. Opened in 1905, it became a significant cultural venue during the Harlem Renaissance, hosting legendary performers like Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, and Duke Ellington.
