Harlem: neighborhood revitalization paves way for a new Renaissance

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Business, Food and Drink, North America, United States, Hotels and Accommodations, NightlifeHarlem. The very name of this former Dutch settlement conjures up a contrast in images: the cultural Renaissance years of the 1920's and '30's, when the "New Negro Movement" attracted writers and other literary types from all over the world. The rise of a middle and upper middle class of black Americans. The Golden Age of Jazz, when legends like Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and Jelly Roll Morton could be found playing at iconic venues such as the Savoy Ballroom, Cotton Club, Apollo Theater, and Lenox Lounge.

After the Great Depression and WWII, Harlem experienced hard times. Once glorious buildings grew neglected; crime and poverty soared in the wake of an increasingly disenfranchised community and the social unrest of the civil rights movement. Then, in the late 20th century, Harlem began to get her groove back, and the neighborhood---which stretches north to south from 155th Street to 96th Street--began to gentrify. It's still a predominantly black community, which is fueling a growing revivalist movement that's an homage to the historic neighborhood's cultural past.

Today, you're just as likely to see beautifully restored brownstones (at newly jacked-up prices), eclectic boutiques, bars, and clubs, and destination restaurants. But some things are still the same. The inevitable downtown hipsters making the trek to soul food institutions such as Amy Ruth's and Sylvia's Restaurant. Street vendors hawking everything from incense to dodgy electronics from blankets spread on the sidewalk. Walking up the subway steps, you're assaulted by a cacophony of sights, sounds, smells--not all of them pleasant. Welcome to Harlem, 2011. A work in progress, but definitely a destination in its own right.

[Photo credit: Flickr user i am drexel]

Gallery: Aloft HarlemContinue reading Harlem: neighborhood revitalization paves way for a new RenaissanceHarlem: neighborhood revitalization paves way for a new Renaissance originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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