Harlem is a neighborhood in
Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan is the northern section of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary has been variously defined, but some of the most common usages are 96th Street, 110th Street (the northern boundary of Central Park), 1 ...
, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the
Hudson River
The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...
on the west; the
Harlem River
The Harlem River is an tidal strait in New York City, flowing between the Hudson River and the East River and separating the island of Manhattan from the Bronx on the United States mainland.
The northern stretch, also called the Spuyten Duyvi ...
and
155th Street on the north;
Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. The avenue runs south from 143rd Street (Manhattan), West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The se ...
on the east; and
Central Park North on the south. The greater Harlem area encompasses several other neighborhoods and extends west and north to 155th Street, east to the
East River
The East River is a saltwater Estuary, tidal estuary or strait in New York City. The waterway, which is not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island, ...
, and south to
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard,
Central Park
Central Park is an urban park between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, and the first landscaped park in the United States. It is the List of parks in New York City, sixth-largest park in the ...
, and
East 96th Street.
Originally a
Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of
Haarlem
Haarlem (; predecessor of ''Harlem'' in English language, English) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the Provinces of the Nether ...
in the Netherlands. Harlem's history has been defined by a series of economic
boom-and-bust cycles, with significant population shifts accompanying each cycle. Harlem was predominantly occupied by
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
and
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
Americans in the late 19th century, while
African-American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
residents began to arrive in large numbers during the
Great Migration in the early 20th century. In the 1920s and 1930s, Central and West Harlem were the center of the
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural revival of African-American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics, and scholarship centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning the 1920s and 1930s. At the ti ...
, a major African-American cultural movement. With job losses during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
of the 1930s and the
deindustrialization
Deindustrialization is a process of social and economic change caused by the removal or reduction of industrial capacity or activity in a country or region, especially of heavy industry or manufacturing industry.
There are different interpr ...
of New York City after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, rates of
crime and poverty increased significantly.
In the 21st century, crime rates decreased significantly, and Harlem started to
gentrify
Gentrification is the process whereby the character of a neighborhood changes through the influx of more affluent residents (the "gentry") and investment. There is no agreed-upon definition of gentrification. In public discourse, it has been us ...
.
The area is served by the
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system in New York City serving the New York City boroughs, boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. It is owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Tr ...
and local bus routes. It contains several public elementary, middle, and high schools, and is close to several colleges, including
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
,
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory
A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music a ...
, and the
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a Public university, public research university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York ...
. Central Harlem is part of
Manhattan Community District 10.
It is patrolled by the 28th and 32nd Precincts of the
New York City Police Department
The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
. The greater Harlem area also includes
Manhattan Community Districts 9 and
11 and several police precincts, while fire services are provided by four
New York City Fire Department
The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is the full-service fire department of New York City, serving all Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs. The FDNY is responsible for providing Fi ...
companies.
Geography

Harlem is located in
Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan is the northern section of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary has been variously defined, but some of the most common usages are 96th Street, 110th Street (the northern boundary of Central Park), 1 ...
. The three neighborhoods comprising the greater Harlem area—West, Central, and East Harlem—stretch from the
Harlem River
The Harlem River is an tidal strait in New York City, flowing between the Hudson River and the East River and separating the island of Manhattan from the Bronx on the United States mainland.
The northern stretch, also called the Spuyten Duyvi ...
and
East River
The East River is a saltwater Estuary, tidal estuary or strait in New York City. The waterway, which is not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island, ...
to the east, to the
Hudson River
The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...
to the west; and between 155th Street in the north, where it meets
Washington Heights, and an uneven boundary along the south that runs along
96th Street east of
Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. The avenue runs south from 143rd Street (Manhattan), West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The se ...
,
110th Street between Fifth Avenue to
Morningside Park, and
125th Street west of Morningside Park to the Hudson River.
''
Encyclopædia Britannica
The is a general knowledge, general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It has been published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. since 1768, although the company has changed ownership seven times. The 2010 version of the 15th edition, ...
'' references these boundaries, though the ''
Encyclopedia of New York City'' takes a much more conservative view of Harlem's boundaries, regarding only central Harlem as part of Harlem proper.
Central Harlem is the name of Harlem proper; it falls under Manhattan Community District 10.
This section is bounded by Central Park North 110th street on the south; 155th street on the north; Fifth avenue on the east; and Morningside Park, St. Nicholas Avenue, and Edgecombe Avenue on the west.
A chain of large linear parks includes
Morningside Park,
St. Nicholas Park,
Jackie Robinson Park
Jackie Robinson Park (formerly Colonial Park) is a public park in the Hamilton Heights, Manhattan, Hamilton Heights and Harlem neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City. The approximately park is bounded by Bradhurst Avenue to the east, 15 ...
,
Rucker Park, and
Marcus Garvey Park (also known as Mount Morris Park) which separates this area from
East Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem, or , is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City, north of the Upper East Side and bounded by 96th Street to the south, Fifth Avenue to the west, and the East and Harlem Rivers to the eas ...
to the east.
Central Harlem includes the
Mount Morris Park Historic District.
West Harlem (
Manhattanville
Manhattanville (also known as West Harlem or West Central Harlem, after its location near Harlem) is a neighborhood in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan. It is bordered on the north by 135th Street (Manhattan), 13 ...
,
Hamilton Heights, and
Sugar Hill) comprises Manhattan Community district 9. The three neighborhoods' area is bounded by Cathedral Parkway/110th Street on the south; 155th Street on the north; Manhattan/Morningside Ave/St. Nicholas/Bradhurst/Edgecombe Avenues on the east; and Riverside Park/the Hudson River on the west. Manhattanville begins at roughly 123rd Street and extends northward to 135th Street. The northernmost section of West Harlem is Hamilton Heights.
A chain of large linear parks includes
West Harlem Piers,
Riverbank State Park
Riverbank State Park is a state park built on top of a sewage treatment facility on the Hudson River, in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan. It was opened in 1993. On September 5, 2017, it was renamed Denny Farrell ...
,
St. Nicholas Park, and
Jackie Robinson Park
Jackie Robinson Park (formerly Colonial Park) is a public park in the Hamilton Heights, Manhattan, Hamilton Heights and Harlem neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City. The approximately park is bounded by Bradhurst Avenue to the east, 15 ...
.
East Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem, or , is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City, north of the Upper East Side and bounded by 96th Street to the south, Fifth Avenue to the west, and the East and Harlem Rivers to the eas ...
, also called
Spanish Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem, or , is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City, north of the Upper East Side and bounded by 96th Street to the south, Fifth Avenue to the west, and the East and Harlem Rivers to the east ...
or ''El Barrio'', is located within Manhattan Community District 11, which is bounded by East 96th Street on the south, East 138th Street on the north, Fifth Avenue on the west, and the Harlem River on the east.
A chain of parks includes
Thomas Jefferson Park
Thomas Jefferson Park is a public park in the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. The park is on First Avenue (Manhattan), First Avenue between 111th and 114th Streets. It contains a playground as well as facilities for bas ...
and
Marcus Garvey Park.
SoHa controversy
In the 2010s some
real estate professionals started
rebranding
Rebranding is a marketing strategy in which a new name, term, symbol, design, concept or combination thereof is created for an established brand with the intention of developing a new, differentiated identity in the minds of consumers, investors ...
south Harlem as "SoHa" (a name standing for "South Harlem" in the style of
SoHo
SoHo, short for "South of Houston Street, Houston Street", is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Since the 1970s, the neighborhood has been the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, art installations such as The Wall ...
or
NoHo
NoHo, short for "North of Houston Street, Houston Street" (as contrasted with SoHo), is a primarily residential neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded by Mercer Street (Manhattan), Mercer Street to the west, the Bowery ...
) in an attempt to accelerate
gentrification
Gentrification is the process whereby the character of a neighborhood changes through the influx of more Wealth, affluent residents (the "gentry") and investment. There is no agreed-upon definition of gentrification. In public discourse, it has ...
of the neighborhoods. "SoHa", applied to the area between West 110th and 125th Streets, has become a controversial name. Residents and other critics seeking to prevent this renaming of the area have labelled the SoHa brand as "insulting and another sign of gentrification run amok" and have said that "the rebranding not only places their neighborhood's rich history under erasure but also appears to be intent on attracting new tenants, including students from nearby Columbia University".
Multiple New York City politicians have initiated legislative efforts to curtail this practice of neighborhood rebranding, which when successfully introduced in other New York City neighborhoods, have led to increases in rents and real estate values, as well as "shifting demographics".
