AARLCC created a unique opportunity to engage and educate the community on the Harlem Renaissance. Dr. Carter worked closely with AARLCC staff and volunteers to take excerpts from Virtual Harlem and create a virtual street scene so customers could feel like they are riding down Harlem streets from the 1920’s. AARLCC also worked with a local community member to narrate the street scene in a way to create an entertaining and educational experience.

The key components of "The Harlem Renaissance" were museum-style displays, cooking demos, a gospel brunch, performances and children’s programs. Guests walked through the streets of Harlem and experienced the excitement of the era. Books, photos and art, culled from AARLCC’s collections, were displayed. An Oculus Rift virtual-reality headset offered an immersive experience of this literary, artistic and intellectual movement. The team created a brownstone display which for many was their first exposure to Harlem’s architecture.

Impact of "The Harlem Renaissance" can be measured by its significant media coverage, an indication of the interest in and need for an exhibit/event series of its type. Attendance is also a measure: the three evening receptions attracted almost 700 guests, and the key children’s event drew 150 children. An anticipated outcome of it is to raise awareness of the era throughout Florida by transitioning it to a traveling exhibit provided to libraries statewide.