What Ever Happened to the Slave Theatre?

The Slave Theatre was purchased in 1982 by Bedford-Stuyvesant resident and judge, John Phillips.

The Slave Theater started as a movie house but transformed into much more. In its heyday, many activists such as the Reverend Al Sharpton used the theater as a place to hold rallies and meetings.

The theatre closed in 1998. After it shuttered, in 2001, Judge Phillips prepared a run against Charles Hynes for district attorney. But his plans were derailed when he was declared incompetent and placed under the supervision of the New York state guardianship program. Mr. Phillips died in 2008 of natural causes.

It is alleged that over the past six years, various guardians squandered the late judge's $10 million dollar fortune and neglected to pay taxes on multiple properties, including the Slave Theater. Because of the financial mishandling of the estate, $2 million dollars in taxes are now owed to the government by the estate.

Now, the family says they must sell the theater in order to pay off the debts.

“Most of the people I talk to have a love affair with the theater,” explains Reverend Samuel Boykin, the nephew of Judge Phillips and the current administrator of the estate. “Even though the community is unable to purchase the theater, some of them refuse to face reality.”

Since becoming the administrator of the estate after his uncle’s death in 2008, his family has tried unsuccessfully to sell the property. Boykin says part of the reason for the delay in a sale is because the property is still being inhabited by Clarence Hardy-Shabazz and The Messengers for Christ World Healing Center.

Clarence Hardy-Shabazz, the self proclaimed chief of the Slave Theater, says the sale of the theater is a fraud and thinks that Boykin only wants to sell the theater to pocket the money.

“He came to visit him at the nursing home two, maybe three times, and each time it was about some money. He cared nothing about Mr. Phillips," said Hardy-Shabazz.

Hardy-Shabazz claims he is the one who looked after the judge in his final years. “I was Mr. Phillips's soldier, he was my mentor. In my wildest dreams I didn’t think I’d be in this situation,” he said.

In hopes of saving the Slave Theater, there are various "Save the Slave" events held regularly at the theater. But, as passionate as he is about preserving the theater’s legacy he acknowledges that it’s hard to gather community support.

Mya Baker, a filmmaker and community activist who was previously involved with the Save the Slave campaign, says that the bottom line is, without money it can’t be saved.

Hardy for the most part agrees but doesn’t intend on going down without a fight. When probed about the significance of keeping the theater open with such little community support Hardy-Shabazz became even more passionate. “Close it, and let them have it? You don’t walk away. You keep doing whatever you can!”

In regards to any fund raising efforts, Boykin says that Hardy-Shabazz is not authorized to hold events on the property or to collect money on behalf of the Phillips estate or Slave Theater.

As the official spokesperson of the Phillips family and estate, Boykin maintains that they do intend to sell the property and all family members agree. Boykin says he hopes to have this matter with the Slave Theater settled very soon, after which he can focus on pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit that is currently pending against Castle Senior Living at Prospect Park.

According to Boykin, “Judge Phillips was one of the patriarch’s of the family. Every one looked up to his ideals but we are financially unable to walk in his footsteps in terms of keeping the theater.”