In 2011, U.S. Representative
Hakeem Jeffries
Hakeem Sekou Jeffries ( ; born August 4, 1970) is an American politician and attorney who has served as Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives, House minority leader and House Democratic Caucus#Leaders of the House Democrati ...
attempted but failed to implement legislation "that would punish real estate agents for inventing false neighborhoods and redrawing neighborhood boundaries without city approval."
By 2017, New York State Senator
Brian Benjamin also worked to render the practice of rebranding historically recognized neighborhoods illegal.
Political representation
Politically, central Harlem is in
New York's 13th congressional district. It is in the
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term l ...
's 30th district, the
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits.
The Ass ...
's 68th and 70th districts, and the
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of New York City in the United States. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs.
The council serves as a check against the mayor in a mayor-council government mod ...
's 7th, 8th, and 9th districts.
History
Before the arrival of European settlers, the area that would become Harlem (originally Haarlem) was inhabited by a
Native American band, the ''
Wecquaesgeek
The Wecquaesgeek (also Manhattoe and Manhattan) were a Munsee-speaking band of Wappinger people who once lived along the east bank of the Hudson River in the southwest of today's Westchester County, New York,Their presence on the east bank of th ...
'', dubbed ''Manhattans'' or ''
Manhattoe
Manhattoe/Manhattoes is a term describing a place and, mistakenly, a people. The location was the very southern tip of the Manhattan island during the time of the Dutch colonization of the Americas at what became New Amsterdam there. The people ...
'' by Dutch settlers, who along with other Native Americans, most likely
Lenape
The Lenape (, , ; ), also called the Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada.
The Lenape's historica ...
, occupied the area on a semi-nomadic basis. As many as several hundred farmed the Harlem flatlands. Between 1637 and 1639, a few colonial settlements were established. The settlement of Harlem was formally incorporated in 1660
under the leadership of
Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant ( – August 1672)Mooney, James E. "Stuyvesant, Peter" in p.1256 was a Dutch colonial administrator who served as the Directors of New Netherland, director-general of New Netherland from 1647 to 1664, when the colony was pro ...
.
["To Live In Harlem", Frank Hercules, ''National Geographic'', February 1977, p. 178-]
During the
American Revolution
The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
, the British burned Harlem to the ground. It took a long time to rebuild, as Harlem grew more slowly than the rest of Manhattan during the late 18th century. After the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, Harlem experienced an economic boom starting in 1868. The neighborhood continued to serve as a refuge for New Yorkers, but increasingly those coming north were poor and Jewish or Italian. The
New York and Harlem Railroad
The New York and Harlem Railroad (now the Metro-North Railroad's Harlem Line) was one of the first railroads in the United States, and was the world's first street railway. Designed by John Stephenson, it was opened in stages between 1832 and ...
, as well as the
Interborough Rapid Transit and
elevated railway
An elevated railway or elevated train (also known as an el train or el for short) is a railway with the Track (rail transport), tracks above street level on a viaduct or other elevated structure (usually constructed from steel, cast iron, concre ...
lines, helped Harlem's economic growth, as they connected Harlem to lower and midtown Manhattan.

The Jewish and Italian demographic decreased, while the black and Puerto Rican population increased in this time. The early-20th century
Great Migration of black people to northern industrial cities was fueled by their desire to leave behind the
Jim Crow
The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws introduced in the Southern United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that enforced racial segregation, " Jim Crow" being a pejorative term for an African American. The last of the ...
South, seek better jobs and education for their children, and escape a culture of
lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial killing by a group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob in order to punish an alleged or convicted transgressor or to intimidate others. It can also be an extreme form of i ...
violence; during
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, expanding industries recruited black laborers to fill new jobs, thinly staffed after the draft began to take young men.
["The Making of Harlem"](_blank)
, James Weldon Johnson, The Survey Graphic, March 1925 In 1910, Central Harlem population was about 10% black people. By 1930, it had reached 70%.
Starting around the time of the end of World War I, Harlem became associated with the
New Negro movement, and then the artistic outpouring known as the
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural revival of African-American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics, and scholarship centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning the 1920s and 1930s. At the ti ...
, which extended to poetry, novels, theater, and the visual arts. So many black people came that it "threaten
dthe very existence of some of the leading industries of Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama." Many settled in Harlem. By 1920, central Harlem was 32.43% black. The 1930 census revealed that 70.18% of central Harlem's residents were black and lived as far south as
Central Park
Central Park is an urban park between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, and the first landscaped park in the United States. It is the List of parks in New York City, sixth-largest park in the ...
, at 110th Street.
However, by the 1930s, the neighborhood was hit hard by job losses in the
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
. In the early 1930s, 25% of Harlemites were out of work, and employment prospects for Harlemites stayed poor for decades. Employment among black New Yorkers fell as some traditionally black businesses, including domestic service and some types of manual labor, were taken over by other ethnic groups. Major industries left New York City altogether, especially after 1950. Several riots happened in this period, including in
1935
Events
January
* January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims.
* January 12 – Amelia Earhart ...
and
1943
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured.
* January 4 � ...
.
There were major changes following
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Harlem was the scene of a series of
rent strike
A rent strike, sometimes known as a tenants strike or a renters strike, is a method of protest commonly employed against large landlords. In a rent strike, a group of tenants agree to collectively withhold paying some or all of their rent to the ...
s by neighborhood tenants, led by local activist
Jesse Gray
Jesse Gray (May 14, 1923 – January 2, 1988) was an American civil rights leader and politician from New York (state), New York.
Biography
Jesse Gray was born on May 14, 1923, near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He came to New York City and was a tai ...
, together with the
Congress of Racial Equality
The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States that played a pivotal role for African Americans in the civil rights movement. Founded in 1942, its stated mission is "to bring about ...
,
Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited (HARYOU), and other groups. These groups wanted the city to force landlords to improve the quality of housing by bringing them up to code, to take action against
rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include '' Neotoma'' (pack rats), '' Bandicota'' (bandicoo ...
s and
roaches, to provide heat during the winter, and to keep prices in line with existing rent control regulations.
The largest public works projects in Harlem in these years were public housing, with the largest concentration built in East Harlem. Typically, existing structures were torn down and replaced with city-designed and managed properties that would, in theory, present a safer and more pleasant environment than those available from private landlords. Ultimately, community objections halted the construction of new projects.
[East Harlem's History](_blank)
, New Directions: A 197-A Plan for Manhattan Community district 11 (Revised 1999)
From the mid-20th century, the low quality of
education in Harlem has been a source of distress. In the 1960s, about 75% of Harlem students tested under grade levels in reading skills, and 80% tested under grade level in math. In 1964, residents of Harlem staged two school boycotts to call attention to the problem. In central Harlem, 92% of students stayed home. In the post-World War II era, Harlem ceased to be home to a majority of the city's black people, but it remained the cultural and political capital of black New York, and possibly black America.
By the 1970s, many of those Harlemites who were able to escape from poverty left the neighborhood in search of better schools and homes, and safer streets. Those who remained were the poorest and least skilled, with the fewest opportunities for success. Though the federal government's
Model Cities Program spent $100 million on job training, health care, education, public safety, sanitation, housing, and other projects over a ten-year period, Harlem showed no improvement. The city began auctioning its enormous portfolio of Harlem properties to the public in 1985. This was intended to improve the community by placing property in the hands of people who would live in them and maintain them. In many cases, the city would even pay to completely renovate a property before selling it (by lottery) below market value.
After the 1990s, Harlem began to grow again. Between 1990 and 2006 the neighborhood's population grew by 16.9%, with the percentage of black people decreasing from 87.6% to 69.3%,
then dropping to 54.4% by 2010,
["Census trends: Young, white Harlem newcomers aren't always welcomed"](_blank)
, ''New York Daily News'', December 26, 2010 and the percentage of whites increasing from 1.5% to 6.6% by 2006,
and to "almost 10%" by 2010.
A renovation of 125th Street and new properties along the thoroughfare also helped to revitalize Harlem.
Culture

In the 1920s and 1930s, Central and West Harlem was the focus of the "
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural revival of African-American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics, and scholarship centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning the 1920s and 1930s. At the ti ...
", an outpouring of artistic work without precedent in the American Black community. Though Harlem musicians and writers are particularly well remembered, the community has also hosted numerous actors and theater companies, including the New Heritage Repertory Theater,
National Black Theater, Lafayette Players, Harlem Suitcase Theater, The Negro Playwrights,
American Negro Theater, and the Rose McClendon Players.
