New York - Harlem Travel Guides | New York | Sub Regions | New York - Harlem

Harlem spreads north of Central Park between 110th and 145th Streets. Since the 1920s, this neighbourhood has been the centre of black culture in New York, producing some of the best in music, art, dance and politics. Tucked into a sizeable and lively area are some lovely homes, gospel churches, local art, great soul food and, of course, the sound of jazz and blues.

Harlem was first developed in the 18th century as an agricultural retreat from the city but, during the mid-1800s, the land became unproductive and the farmers left to be replaced by Irish and German immigrants. In the early 1900s, brownstone tenements were constructed in the area, attracting another wave of immigrants from the Lower East Side, including a significant black community, who settled in the neighbourhood around 135th Street to find better housing and to escape the racism and violence that affected other parts of the city. Black churches moved to Harlem or were formed here and powerful black fraternal lodges and social clubs sprang up. By the 1920s, black Americans from the southern states were also flocking to participate in Harlem’s economic opportunities and cultural life. Jazz developed throughout the early 20th century, attracting crowds from all over the city. Art, theatre, dance and comedy thrived and writers such as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen and Zora Neale Hurston launched the Harlem Renaissance literary movement. Harlem, at its peak, was a symbol of independent black cultural success.

The area’s current revival follows many years of unrest, starting in the 1960s, when heavy rioting led to fires that ravaged the area. The influx of drugs combined with economic hardship hit the neighbourhood hard and, by the 1970s and ‘80s, Harlem was regarded as an impoverished and dangerous ghetto. The area’s recent regeneration, which has seen not only the arrival of Starbucks but also the opening of Bill Clinton’s office space on 125th Street, can be traced to a 1996 initiative that aimed to redevelop the area economically.

Sights

Abyssinian Baptist Church

132 W 138th St,T1-212 862 7474. Services Sun 0900 and 1100. Subway 2, 3 to 135th

The debate continues whether or not it’s appropriate to recommend churchgoing in Harlem as part of a sightseeing itinerary. To locals, this is a way of life and not a tourist stop. However, the gospel music of Harlem is among the best in the country and many locals appreciate an audience. The Abyssinian is the best-known church in the neighbourhood so you’re less likely to be a surprise visitor here and, even when there’s no service, this pretty Gothic church is worth a visit. In the 1930s the church was presided over by Reverend Adam Clayton Powell Jr whose activism helped black Americans win economic rights. He also established the country’s minimum wage laws during his time in Congress.

If it’s standing room only at the Abyssinian, you won’t have to look far to find another place of worship with a gospel choir. Alternatively, Sugar Hill Bistro at 458 W 145th Street serves a gospel brunch every weekend. This lovely brownstone also doubles as an art gallery and restaurant, with classic jazz every night.

Studio Museum in Harlem

144 W 125th St between Lenox Av and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd,T1-212 864 4500, http://www.studiomuseum.org Wed-Fri, Sun 1200-1800, Sat 1000-1800. $7, $3 students and seniors, free children. Free admission for all on 1st Sat of every month. Subway A, B, C, D, 2, 3, to 125th St.

Set up as a working studio for black artists in the 1970s, the museum has a wonderful display of art and has recently added a performance schedule for musicians, poets and others. Paintings, photography and sculpture dating from the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s are on display, as well as work by many contemporary artists.

Striver’s Row

138 St and 139 St. Subway B, C to 135th St.

This elegant group of rowhouses on 138th and 139th Streets was commissioned in 1891 as an example of ideal urban living. When the black community moved into the neighbourhood after World War I, the streets become home to famous entertainers, including ragtime pianist Eubie Blake, composer WC Handy and comedian Stepin Fetchit. The beautiful brownstone homes, many of them designed by Stanford White, have now become popular tourist sights, but some locals complain that gentrification has robbed the area of its community feel.

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