Harlem facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Harlem
Neighborhood
Apartment buildings next to Morningside Park in Harlem
Nickname(s):  "Heaven", "Black mecca"
Country	United States
State	New York
City	New York City
Borough	Manhattan
Community District	Manhattan 10
Founded	1660
Founded by	Peter Stuyvesant
Named for	Haarlem, Netherlands
Area
• Total	1.400 sq mi (3.63 km2)
Population
• Total	197,052
Economics
• Median income	,708
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	10026, 10027, 10030, 10031, 10035, 10037, 10039
Area code	212, 332, 646, and 917

Harlem is a well-known neighborhood in New York City, located in Manhattan. It is generally found in the northern part of Manhattan. Its borders are roughly the Hudson River to the west, the Harlem River and 155th Street to the north, Fifth Avenue to the east, and Central Park North (110th Street) to the south.

Harlem was first a Dutch village, officially started in 1658. It was named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands. Over time, Harlem has seen many changes in its population and economy. In the late 1800s, many Jewish and Italian families lived there. Then, in the early 1900s, many African-American residents moved to Harlem during the Great Migration.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Central and West Harlem became the heart of the Harlem Renaissance. This was a huge cultural movement for African Americans. After World War II, the neighborhood faced tough times with more challenges. However, in the 21st century, Harlem has seen many improvements and new growth.

The area has good public transportation, including the New York City Subway and local buses. It also has many schools and is close to colleges like Columbia University.

Harlem: A Famous Neighborhood

A map of Upper Manhattan, with Greater Harlem highlighted. Harlem proper is the neighborhood in the center.

Harlem is located in Upper Manhattan. The larger Harlem area includes three main parts: West, Central, and East Harlem. These areas stretch from the Harlem River and East River in the east to the Hudson River in the west. They are located between 155th Street in the north and a changing southern border. This southern border runs along 96th Street east of Fifth Avenue, 110th Street near Morningside Park, and 125th Street west of Morningside Park.

Central Harlem is the main part of Harlem. It is bordered by Fifth Avenue to the east and Central Park to the south. To the west, it has Morningside Park and St. Nicholas Avenue. The Harlem River is to its north. This area includes parks like Morningside Park, St. Nicholas Park, and Jackie Robinson Park. Marcus Garvey Park (also called Mount Morris Park) separates Central Harlem from East Harlem.

West Harlem includes neighborhoods like Manhattanville, Hamilton Heights, and Sugar Hill. It is bordered by 110th Street to the south and 155th Street to the north. The Hudson River is to its west. This part of Harlem also has parks like West Harlem Piers and Riverbank State Park.

East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem or El Barrio, is bordered by East 96th Street to the south and East 138th Street to the north. Fifth Avenue is to its west, and the Harlem River is to its east. Thomas Jefferson Park is one of the parks in East Harlem.

History of Harlem

Before Europeans arrived, the area of Harlem was home to the Manhattans, a Native American tribe. They lived in the area in a semi-nomadic way. Some of them farmed the flat lands of Harlem. The first European settlements were set up between 1637 and 1639.

During the American Revolution, the British army burned Harlem down. It took a long time for the area to rebuild and grow. After the American Civil War, Harlem started to boom economically around 1868. More people moved to Harlem, especially those who were poor and of Jewish or Italian background. New train lines, like the New York and Harlem Railroad, helped Harlem connect to other parts of Manhattan. This helped the area grow even more.

Rowhouse built for the African-American population of Harlem in the 1930s

A condemned building in Harlem after the 1970s

Over time, the number of Jewish and Italian residents decreased. At the same time, more Black and Puerto Rican people moved in. The Great Migration in the early 1900s brought many Black people from the Southern United States to northern cities like New York. They wanted to escape unfair Jim Crow laws, find better jobs, and get good education for their children. By 1930, Central Harlem was about 70% Black.

Around the end of World War I, Harlem became known for the New Negro movement. This led to the Harlem Renaissance, a period of amazing art, poetry, novels, theater, and visual arts. So many Black people moved to Harlem that it changed the area a lot.

However, the Great Depression in the 1930s hit Harlem hard. Many people lost their jobs. In the early 1930s, about 25% of people in Harlem were out of work. This problem continued for decades. Some jobs that Black New Yorkers traditionally held were taken by other groups. Also, big industries left New York City after 1950. During this time, there were some difficult periods in Harlem, including in 1935 and 1943.

After World War II, Harlem saw more big changes. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, residents protested for better housing conditions. Groups like the Congress of Racial Equality worked to make landlords improve buildings. They wanted landlords to fix problems like rats and provide heat in winter. The city also built public housing projects to offer safer homes. However, local groups eventually stopped new projects from being built.

Education was also a big concern. In the 1960s, many Harlem students were behind in reading and math. In 1964, residents held school boycotts to highlight these issues. After World War II, Harlem was no longer home to most of the city's Black population. But it remained a very important cultural and political center for Black New York.

By the 1970s, many people who could afford to leave Harlem did so. They looked for safer streets, better schools, and nicer homes. Those who stayed were often the poorest. The government tried to help with programs for jobs and housing, but improvements were slow. In 1985, the city started selling off many properties in Harlem. The goal was to help people own homes and improve the neighborhood.

After the 1990s, Harlem began to grow again. Between 1990 and 2006, the population increased by almost 17%. The percentage of Black residents decreased, while the percentage of white residents increased. New buildings and shops along 125th Street also helped to bring new life to Harlem.

Culture and Arts in Harlem

A 1933 map of nightclubs in Harlem, showing Savoy Ballroom, Cotton Club, Smalls Paradise and others.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Central and West Harlem were at the center of the "Harlem Renaissance". This was a time when Black artists created amazing works like never before in America. While musicians and writers from Harlem are very famous, the community also had many actors and theater groups. These included the New Heritage Repertory Theater and the American Negro Theater.

The Apollo Theater on 125th Street in November 2006

The Apollo Theater opened on 125th Street in 1934. The Savoy Ballroom, on