The
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater (formerly the Hurtig & Seamon's New Theatre; also Apollo Theatre or 125th Street Apollo Theatre) is a multi-use Theater (structure), theater at 253 125th Street (Manhattan), West 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of U ...
opened on 125th Street on January 26, 1934, in a former
burlesque house. The
Savoy Ballroom, on
Lenox Avenue
Lenox Avenue – also named Malcolm X Boulevard; both names are officially recognized – is the primary north–south route through Harlem in the Upper Manhattan, upper portion of the New York City boroughs of New York City, borough ...
, was a renowned venue for
swing dancing, and was immortalized in a popular song of the era, "
Stompin' at the Savoy
"Stompin' at the Savoy" is a 1933 jazz standard composed by Edgar Sampson. It is named after the famed Harlem nightspot the Savoy Ballroom in New York City.
History and composition
Although the song is often credited to Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, ...
". In the 1920s and 1930s, between Lenox and
Seventh Avenues in central Harlem, over 125 entertainment venues were in operation, including
speakeasies
A speakeasy, also called a beer flat or blind pig or blind tiger, was an illicit establishment that sold alcoholic beverages. The term may also refer to a retro style bar that replicates aspects of historical speakeasies.
In the United State ...
, cellars, lounges, cafes, taverns, supper clubs, rib joints, theaters, dance halls, and bars and grills.
133rd Street, known as "Swing Street", became known for its cabarets, speakeasies and jazz scene during the Prohibition era, and was dubbed "Jungle Alley" because of "inter-racial mingling" on the street.
Some jazz venues, including the
Cotton Club, where
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life.
Born and raised in Washington, D ...
played, and
Connie's Inn, were restricted to whites only. Others were integrated, including the
Renaissance Ballroom and the Savoy Ballroom.
In 1936,
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American director, actor, writer, producer, and magician who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is among the greatest and most influential film ...
produced his
black ''Macbeth'' at the
Lafayette Theater in Harlem. Grand theaters from the late 19th and early 20th centuries were torn down or converted to churches. Harlem lacked any permanent performance space until the creation of the Gatehouse Theater in an old
Croton aqueduct
The Croton Aqueduct or Old Croton Aqueduct was a large and complex water supply network, water distribution system constructed for New York City between 1837 and 1842. The great aqueduct (water supply), aqueducts, which were among the first in t ...
building on
135th Street in 2006.

From 1965 until 2007, the community was home to the
Harlem Boys Choir, a touring choir and education program for young boys, most of whom are black.
The Girls Choir of Harlem was founded in 1989, and closed with the Boys Choir.
From 1967 to 1969, the
Harlem Cultural Festival took place in
Mount Morris Park. Another name for this festival is "Black Woodstock". Artists like
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...
,
The 5th Dimension
The 5th Dimension is an American vocal group. Their music encompasses sunshine pop, pop soul, and psychedelic soul. They were an important crossover music act of the 1960s and 1970s, although both praised and derided for their particular music ...
, and
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys Knight & the Pips, which included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and cousins Will ...
performed here.
Harlem is also home to the largest
African American Day Parade, which celebrates the culture of African
diaspora
A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of birth, place of origin. The word is used in reference to people who identify with a specific geographic location, but currently resi ...
in America. The parade was started up in the spring of 1969 with Congressman
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. as the Grand Marshal of the first celebration.
Arthur Mitchell, a former dancer with the
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company's fir ...
, established
Dance Theatre of Harlem
Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) is an American professional ballet company and school based in Harlem, New York City. It was founded in 1969 under the directorship of Arthur Mitchell and later partnered with Karel Shook. Milton Rosenstock served ...
as a school and company of classical ballet and theater training in the late 1960s. The company has toured nationally and internationally. Generations of theater artists have gotten a start at the school.
By the 2010s, new dining hotspots were opening in Harlem around Frederick Douglass Boulevard. At the same time, some residents fought back against the powerful waves of gentrification the neighborhood is experiencing. In 2013, residents staged a sidewalk
sit-in
A sit-in or sit-down is a form of direct action that involves one or more people occupying an area for a protest, often to promote political, social, or economic change. The protestors gather conspicuously in a space or building, refusing to mo ...
to protest a five-days-a-week
farmers market
A farmers' market (or farmers market according to the AP stylebook, also farmer's market in the Cambridge Dictionary) is a physical retail marketplace intended to sell foods directly by farmers to consumers. Farmers' markets may be indoors or ...
that would shut down Macombs Place at 150th Street.
Uptown Night Market was founded in 2021 to celebrate cuisine, community, and culture. It is one of the largest night markets in
Manhattan
Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
. The main attractions include musical performances, arts and crafts shows, and food.
Music

Many R&B/Soul groups and artists formed in Harlem.
The Main Ingredient,
Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers,
Black Ivory,
Cameo,
Keith Sweat
Keith Sweat (born July 22, 1961) is an American singer, producer and songwriter. An early figure in the new jack swing musical movement, he is known for his collection of hits including "I Want Her," "Make It Last Forever (song), Make It Last For ...
,
Freddie Jackson,
Alyson Williams,
Johnny Kemp,
Teddy Riley
Edward Theodore Riley (born October 8, 1967) is an American record producer, singer, and songwriter credited with the creation of the R&B and hip-hop fusion genre, new jack swing. Musical artists who utilized Riley's production and songwri ...
,
Dave Wooley, and others got their start in Harlem.
Manhattan's contributions to
hip-hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...
stems largely from artists with Harlem roots such as
Doug E. Fresh,
Big L,
Kurtis Blow
Kurtis Walker (born August 9, 1959), known professionally by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is an American rapping , rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Walker is the first commercially successful rapper and the first to sign with a major rec ...
,
The Diplomats
The Diplomats (also known as Dipset) were an American Hip hop music, hip hop collective formed in the summer of 1997 by childhood friends Cam'ron and Jim Jones (rapper), Jimmy Jones in Harlem, New York City. The group was originally composed of ...
,
Mase
Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Mase (often stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper. Best known for his work with Sean Combs, Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records, he signed with the label in 1996 ...
or
Immortal Technique
Felipe Andres Coronel (born February 19, 1978), known artistically as Immortal Technique, is an American rapper, activist and songwriter. His lyrics are largely commentary on issues such as politics, religion, institutional racism, and govern ...
. Harlem is also the birthplace of popular hip-hop dances such as the
Harlem shake, toe wop, and
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken soup is a soup made from Chicken (food), chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear broth, chicken broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common addition ...
.
Harlem's
classical music
Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...
birthed organizations and chamber ensembles such as
Roberta Guaspari's Opus 118, Harlem Chamber Players,
Omnipresent Music Festival BIPOC Musicians Festival
Omnipresence or ubiquity is the property of being present anywhere and everywhere. The term omnipresence is most often used in a religious context as an attribute of a deity or supreme being, while the term ubiquity is generally used to describ ...
,
Harlem Quartet, and musicians such as violinist
Edward W. Hardy.
In the 1920s, African-American pianists who lived in Harlem invented their own style of jazz piano, called
stride, which was heavily influenced by
ragtime
Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that had its peak from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its Syncopation, syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers ...
. This style played a very important role in early jazz piano
Language
In 1938, jazz bandleader and singer
Cab Calloway
Cabell "Cab" Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American jazz singer and bandleader. He was a regular performer at the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he became a popular vocalist of the Swing music, swing era. His niche ...
published the first dictionary by an African-American, ''Cab Calloway's Cat-ologue: A "Hepster's" Dictionary'', which became the official
jive language reference book of the
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second-largest public library in the United States behind the Library of Congress a ...
.
In 1939, Calloway published an accompanying book titled ''Professor Cab Calloway's Swingformation Bureau'', which instructed readers how to apply the words and phrases from the dictionary. He released several editions until 1944, the last being ''The New Cab Calloway's Hepsters Dictionary: Language of Jive''. Poet
Lemn Sissay observed that "Cab Calloway was taking ownership of language for a people who, just a few generations before, had their own languages taken away."
Religious life

Religious life has historically had a strong presence in Black Harlem. The area is home to over 400 churches, some of which are official city or national landmarks.
Major Christian denominations include
Baptists
Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
, Pentecostals,
Methodists (generally
African Methodist Episcopal Zionist, or "AMEZ" and
African Methodist Episcopalian, or "AME"),
Episcopalians, and
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
. The
Abyssinian Baptist Church has long been influential because of its large congregation.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...
built a chapel on 128th Street in 2005.
