Many of you may have learned, heard, and if lucky had
the opportunity to visit Harlem, also known as The Black Mecca. Lets go back
to the 1920’s real quick when white landlords started to sell their properties
to black real estate agents. They also started to rent to Black tenants. The
Gentrification of Midtown pushed many blacks out and as a result they moved to
Harlem between the 1900 to 1920. Many of the countries best and brightest black
advocates, artists entrepreneurs and intellectuals situated in Harlem during
this time and was later called the Harlem Renaissance.
African American Culture Flourished in Harlem.
Literature, Music Dance all played a major role in African American Expression.
During this time African Americans embraced, loved, celebrated and defined their
rich culture. This Movement was like no other and completely transformed African
American Identity and History.
But if you haven’t been informed Harlem, the Black
Mecca may no longer be able to live up to its name. Being an ex-resident,
attending middle and high school in Harlem, I happened to notice a lot of change
in my community each and every year. Around 2005 I would notice that the changes
were subtle in the beginning but as the years progressed 06’ 07’ 08’ 09’ 10’ 11’
12’ these changes would continue at a faster rate like a domino effect. These so
called changes ranged from schools, churches, mom & pop stores and so many
others constantly closing and going out of business. More police presence in the
community, the crime and drug rate constantly dropping which is a positive thing
etc. . Being raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida I didn’t see much change
growing up at all, things pretty much stayed the same for as long as I could
recall.
Why?
For some reason this rapid change in my community,
Harlem, New York has triggered something in my mind since the age of 13. These
are the Questions I have been pondering …
Where
are the Residents who have resided in Harlem for the past 10, 30, 40, 50 years
gone?
Why
are more and more schools, small businesses, and Historical monuments being
closed and demolished to remain a thing and memory of the past?
Why
is the police presence in Harlem all of a sudden visible?
Who are these new residents that and do they care or understand
about Harlem’s present and past rich culture?
Then I start to remember these are the same people who never wanted to step a
foot into this community. But for some reason now there are new High Rise
Condos, Apartments “Affordable Housing”, bank branches, grocery stores, Swanky
new café shops on almost every corner, 300 million dollar shopping complexes
being build all faster than you can blink your eyes. Each and every year more
Positive changes come to accommodate the new affluent residents at the expense
of others. While the streets are cleaner and safer; longtime residents find
themselves with their backs up against the wall resisting change with no other
option but to sell their homes and move because they can no longer afford
it.
According to a resent article entitled Mixed
Feelings as Change Overtakes 125 St. By Timothy Williams Published on June
13th 2008. Timothy States “earlier this year the average price
for new condominium apartments in Harlem hit $900,000 although average household
income remains less than $25,000” Williams also argues “In
East Harlem, East River Plaza, a $300 million shopping mall anchored by Home
Depot, is being Built on the site of a long Abandoned wire factory. Two Blocks
away glass walled $1million Condominiums are rising next to six-story tenement
Building ”
The bigger picture is the fact that
this has been and will continue to be a problem not only in Harlem but in many
communities around the nation & world. So it is not a local problem. What
are your thoughts and comments ?
In the United States it seems that when a predominately Caucasian area is urbanized, "infiltrated" in a sense by an influx of African-Americans or people of another race, the Caucasian residents leave. In the first part of the 20th century phenomena could be observed in Harlem, New York and now, in 2013, the opposite is happening. It looks like a reclamation of old lands. The Harlem community has under-performed economically over the past decade. Simultaneously as described in the article, new entities have entered the neighborhood that operate above the price point of the current residents. Action of this sort is unfortunate but is not accidental. I pray that Harlem's soul is saved in the midst of this new venture toward "progress."
ReplyDeleteI like this post. Clearly our culture has changed a lot over the years. African Americans used to take pride in our communities and the way we lived. Harlem, New York is historic for its great musicians, artists, and cultural movement and trends. The people in Harlem have depreciated the value of their community through drugs and senseless violence. Its kinda sad to see what was once a place that blacks felt good about and took pride in turn into a poverty stricken area. I agree with Austin. I really hope that Harlem gets their act together and restore the rich culture and history they were once famous for.
ReplyDeleteThis post is very interesting. Considering the fact that I will be living in Harlem this upcoming summer, it really got me thinking. I am from the D.C. Metropolitan. Similare to Harlem, gentrification has reigned supreme in many of the neighborhoods in D.C. and moving most of "Chocolate City" to the outskirts of D.C and into southern Maryland. Although the crime rate has dropped, and there are many new coming attractions to these areas that have been gentrified, I think that it really shows that cities like Harlem and D.C. turn its back on their indigenous residents. Similar to the way America turned it's backs on the Native Americans when Christopher Columbus first set foot on American soil.
ReplyDeleteBeing from New York, this post created a great deal of memories. I agree and have witnessed the events in this post as I notice the small changes around my neighborhood(Brooklyn) as well. The effect is impacting society in a terrible way for African Americans living in these areas because they are forced to move and reallocate to another area based on their high prices of living. This article is very special to my heart and I am glad some one mentioned it.
ReplyDelete