Possible Black History Trail in Queens by Nicholas Hirshon - NY Daily News

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West Side Tennis Stadium on 69th Ave. and Dartmoth St. in Forest Hills is one of the buildings under review for landmark status in Queens.

Leading candidates for Queens borough president said they support the idea of a black history trail, with sites from the Queens News' History in Peril series, including the former homes of Malcolm X, Jackie Robinson and James Brown.

Proponents of the plan - seeking a funding boost from the borough's next top official - reveled in backing from the four Democratic contenders: Leroy Comrie, Audrey Pheffer, Helen Sears and Peter Vallone Jr.

"They must feel it has merit," said Clyde Bullard, who has run the Queens Jazz Trail tour for 10 years and is pitching the black history trail idea to his bosses at Flushing Town Hall, the home of the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts.

"The borough president could reach in and hand them the funds to do it," said Marc Miller, who created the map that formed the basis of the Jazz Trail. "It's probably the easiest source."

The four Democratic contenders vowed to consider a trail centered on sites like the Addisleigh Park home where W.E.B. Du Bois got married in 1951 and the Forest Hills tennis stadium where Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson played.

Home at 23-11 97th St. in East Elmhurst where Malcolm X and his family lived from 1960 to 1965.

"That would be wonderful," said Pheffer, an assemblywoman who represents southern Queens. "Queens is a borough of neighborhoods and diversity, and any time we can bring it out, it makes everyone know Queens is so special."

Sears, a city councilwoman in northern Queens, added she'd "certainly support the idea" of a black history trail.

James Brown's house on Linden Blvd.

Bullard estimated it would cost more than $100,000 to purchase a bus, pay for a driver and tour guide and print pamphlets detailing the stops.

He suggested walk-throughs - and bathroom breaks - at the homes of musician Louis Armstrong in Corona and inventor Lewis Latimer in Flushing, which are both museums.

Comrie, a councilman in southeast Queens, said the borough president has "some money to give to groups and programs that would make those types of things [like the trail] happen."

And Vallone, a councilman in northwest Queens, said the trail is "something I would be very open to taking a look at."

1.Malcolm X home: 23-11 97th St.
2 Louis Armstrong home: 34-56 107th St.
3 W. Side Tennis Stadium: 69th and Dartmouth St
4.Lewis Latimer home: 34-41 137th St.
5.Jackie Robinson home: 112-40 177th St.
6.W.E.B. Du Bois home: 173-19 113th Ave.
7.James Brown home: 175-19 Linden Blvd.

All four candidates said they would also work with the city to increase the numbers of landmark designations in Queens. No clear Republican contender has yet emerged in the race.