Many of the area's churches are "
storefront church
A storefront or shopfront is the facade or entryway of a retail store located on the ground floor or street level of a commercial building, typically including one or more display windows. A storefront functions to attract visual attention to a b ...
es", which operate in an empty store, or a basement, or a converted brownstone townhouse. These congregations may have fewer than 30–50 members each, but there are hundreds of them. Others are old, large, and designated landmarks. Especially in the years before World War II, Harlem produced popular Christian charismatic "cult" leaders, including
George Wilson Becton and
Father Divine.
[''Harlem U.S.A.'', ed. John Henrik Clarke, introduction to 1971 edition]
Mosques in Harlem include the
Masjid Malcolm Shabazz (formerly Mosque No. 7
Nation of Islam
The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a religious organization founded in the United States by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930. A centralized and hierarchical organization, the NOI is committed to black nationalism and focuses its attention on the Afr ...
, and the location of the
1972 Harlem mosque incident), the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood and Masjid Aqsa. Judaism, too, maintains a presence in Harlem through the
Old Broadway Synagogue. A non-mainstream synagogue of
Black Hebrews, known as
Commandment Keepers, was based in a synagogue at 1 West 123rd Street until 2008.
Landmarks
Officially designated landmarks
Many places in Harlem are official city landmarks labeled by the
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the Government of New York City, New York City agency charged with administering the city's Historic preservation, Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting Ne ...
or are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
:
*
12 West 129th Street, a New York City landmark
*
17 East 128th Street, a New York City landmark
*
369th Regiment Armory, a New York City landmark and NRHP-listed site
*
Abyssinian Baptist Church, a New York City landmark
*
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater (formerly the Hurtig & Seamon's New Theatre; also Apollo Theatre or 125th Street Apollo Theatre) is a multi-use Theater (structure), theater at 253 125th Street (Manhattan), West 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of U ...
, a New York City landmark and NRHP-listed site
*
Astor Row
Astor Row is a group of 28 row houses on the south side of West 130th Street, between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Lenox Avenue (Manhattan), Lenox Avenues in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, which were among the first speculativ ...
, a set of New York City landmark houses
*
Blockhouse No. 1,
Fort Clinton
Fort Clinton was an American Revolutionary War fort erected by the Continental Army on the west bank of the Hudson River in 1776.
Fort Clinton was the original West Point academy
Protecting the chain
It was one of a pair of fortifications which ...
, and
Nutter's Battery, part of
Central Park
Central Park is an urban park between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, and the first landscaped park in the United States. It is the List of parks in New York City, sixth-largest park in the ...
, a
New York City scenic landmark and NRHP-listed site
*
Central Harlem West–130–132nd Streets Historic District, a New York City landmark
*
Dunbar Apartments, a New York City landmark
*
Graham Court Apartments, a New York City landmark
*
Hamilton Grange
Hamilton Grange National Memorial (also known as Hamilton Grange or the Grange) is a historic house museum within St. Nicholas Park in the Hamilton Heights, Manhattan, Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, United States ...
, a New York City landmark and NRHP-listed site
*
Harlem River Houses, a New York City landmark
*
Harlem YMCA, a New York City landmark
*
Hotel Theresa, a New York City landmark
*
Jackie Robinson YMCA Youth Center, a New York City landmark
*
Langston Hughes House, a New York City landmark and NRHP-listed site
*
Macombs Dam Bridge and 155th Street Viaduct, a New York City landmark
*
Manhattan Avenue-West 120th-123rd Streets Historic District, a NRHP historic district
*
Metropolitan Baptist Church, a New York City landmark and NRHP-listed site
*
Minton's Playhouse
Minton's Playhouse is a jazz club and bar located on the first floor of the Cecil Hotel at 210 West 118th Street in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City. It is a registered trademark of Housing and Services, Inc. a New York City nonprofit provider ...
, a NRHP-listed site
*
Morningside Park, a
New York City scenic landmark
*
Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, a New York City landmark
*
Mount Morris Park Historic District, a New York City landmark district
*
Mount Olive Fire Baptized Holiness Church, a New York City landmark
*
New York Public Library 115th Street Branch, a New York City landmark and NRHP-listed site
*
Regent Theatre, a New York City landmark
*
Schomburg Collection for Research in Black Culture, a New York City landmark and NRHP-listed site
*
St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church, a New York City landmark
*
St. Andrew's Church, a New York City landmark and NRHP-listed site
*
St. Philip's Protestant Episcopal Church, a New York City landmark
*
St. Martin's Episcopal Church (formerly Trinity Church), a New York City landmark
*
St. Nicholas Historic District, a New York City landmark district
*
St. Paul's German Evangelical Lutheran Church, a New York City landmark
*
Wadleigh High School for Girls, a New York City landmark
*
Washington Apartments, a New York City landmark
Other points of interest
Other prominent points of interest include:
*
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building
*
All Saints Church
*
ATLAH World Missionary Church
*
Bushman Steps, stairway that led baseball fans from the subway to
The Polo Grounds ticket booth.
*
Cotton Club
*
Duke Ellington Circle
*
Frederick Douglass Circle
*
Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts
*
Harlem Children's Zone
*
Harlem Hospital Center
Harlem Hospital Center, branded as NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, is a 282-bed, public teaching hospital affiliated with Columbia University. It is located at 506 Lenox Avenue in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City and was founded on April 18, 1887. ...
*
The Harlem School of the Arts
Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) is an art school located in the Harlem, New York, Harlem section of Manhattan, New York City, United States. Opening its doors in 1964, HSA serves ages 2 through 18.
History
Harlem School of the Arts was founded ...
*
Lenox Lounge
*
Marcus Garvey Park
**
Harlem Fire Watchtower, a New York City landmark and NRHP-listed site
*
Morningside Park
*
National Black Theatre
The National Black Theatre is a not-for-profit organization, non-profit cultural and educational corporation, and community-based theatre company located on 5th Avenue in Harlem, New York (state), New York.
History
The National Black Theatre (N ...
*
New York College of Podiatric Medicine
*
Red Rooster
Red Rooster is an Australian fast food chain. It sells roast chicken alongside common fast food items, such as burgers, chips, salads, and beverages. Since 2021, it has offered fried chicken.
In 1972, Peter and Theo Kailis opened the first R ...
*
Rucker Park
*
Savoy Ballroom
*
St. Nicholas Houses
*
Studio Museum in Harlem
The Studio Museum in Harlem is an African-American art museum at 144 West 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States. Founded in 1968, the museum collects, preserves and interprets art created by African A ...
*
Sylvia's Soul Food
*
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
*
New York Amsterdam News
Demographics
The demographics of Harlem's communities have changed throughout its history. In 1910, black residents formed 10% of Harlem's population, but by 1930, they had become a 70% majority.
The period between 1910 and 1930 was marked by the
Great Migration of
African Americans
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa ...
from the South to northern cities, including New York. Within the city, this era also witnessed an influx of black residents from downtown Manhattan neighborhoods, where black people were feeling less welcome, to the Harlem area.
The black population in Harlem peaked in 1950, with a 98% share of the population of 233,000. As of 2000, central Harlem's black residents comprised 77% of the total population of that area; however, the black population has recently declined as many African Americans move out and more immigrants move in. As of 2021, central Harlem's Black residents numbered 56,668, comprising 44% of the total population. In that regard, there are an estimated 27% (34,773) Hispanics, 18% (23,182) White, 4% (5,151) Asian, 6% (7,727) of two or more races and 2% (2,575) Other.
Harlem suffers from unemployment rates generally more than twice the citywide average, as well as high poverty rates. and the numbers for men have been consistently worse than the numbers for women. Private and governmental initiatives to ameliorate unemployment and poverty have not been successful. During the
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
, unemployment in Harlem went past 20% and people were being evicted from their homes. At the same time, the federal government developed and instituted the
redlining
Redlining is a Discrimination, discriminatory practice in which financial services are withheld from neighborhoods that have significant numbers of Race (human categorization), racial and Ethnic group, ethnic minorities. Redlining has been mos ...
policy. This policy rated neighborhoods, such as Central Harlem, as unappealing based on the race, ethnicity, and national origins of the residents.
Central Harlem was deemed 'hazardous' and residents living in Central Harlem were refused home loans or other investments.
Comparably, wealthy and white residents in New York City neighborhoods were approved more often for housing loans and investment applications.
Overall, they were given preferential treatment by city and state institutions.
In the 1960s, uneducated black people could find jobs more easily than educated ones could, confounding efforts to improve the lives of people who lived in the neighborhood through education.
