Brown Skin Showgirls: Leon Claxton’s Harlem in Havana (1930s–1960s)

Curated by Leslie Cunningham for the Harlem in Havana Project

SEDUCTIVE • BOLD • UNFORGETTABLE

Brown Skin Showgirls: Leon Claxton’s Harlem in Havana (1930s–1960s) is a traveling exhibition celebrating the electrifying artistry, glamour, and cultural impact of the Black and Cuban performers who helped define Leon Claxton’s legendary Harlem in Havana Revue.

Spanning the 1930s through the 1960s, the wildly popular revue introduced audiences throughout the United States and Western Canada to a dazzling world of music, dance, and spectacle—while its performers confronted, resisted, and transcended the confines of the Jim Crow era.

Now booking museums, galleries, and cultural spaces ready to showcase this bold and unforgettable exhibit.

Developed by Leslie Cunningham for the Harlem in Havana Project, this compact exhibit is designed for flexible installation in a variety of gallery and cultural spaces, providing a focused, immersive look at the performers who shaped the Harlem in Havana legacy.

The exhibit brings together rare photographs and video, and striking recreations of iconic show costumes in doll size, to honor the visionary artists—such as impresario Leon Claxton and the trailblazing Bates Sisters—whose brilliance shaped an essential chapter in American entertainment history.

“The Harlem in Havana story is one of resilience, cultural pride, and the power of performance to challenge societal barriers,” says Cunningham. Small with a mighty impact, the exhibit capture the glamour, resilience, and cultural brilliance of the Brown Skin Showgirls in a way that feels personal and unforgettable, and ensures that the legacy of these extraordinary artists reaches audiences far and wide, inspiring new generations.

The Brown Skin Showgirl Dolls

A signature feature of the exhibit is the Brown Skin Showgirl Dolls, a couture doll collection created by fashion artist and doll designer Traci Cunningham, founder of House of Bellaraci. Drawing from historic show photographs, Cunningham has reimagined performers as two exquisite 17-inch dolls adorned in newly designed, hand-drafted, and hand-beaded costumes inspired by the era’s original showgirl wardrobe. “Black children and collectors deserve dolls that represent them,” she says. “I love bringing these little treasures back to life for all to enjoy.” These breathtaking dolls travel with the exhibit at select venues, adding a vibrant, tactile dimension to the showgirl legacy.

Exhibit History:

The first Brown Skin Showgirls exhibition—co-curated with the Burlesque Hall of Fame—launched in Las Vegas in April 2025 and ran through July 2025. One of the highlights of its residency was a special presentation during the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender, featuring an engaging art talk and a dynamic live performance.

In 2026, a new version of the exhibit—curated by Leslie Cunningham—hits the road, bringing this seductive, bold, and unforgettable history to museums, galleries, and cultural institutions nationwide.

Exhibit Fees & Hosting Options

Fees: Start at $2,500.
Flexible installation for a variety of gallery and cultural spaces.
Opportunities for revenue sharing from ticketed events or special programming.
Curator Leslie Cunningham available for consultation on layout, programming, and local performer engagement.

Grand Opening / Pop-Up Tribute Show

Meet-and-greet, book signing, light refreshments.
Pop-up tribute performance.

Optional Film Screening | Educational Session | Class

Film Screening of the documentary film, JIG SHOW | Leon Claxton’s Harlem in Havana
Interactive session on Black performance history, Burlesque, and cultural legacies.
Audience: Students, local arts organizations, and community members
Optional live performance demonstration included.

Interested in hosting?
Contact us at info@harleminhavana.com

This exhibit is supported by:
• The New York School of Burlesque
• House of Bellaraci

Support the Legacy

Your support helps preserve and uplift this vital history. Together, we can ensure that these performers—once hidden in the shadows of segregated America—are honored, remembered, and celebrated for generations. Donate here.