Download To: Professor Ned Regan From: Stephanie Sica, Mina Rostom

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Professor Ned Regan
Stephanie Sica, Mina Rostom, Ruchi Shah
Memo #1
February 20, 2013
The neighborhood of Harlem encompasses the northern section of the Manhattan borough. It was
formally organized in 1658 as a Dutch village, named after the Netherlands city of Haarlem.
Harlem, being so large and expansive, is broken down into eight different sections:
 Hamilton Heights is known for boasting the areas more impressive architecture. Its
borders “between 135th Street to the south, Hudson River to the west, 155th Street to the
north, and Saint Nicholas Avenue to the east.” This region of Harlem, more specifically
Sugar Hill, was on of the most important neighborhoods in the Harlem Renaissance of
the 1920s and Civil Rights Movement of the 60s. 1
 Manhattanville lies south of Hamilton Heights and west of Morningside Heights. It is the
location of Columbia University and for this reason, is a thriving area in spite of the
economy and a promise land for jobs. 1
 Morningside Heights is often considered part of the Upper West Side, but it is, in fact,
part of “Greater Harlem.” Its street borders are Riverside Drive to the west, Morningside
Drive to the east, 125th Street to the north, and 110th Street to the south.
 West Harlem is an extension of Central Harlem, both of which are dominated by African
American residents. The two areas together were the focus of the Harlem Renaissance—
an artistic movement in the American black community.
 Central Harlem begins at 110th Street, or Central Park North, up to 125th Street. Since
most newcomers to Harlem do not choose housing north of 125th Street, the real estate
here is high-priced. There are historic churches, brownstones, the Apollo Theater, soul
food restaurants, Magic Johnson’s movie multiplex, and Marcus Garvey Park. 1
 East Harlem is a predominantly Latino neighborhood, also known as El Barrio. There are
many ethnic restaurants, housing projects, and even a stretch of retail along Second
Avenue. 1
 Inwood is the northernmost neighborhood on the island of Manhattan. The Harlem and
Hudson Rivers form its boundaries, its geography is hilly, and there are limited local
street connections, all contributing to its feel of being “physically detached.”
 Washington Heights is notoriously more rugged than other areas in Harlem. The
neighborhood is north of 155th Street and attractive to artists and musicians, in particular,
for its cheaper real estate.1
The first four neighborhoods mentioned comprise Manhattan’s Community Board 9, Central
Harlem is Community Board 10, East Harlem Board 11, and the final two Community Board 12.
Our focus, because of its rich racial and cultural history, is West and Central Harlem. The entire
neighborhood’s history, for that matter, has been defined by a series of economic cycles. The
“boom-and-bust” cycles of Harlem’s economy subsequently caused significant population shifts.
What was once a Dutch village transformed into a destination of African-Americans during the
1
Sheftell, Jason. "Harlem: Neighborhood Focus." NY Daily News. NY Daily News, 26 Feb.
2009. Web. 18 Feb. 2013.
Great Migration—the movement of 6 million African-Americans from the rural South to the
Northeast, West, or Midwest during much of the 20th century.
Following the new population shift between 1919 and 1926 was the Harlem Renaissance during
the 1920s and 1930s. This was a cultural movement, revival, and time of prosperity for AfricanAmericans in Harlem. Sociologist Alain Locke encouraged the “New Negro” to maintain their
unique culture, assert themselves in society, and participate in intellectual exchanges with other
races.”2 The time period and movement then adopted the name “The Negro Movement.” During
this time, Harlem attracted musicians, artists, writers, and activists alike. A development of
spiritual music and ragtime, Blacks gave birth to jazz music. With the musical advancements
came Broadway hits and other acting breakthroughs. Art and artists like William H. Johnson,
Palmer Hayeden, Jacob Lawrence, and more, also thrived during this time. 2
Arguably the most important aspect of the Harlem Renaissance was the work of African
American writers. The poetry of Langston Hughes, for example, left a lasting legacy of this era.
W.E.B Dubois published The Crisis, an African American magazine funded by the NAACP. 2
This publication often voiced opinions in regard to Marcus Garvey’s views published in the
newspaper, Negro World. These works, and other writing and activism, spurred the debate over
the future of African-American people in Manhattan, New York, and the entire country. It
segued into the fight for equality and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
Black writers and activists stirred up a sense of community and empowerment for their fellow
people in Harlem and throughout the United States. The largely segregated and racist American
society was given the opportunity for “whites to collaborate with black intellectuals, social
activists, educators, and artists” to undergo a transformation. Civil rights activists used the artists
and writers of their culture to achieve their goals of equality and civil rights. The advancements
made during the Harlem Renaissance went mainstream and drew attention to the
“disenfranchised segment of the American population.” 3
Thus, we are brought to the expanse of information regarding the Civil Rights Movement and its
leaders—Martin Luther King, Marcus Garvey, W.E.B Dubois, Malcolm X, etc. This movement,
inevitably, played a pivotal role in the neighborhood of Harlem. Backtracking, another
contributing factor to the economy and business end of Harlem was the effects of the Great
Depression in the 1930s and deindustrialization of New York after World War II, which caused a
significant increase in the rates of crime and poverty in the area. Then, and since, its
aforementioned revival in the 20th century, Harlem has undergone social and economic
gentrification—a result of residential shifts, urban planning, and other factors in poor urban
areas. This change that happened and continues to happen in Harlem, lends to the economic,
social, and political makeup of the neighborhood today.
2
Robinson, Susan. "Harlem Renaissance; An Overview." Harlem Renaissance; An Overview.
Gibbs Magazine, 17 Oct. 2005. Web. 18 Feb. 2013.
3
“Harlem Renaissance.” Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, Web. 18 Feb. 2013.
Our study of West and Central Harlem will cover the change in demographics, the racial history,
economic history, and the rich social and cultural evolution of the people who inhabit the
northern region of the island of Manhattan.