Land owners took advantage of the neighborhood and offered apartments to the lower-class families for cheaper rent but in lower-class conditions. By 1999 there were 179,000 housing units available in Harlem.
Housing activists in Harlem state that, even after residents were given vouchers for the
Section 8 housing
Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937 (), commonly known as Section 8, provides rental housing assistance to low-income households in the United States by paying private landlords on behalf of these tenants. Approximately 68% of this assistan ...
that was being placed, many were not able to live there and had to find homes elsewhere or become homeless.
These policies are examples of
societal racism, also known as structural racism. As public health leaders have named structural racism as a key social determinant of
health disparities
Health equity arises from access to the social determinants of health, specifically from wealth, power and prestige. Individuals who have consistently been deprived of these three determinants are significantly disadvantaged from health inequit ...
between racial and ethnic minorities,
these 20th century policies have contributed to the current population health disparities between Central Harlem and other New York City neighborhoods.
Central Harlem
For census purposes, the New York City government classifies Central Harlem into two neighborhood tabulation areas: Central Harlem North and Central Harlem South, divided by 126th street. Based on data from the
2010 United States Census, the population of Central Harlem was 118,665, a change of 9,574 (8.1%) from the 109,091 counted in
2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
. Covering an area of , the neighborhood had a population density of .
[Table PL-P5 NTA: Total Population and Persons Per Acre – New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010](_blank)
, Population Division – New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
Department of City Planning, February 2012. Accessed June 16, 2016. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 9.5% (11,322)
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 63% (74,735)
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.3% (367)
Native American, 2.4% (2,839)
Asian, 0% (46)
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.3% (372) from
other races, and 2.2% (2,651) from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 22.2% (26,333) of the population. Harlem's Black population was more concentrated in Central Harlem North, and its White population more concentrated in Central Harlem South, while the Hispanic / Latino population was evenly split.
[Table PL-P3A NTA: Total Population by Mutually Exclusive Race and Hispanic Origin – New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010](_blank)
, Population Division – New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
Department of City Planning, March 29, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2016.
The most significant shifts in the racial composition of Central Harlem between 2000 and 2010 were the White population's increase by 402% (9,067), the Hispanic / Latino population's increase by 43% (7,982), and the Black population's decrease by 11% (9,544). While the growth of the Hispanic / Latino was predominantly in Central Harlem North, the decrease in the Black population was slightly greater in Central Harlem South, and the drastic increase in the White population was split evenly across the two census tabulation areas. Meanwhile, the Asian population grew by 211% (1,927) but remained a small minority, and the small population of all other races increased by 4% (142).
The entirety of Community District 10, which comprises Central Harlem, had 116,345 inhabitants as of
NYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 76.2 years.
This is lower than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods.
Most inhabitants are children and middle-aged adults: 21% are between the ages of 0–17, while 35% are between 25 and 44, and 24% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 10% and 11% respectively.
As of 2017, the median
household income
Household income is a measure of income received by the household sector. It includes every form of cash income, e.g., salaries and wages, retirement income, investment income and cash transfers from the government. It may include near-cash gover ...
in Community District 10 was $49,059.
In 2018, an estimated 21% of Community District 10 residents lived in poverty, compared to 14% in all of Manhattan and 20% in all of New York City. Around 12% of residents were unemployed, compared to 7% in Manhattan and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 48% in Community District 10, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 45% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, , Community District 10 is considered to be
gentrifying: according to the Community Health Profile, the district was low-income in 1990 and has seen above-median rent growth up to 2010.
Other sections
In 2010, the population of West Harlem was 110,193. West Harlem, consisting of
Manhattanville
Manhattanville (also known as West Harlem or West Central Harlem, after its location near Harlem) is a neighborhood in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan. It is bordered on the north by 135th Street (Manhattan), 13 ...
and
Hamilton Heights, is predominately Hispanic / Latino, while African Americans make up about a quarter of the West Harlem population.
In 2010, the population of
East Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem, or , is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City, north of the Upper East Side and bounded by 96th Street to the south, Fifth Avenue to the west, and the East and Harlem Rivers to the eas ...
was 120,000. East Harlem originally formed as a predominantly Italian American neighborhood. The area began its transition from Italian Harlem to Spanish Harlem when
Puerto Rican migration began after World War II,
though in recent decades, many
Dominican,
Mexican and
Salvadoran immigrants have also settled in East Harlem. East Harlem is now predominantly Hispanic / Latino, with a significant African-American presence.
2020 Census
In the 2020 census, Harlem's demographics were broken up into North Harlem, South Harlem,
Hamilton Heights, and West Harlem. North Harlem had 40,000+ Black residents being the largest concentration of the black population of the Harlem area, 20,000 to 29,999 Hispanic residents, 5,000 to 9,999 White residents, and less than 5000 Asian residents. South Harlem had 20,000 to 29,999 Black residents, 5,000 to 9,999 Hispanic residents, 10,000 to 19,999 White residents, and fewer than 5,000 Asian residents. Hamilton Heights had 10,000 to 19,999 Black residents, 20,000 to 29,999 Hispanic residents being the largest population group in this section, 5,000 to 9,999 White residents, and fewer than 5,000 Asian residents. West Harlem had an equal number of Black and Hispanic residents with each of their population at 5,000 to 9,999 residents and each the White and Asian population were fewer than 5,000 residents.
Police and crime

Central Harlem is patrolled by two precincts of the
New York City Police Department
The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
(NYPD). Central Harlem North is covered by the 32nd Precinct, located at 250 West 135th Street,
while Central Harlem South is patrolled by the 28th Precinct, located at 2271–2289
Eighth Avenue.
The 28th Precinct has a lower crime rate than it did in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 72.2% between 1990 and 2021. The precinct reported 2 murders, 9 rapes, 172 robberies, 245 felony assaults, 153 burglaries, 384 grand larcenies, and 52 grand larcenies auto in 2021.
Of the five major violent felonies (murder, rape, felony assault, robbery, and burglary), the 28th Precinct had a rate of 1,125 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2019, compared to the boroughwide average of 632 crimes per 100,000 and the citywide average of 572 crimes per 100,000.
The crime rate in the 32nd Precinct has also decreased since the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 71.4% between 1990 and 2021. The precinct reported 16 murders, 18 rapes, 183 robberies, 519 felony assaults, 168 burglaries, 320 grand larcenies, and 54 grand larcenies auto in 2021.
Of the five major violent felonies (murder, rape, felony assault, robbery, and burglary), the 32nd Precinct had a rate of 1,042 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2019, compared to the boroughwide average of 632 crimes per 100,000 and the citywide average of 572 crimes per 100,000.
, Community District 10 has a non-fatal assault hospitalization rate of 116 per 100,000 people, compared to the boroughwide rate of 49 per 100,000 and the citywide rate of 59 per 100,000. Its incarceration rate is 1,347 per 100,000 people, the second-highest in the city, compared to the boroughwide rate of 407 per 100,000 and the citywide rate of 425 per 100,000.
Crime trends

In the early 20th century, Harlem was a stronghold of the
Sicilian Mafia
The Sicilian Mafia or Cosa Nostra (, ; "our thing"), also referred to as simply Mafia, is a secret society, criminal society and criminal organization originating on the island of Sicily and dates back to the mid-19th century. Emerging as a form of ...
, other
Italian organized crime groups, and later the
Italian-American Mafia
The American Mafia, commonly referred to in North America as the Italian-American Mafia, the Mafia, or the Mob, is a highly organized Italian-American criminal society and organized crime group. The terms Italian Mafia and Italian Mob apply t ...
. As the ethnic composition of the neighborhood changed, black criminals began to
organize themselves similarly. However, rather than compete with the established mobs, gangs concentrated on the "policy racket", also called the
numbers game
The numbers game, also known as the numbers racket, the Italian lottery, Mafia lottery, or the daily number, is a form of illegal gambling or illegal lottery played mostly in poor and working-class neighborhoods in the United States, wherein a ...
, or ''bolita'' in East Harlem. This was a gambling scheme similar to a lottery that could be played, illegally, from countless locations around Harlem. According to Francis Ianni, "By 1925 there were thirty black policy banks in Harlem, several of them large enough to collect bets in an area of twenty city blocks and across three or four avenues."
[Francis A.J. Ianni, ''Black Mafia'', 1974]
By the early 1950s, the total money at play amounted to billions of dollars, and the police force had been thoroughly corrupted by
bribe
Bribery is the corrupt solicitation, payment, or acceptance of a private favor (a bribe) in exchange for official action. The purpose of a bribe is to influence the actions of the recipient, a person in charge of an official duty, to act contrar ...
s from numbers bosses. These bosses became financial powerhouses, providing capital for loans for those who could not qualify for them from traditional financial institutions, and investing in legitimate businesses and real estate. One of the powerful early numbers bosses was a woman, Madame
Stephanie St. Clair, who fought gun battles with mobster
Dutch Schultz
Dutch Schultz (born Arthur Simon Flegenheimer; August 6, 1901October 24, 1935) was an American mobster based in New York City in the 1920s and 1930s. He made his fortune in organized crime-related activities, including bootlegging and the n ...
over control of the lucrative trade.
The popularity of playing the numbers waned with the introduction of the
state lottery, which is legal but has lower payouts and has taxes collected on winnings. The practice continues on a smaller scale among those who prefer the numbers tradition or who prefer to trust their local numbers bank to the state.
Statistics from 1940 show about 100 murders per year in Harlem, "but rape is very rare".
["244,000 Native Sons", '' Look'' Magazine, May 21, 1940, p.8+] By 1950, many
whites had left Harlem and by 1960, much of the black
middle class
The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. C ...
had departed. At the same time, control of organized crime shifted from Italian syndicates to local black, Puerto Rican, and Cuban groups that were somewhat less formally organized.
At the time of the
1964 riots, the drug addiction rate in Harlem was ten times higher than the New York City average, and twelve times higher than the United States as a whole. Of the 30,000 drug addicts then estimated to live in New York City, 15,000 to 20,000 lived in Harlem.
Property crime
Property crime is a category of crime, usually involving private property, that includes, among other crimes, burglary, larceny, theft, motor vehicle theft, arson, shoplifting, and vandalism. Property crime is a crime to obtain money, property, ...
was pervasive, and the murder rate was six times higher than New York's average. Half of the children in Harlem grew up with
one parent, or none, and lack of supervision contributed to
juvenile delinquency
Juvenile delinquency, also known as juvenile offending, is the act of participating in unlawful behavior younger than the statutory age of majority. These acts would be considered crimes if the individuals committing them were older. The term ...
; between 1953 and 1962, the crime rate among young people increased throughout New York City, but was consistently 50% higher in Harlem than in New York City as a whole.
Injecting
heroin
Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...
grew in popularity in Harlem through the 1950s and 1960s, though the use of this drug then leveled off. In the 1980s, use of
crack cocaine
Crack cocaine, commonly known simply as crack, and also known as rock, is a free base form of the stimulant cocaine that can be Smoking, smoked. Crack offers a short, intense Euphoria (emotion), high to smokers. The ''Manual of Adolescent Sub ...
became widespread, which produced collateral crime as addicts stole to finance their purchasing of additional drugs, and as dealers fought for the right to sell in particular regions, or over deals gone bad.
With the end of the "
crack wars" in the mid-1990s, and with the initiation of aggressive policing under mayors
David Dinkins
David Norman Dinkins (July 10, 1927 – November 23, 2020) was an American politician, lawyer, and author who served as the 106th mayor of New York City from 1990 to 1993.
Dinkins was among the more than 20,000 Montford Point Marine Associa ...
and his successor
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis Giuliani ( , ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and Disbarment, disbarred lawyer who served as the 107th mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney ...
, crime in Harlem plummeted. Compared to in 1981, when 6,500 robberies were reported in Harlem, reports of robberies dropped to 4,800 in 1990; to 1,700 in 2000; and to 1,100 in 2010. Within the 28th and 32nd precincts, there have been similar changes in all categories of crimes tracked by the NYPD.
Despite reductions versus historic highs, Harlem continues to have a high rate of violent crime and one of the highest rates of violent crime in New York City.
This crime is largely correlated with high concentrations of poverty. Illicit activities such as
theft
Theft (, cognate to ) is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shor ...
,
robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person o ...
,
drug trafficking
A drug is any chemical substance other than a nutrient or an essential dietary ingredient, which, when administered to a living organism, produces a biological effect. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalation, injection, smoking, ingestion, ...
,
prostitution
Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, no ...
are prevalent. Criminal organizations like street
gang
A gang is a social group, group or secret society, society of associates, friends, or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over Wiktionary:territory#Noun, territory in a ...
s are responsible for many of the
murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse committed with the necessary Intention (criminal law), intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisd ...
s and shootings in the neighborhood.
Gangs
There are many gangs in Harlem, often based in housing projects; when one gang member is killed by another gang, revenge violence erupts which can last for years.
In addition, the
East Harlem Purple Gang of the 1970s, which operated in East Harlem and surroundings, was an
Italian American
Italian Americans () are Americans who have full or partial Italians, Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeastern United States, Northeast and industrial Midwestern United States, Midwestern ...
group of hitmen and heroin dealers.
Harlem and its gangsters have a strong link to
hip hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
,
rap and
R&B culture in the United States, and many successful rappers in the music industry came from gangs in Harlem.
Gangster rap, which has its origins in the late 1980s, often has lyrics that are "misogynistic or that glamorize violence", glamorizing guns, drugs and easy women in Harlem and New York City.
Fire safety

Central Harlem is served by four
New York City Fire Department
The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is the full-service fire department of New York City, serving all Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs. The FDNY is responsible for providing Fi ...
(FDNY) fire stations:
* Engine Company 37/Ladder Company 40 – 415 West 125th Street
* Engine Company 58/Ladder Company 26 – 1367 5th Avenue
* Engine Company 59/Ladder Company 30 – 111 West 133rd Street
* Engine Company 69/Ladder Company 28/Battalion 16 – 248 West 143rd Street
Five additional firehouses are located in West and East Harlem. West Harlem contains Engine Company 47 and Engine Company 80/Ladder Company 23, while East Harlem contains Engine Company 35/Ladder Company 14/Battalion 12, Engine Company 53/Ladder Company 43, and Engine Company 91.
Health
,
preterm birth
Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the Childbirth, birth of a baby at fewer than 37 weeks Gestational age (obstetrics), gestational age, as opposed to full-term delivery at approximately 40 weeks. Extreme preterm is less than 28 ...
s and births to teenage mothers are more common in Central Harlem than in other places citywide. In Central Harlem, there were 103 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 23 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide), though the teenage birth rate is based on a small sample size.
Central Harlem has a low population of residents who are
uninsured. In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 8%, less than the citywide rate of 12%.
The concentration of
fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of
air pollutant
Air pollution is the presence of substances in the air that are harmful to humans, other living beings or the environment. Pollutants can be gases like ozone or nitrogen oxides or small particles like soot and dust. It affects both outdoor ...
, in Central Harlem is , slightly more than the city average.
Ten percent of Central Harlem residents are
smokers, which is less than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers.
In Central Harlem, 34% of residents are
obese
Obesity is a medical condition, considered by multiple organizations to be a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it can potentially have negative effects on health. People are classified as obese when ...
, 12% are
diabetic
Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...
, and 35% have
high blood pressure
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms itself. It is, however, a major ri ...
, the highest rates in the city—compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively.
In addition, 21% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%.
84% of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is less than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 79% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", more than the city's average of 78%.
For every supermarket in Central Harlem, there are 11
bodegas.
The nearest major hospital is
NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem
Harlem Hospital Center, branded as NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, is a 282-bed, public teaching hospital affiliated with Columbia University. It is located at 506 Lenox Avenue in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City and was founded on April 18, 1887. ...
in north-central Harlem.
Social factors
The
population health
Population health has been defined as "the health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group". It is an approach to health that aims to improve the health of an entire human population. It ha ...
of Central Harlem is closely linked to influential social factors on health, also known as
social determinants of health
The social determinants of health (SDOH) are the economic and social conditions that influence individual and group differences in health status. They are the health promoting factors found in one's living and working conditions (such as the dist ...
, and the impact of
structural racism on the neighborhood. The impact of discriminatory policies such as
redlining
Redlining is a Discrimination, discriminatory practice in which financial services are withheld from neighborhoods that have significant numbers of Race (human categorization), racial and Ethnic group, ethnic minorities. Redlining has been mos ...
have contributed to residents' bearing worse health outcomes in comparison to the average New York city resident. This applies to life expectancy, poverty rates, environmental neighborhood health, housing quality, and childhood and adult asthma rates. Additionally, the health of Central Harlem residents are linked to their experience of racism.
Public health and scientific research studies have found evidence that experiencing racism creates and exacerbates chronic stress that can contribute to major causes of death, particularly for African-American and Hispanic populations in the United States, like cardiovascular diseases.
Certain health disparities between Central Harlem and the rest of New York City can be attributed to 'avoidable causes' such as substandard housing quality,
poverty
Poverty is a state or condition in which an individual lacks the financial resources and essentials for a basic standard of living. Poverty can have diverse Biophysical environmen ...
, and law enforcement violence – all of which are issues identified by the
American Public Health Association
The American Public Health Association (APHA) is a Washington, D.C.–based professional membership and advocacy organization for public health professionals in the United States. APHA is the largest professional organization of public health pr ...
as key social determinants of health. These deaths that can be attributed to avoidable causes are known as "avertable deaths" of "
excess mortality
In epidemiology, the excess deaths or excess mortality is a measure of the increase in the number of deaths during a time period and/or in a certain group, as compared to the expected value or statistical trend during a reference period (typicall ...
'"in public health.
Health problems
Health and housing conditions
Access to affordable housing and employment opportunities with fair wages and benefits are closely associated with good health.
Public health leaders have shown that inadequate housing qualities is linked to poor health.
As Central Harlem also bears the effects of racial segregation, public health researchers claim that racial segregation is also linked to substandard housing and exposure to pollutants and toxins. These associations have been documented to increase individual risk of chronic diseases and adverse birth outcomes.
Historical income segregation via
redlining
Redlining is a Discrimination, discriminatory practice in which financial services are withheld from neighborhoods that have significant numbers of Race (human categorization), racial and Ethnic group, ethnic minorities. Redlining has been mos ...
also positions residents to be more exposed to risks that contribute to
adverse mental health status,
inadequate access to healthy foods,
asthma triggers, and
lead exposure.
Asthma
Asthma
Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wh ...
is more common in children and adults in Central Harlem, compared to other New York City neighborhoods.
[Housing and Health in Central Harlem – Morningside Heights.](_blank)
(2018)
NYC Health Environmental and Health Data
. The factors that can increase risk of childhood and adult asthma are associated with substandard housing conditions. Substandard housing conditions are water leaks, cracks and holes, inadequate heating, presence of mice or rats, peeling paint and can include the presence of mold, moisture, dust mites. In 2014, Central Harlem tracked worse in regards to home maintenance conditions, compared to the average rates Manhattan and New York City. Twenty percent of homes had cracks or holes; 21% had leaks and 19% had three or more maintenance deficiencies.
Adequate housing is defined as housing that is free from heating breakdowns, cracks, holes, peeling paint and other defects. Housing conditions in Central Harlem reveal that only 37% of its renter-occupied homes were adequately maintained by landlords in 2014. Meanwhile, 25% of Central Harlem households and 27% of adults reported seeing cockroaches (a potential
trigger for asthma), a rate higher than the city average. Neighborhood conditions are also indicators of population: in 2014, Central Harlem had 32 per 100,000 people hospitalized due to pedestrian injuries, higher than Manhattan's and the city's average.
The environment also factors into the health of the people of Central Harlem with the neighborhood being found to have levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at 7.9 micrograms per cubic meter compared to all of NYC at 7.5 micrograms per cubic meter. Poorer neighborhoods have some of the highest levels of air pollution in the city. Adults with asthma emergencies experiencing high rates of poverty visit the emergency department at rates nearly 5 times higher than those neighborhoods with lower levels of poverty. Nearly 3 in 4 deaths related to PM2.5 occurs in adults 65 years or older. The attribution of premature adult mortality rate to exposure of PM2.5 experiencing 77.4–117.7 deaths per 100,000 people.
Additionally, poverty levels can indicate one's risk of vulnerability to asthma. In 2016, Central Harlem saw 565 children aged 5–17 years old per 10,000 residents visiting emergency departments for Asthma emergencies, over twice both Manhattan's and the citywide rates. The rate of childhood asthma hospitalization in 2016 was more than twice that of Manhattan and New York City, with 62 hospitalizations per 10,000 residents.
Rates of adult hospitalization due to asthma in Central Harlem trends higher in comparison to other neighborhoods. In 2016, 270 adults per 10,000 residents visited the emergency department due to asthma, close to three times the average rates of both Manhattan and New York City.
Other health problems
Health outcomes for men have generally been worse than those of women.
Infant mortality
Infant mortality is the death of an infant before the infant's first birthday. The occurrence of infant mortality in a population can be described by the infant mortality rate (IMR), which is the number of deaths of infants under one year of age ...
was 124 per thousand in 1928, meaning that 12.4% of infants would die.
By 1940, infant mortality in Harlem was 5%, and the death rate from disease generally was twice that of the rest of New York.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
was the main killer, and four times as prevalent among Harlem citizens than among the rest of New York's population.
A 1990 study of
life expectancy
Human life expectancy is a statistical measure of the estimate of the average remaining years of life at a given age. The most commonly used measure is ''life expectancy at birth'' (LEB, or in demographic notation ''e''0, where '' ...
of teenagers in Harlem reported that 15-year-old girls in Harlem had a 65% chance of surviving to the age of 65, about the same as women in Pakistan. Fifteen-year-old men in Harlem, on the other hand, had a 37% chance of surviving to 65, about the same as men in
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
; for men, the survival rate beyond the age of 40 was lower in Harlem than
Bangladesh
Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
. Infectious diseases and
diseases of the circulatory system were to blame, with a variety of contributing factors, including consumption of the
deep-fried foods traditional to
the South, which may contribute to
heart disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases (e.g. angina pectoris, angina, myocardial infarction, heart attack), heart failure, ...
.
Post offices and ZIP Codes
Harlem is located within five primary
ZIP Codes. From south to north they are 10026 (from 110th to 120th Streets), 10027 (from 120th to 133rd Streets), 10037 (east of Lenox Avenue and north of 130th Street), 10030 (west of Lenox Avenue from 133rd to 145th Streets) and 10039 (from 145th to 155th Streets). Harlem also includes parts of ZIP Codes 10031, 10032, and 10035. The
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
operates five post offices in Harlem:
* Morningside Station – 232 West 116th Street
* Manhattanville Station and Morningside Annex – 365 West 125th Street
* College Station – 217 West 140th Street
* Colonial Park Station – 99 Macombs Place
* Lincoln Station – 2266 5th Avenue
Education
Central Harlem generally has a similar rate of college-educated residents to the rest of the city . While 42% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 19% have less than a high school education and 39% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 64% of Manhattan residents and 43% of city residents have a college education or higher.
The percentage of Central Harlem students excelling in math rose from 21% in 2000 to 48% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 29% to 37% during the same time period.
Central Harlem's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is higher than the rest of New York City. In Central Harlem, 25% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per
school year
An academic year, or school year, is a period that schools, colleges and universities use to measure the duration of studies for a given educational level. Academic years are often divided into academic terms. Students attend classes and do rel ...
, more than the citywide average of 20%.
Additionally, 64% of high school students in Central Harlem graduate on time, less than the citywide average of 75%.
Schools
The
New York City Department of Education
The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) is the department of the government of New York City that manages the city's public school system. The City School District of the City of New York (more commonly known as New York City Publ ...
operates the following public elementary schools in Central Harlem:
* PS 76 A Phillip Randolph (grades PK-8)
* PS 92 Mary Mcleod Bethune (grades PK-5)
* PS 123 Mahalia Jackson (grades PK-8)
* PS 149 Sojourner Truth (grades PK-8)
* PS 154 Harriet Tubman (grades PK-5)
* PS 175 Henry H Garnet (grades PK-5)
* PS 185 the Early Childhood Discovery and Design Magnet School (grades PK-2)
* PS 194 Countee Cullen (grades PK-5)
* PS 197 John B Russwurm (grades PK-5)
* PS 200 The James Mccune Smith School (grades PK-5)
* PS 242 The Young Diplomats Magnet School (grades PK-5)
* Stem Institute of Manhattan (grades K-5)
* Thurgood Marshall Academy Lower School (grades K-5)
The following middle and high schools are located in Central Harlem:
*
Frederick Douglass Academy
Frederick Douglass Academy (Also known as FDA), is a Coeducation, co-educational public school for grades 6-12 located in West Harlem, New York City. The school offers an SAT prep course program and a variety of Advanced Placement (AP) college ...
(grades 6–12)
* Frederick Douglass Academy II Secondary School (grades 6–12)
* Mott Hall High School (grades 9–12)
* Thurgood Marshall Academy For Learning And Social Change (grades 6–12)
* Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts (grades 6–12)
Harlem has a high rate of
charter school
A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...
enrollment: a fifth of students were enrolled in charter schools in 2010.
By 2017, that proportion had increased to 36%, about the same that attended their zoned public schools. Another 20% of Harlem students were enrolled in public schools elsewhere.
Higher education
The
CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy,
New York College of Podiatric Medicine,
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a Public university, public research university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York ...
, and
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, in addition to a branch of
College of New Rochelle, are all located in Harlem.
Libraries

The
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second-largest public library in the United States behind the Library of Congress a ...
(NYPL) operates four circulating branches and one research branch in Harlem, as well as several others in adjacent neighborhoods.
* The
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a research branch, is located at 515
Malcolm X
Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...
Boulevard. It is housed in a
Carnegie library structure that opened in 1905, though the branch itself was established in 1925 based on a collection from its namesake,
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg. The Schomburg Center is a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...
, as well as a
city designated landmark and a
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
(NRHP)-listed site.
* The
Countee Cullen branch is located at 104 West 136th Street. It was originally housed in the building now occupied by the Schomburg Center. The current structure, in 1941, is an annex of the Schomburg building.
* The
Harry Belafonte 115th Street branch is located at 203 West 115th Street. The three-story Carnegie library, built in 1908, is both a city designated landmark and an NRHP-listed site. It was renamed for the entertainer and Harlem resident
Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte ( ; born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was an American singer, actor, and civil rights activist who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s and 1960s. Belafonte ...
in 2017.
* The Harlem branch is located at 9 West 124th Street. It is one of the oldest libraries in the NYPL system, having operated in Harlem since 1826. The current three-story Carnegie library building was built in 1909 and renovated in 2004.
* The Macomb's Bridge branch is located at 2633
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard. The branch opened in 1955 at 2650 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, inside the
Harlem River Houses, and was the smallest NYPL branch at . In January 2020, the branch moved across the street to a larger space.
Other branches include the 125th Street and Aguilar branches in East Harlem and the George Bruce and
Hamilton Grange
Hamilton Grange National Memorial (also known as Hamilton Grange or the Grange) is a historic house museum within St. Nicholas Park in the Hamilton Heights, Manhattan, Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, United States ...
branches in western Harlem.
Transportation
Bridges
The
Harlem River
The Harlem River is an tidal strait in New York City, flowing between the Hudson River and the East River and separating the island of Manhattan from the Bronx on the United States mainland.
The northern stretch, also called the Spuyten Duyvi ...
separates
the Bronx
The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
and Manhattan, necessitating several spans between the two New York City boroughs. Five free bridges connect Harlem and the Bronx: the
Willis Avenue Bridge (for northbound traffic only),
Third Avenue Bridge (for southbound traffic only),
Madison Avenue Bridge
__NOTOC__
The Madison Avenue Bridge is a four-lane swing bridge crossing the Harlem River in New York City, carrying East 138th Street between the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. It was designed by Alfred P. Boller and built in 1910, doubl ...
,
145th Street Bridge, and
Macombs Dam Bridge. In East Harlem, the
Wards Island Bridge
The Wards Island Bridge, also known as the 103rd Street Footbridge, is a bridge crossing the Harlem River between Manhattan Island and Wards Island in the Manhattan borough of New York City that does not allow vehicular traffic. The vertical lif ...
, also known as the 103rd Street Footbridge, connects Manhattan with
Wards Island
Randalls Island (sometimes called Randall's Island) and Wards Island are conjoined islands, collectively called Randalls and Wards Island, in New York City. . The
Triborough Bridge
The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge (RFK Bridge; also known by its previous name, the Triborough Bridge) is a complex of bridges and elevated expressway viaducts in New York City. The bridges link the boroughs of Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. Th ...
is a complex of three separate bridges that offers connections between
Queens
Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
, East Harlem, and the Bronx.
Public transportation
Public transportation service is provided by the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is a New York state public benefit corporations, public benefit corporation in New York (state), New York State responsible for public transportation in the New York metropolitan area, New York Ci ...
. This includes the
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system in New York City serving the New York City boroughs, boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. It is owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Tr ...
and
MTA Regional Bus Operations
MTA Regional Bus Operations (RBO) is the Public transport bus service, bus operations division of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City. The MTA operates local, limited-stop, express, and Select Bus Service (bus rapid transit ...
. Some Bronx local routes also serve Manhattan, providing customers with access between both boroughs.
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company , also branded as MTA Metro-North Railroad and commonly called simply Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a New York State publ ...
has a
commuter rail
Commuter rail or suburban rail is a Passenger train, passenger rail service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting Commuting, commuters to a Central business district, central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter town ...
station at
Harlem–125th Street, serving trains to the
Lower Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley or Hudson River Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in the U.S. state of New York. The region stretches from the Capital District including Albany and Troy south to Yonkers in Westc ...
and
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
.
Subway
Harlem is served by the following subway lines:
*
IRT Lenox Avenue Line () between
Central Park North–110th Street and
Harlem–148th Street
*
IND Eighth Avenue Line () between
Cathedral Parkway–110th Street and
155th Street
*
IND Concourse Line () at
155th Street
In addition, several other lines stop nearby:
*
IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line () between
Cathedral Parkway–110th Street and
145th Street, serving western Harlem
*
IRT Lexington Avenue Line
The IRT Lexington Avenue Line (also known as the IRT East Side Line and the IRT Lexington–Fourth Avenue Line) is one of the lines of the A Division (New York City Subway), A Division of the New York City Subway, stretching from Lower Manhatt ...
() between
96th Street and
125th Street, serving East Harlem
Phase 2 of the
Second Avenue Subway
The Second Avenue Subway (internally referred to as the IND Second Avenue Line by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, MTA and abbreviated to SAS) is a New York City Subway line that runs under Second Avenue (Manhattan), Second Avenue o ...
is also planned to serve East Harlem, with stops at
106th Street,
116th Street, and
Harlem–125th Street.
Bus
Harlem is served by numerous local bus routes operated by
MTA Regional Bus Operations
MTA Regional Bus Operations (RBO) is the Public transport bus service, bus operations division of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City. The MTA operates local, limited-stop, express, and Select Bus Service (bus rapid transit ...
:
* along 155th Street
* along 145th Street
* along 135th Street
* along Fifth/Madison Avenues
* along Seventh Avenue, Central Park North, and Fifth/Madison Avenues
* along Manhattan Avenue, Central Park North, and Fifth/Madison Avenues
* along Broadway, Central Park North, and Fifth/Madison Avenues
* along 125th Street
* along Lenox Avenue and 116th Street
* along Frederick Douglass Boulevard
* along 116th Street
Routes that run near Harlem, but do not stop in the neighborhood, include:
* along Riverside Drive
* along Amsterdam Avenue north of West 110 Street
* along First/Second Avenues
* via Triborough Bridge
* along Third/Lexington Avenues
* along Broadway
See also
*
List of films shot in Harlem
*
List of people from Harlem
References
Sources
*
excerpt*
Further reading
* Bourgois, Philippe. ''In search of respect: Selling crack in El Barrio''. (Cambridge University Press, 2003).
* Goldstein, Brian D. ''The roots of urban renaissance: Gentrification and the struggle over Harlem'' (Harvard University Press, 2017) .
* Ianni, Francis A. J. ''Black Mafia: Ethnic Succession in Organized Crime'', 1974.
* King, Shannon. ''Whose Harlem Is This? Community Politics and Grassroots Activism During the New Negro Era''. New York: New York University Press, 2015.
* Lane, Jeffrey. "The digital street: An ethnographic study of networked street life in Harlem." ''American Behavioral Scientist'' 60.1 (2016): 43–58
online* McGruder, Kevin. ''Race and Real Estate: Conflict and Cooperation in Harlem, 1890–1920'' (Columbia University Press, 2015).
* Orsi, Robert A. ''The Madonna of 115th Street: faith and community in Italian Harlem, 1880–1950'' (Yale University Press, 2010
online
* Osofsky, Gilbert. ''Harlem: The Making of a Ghetto: Negro New York, 1890–1930'', 1971.
* ''WPA Guide to New York City'', 1939
* Wintz, Cary D., and Paul Finkelman. ''Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance'' (Routledge, 2012).
* ''TIME'', vol. 84, No. 5, July 31, 1964. "Harlem: No Place Like Home".
* ''Newsweek'', August 3, 1964. "Harlem: Hatred in the Streets".
* "Crack's Decline: Some Surprises from U.S. Cities", National Institute of Justice Research in Brief, July 1997.
*
Paterson, David ''"
Black, Blind, & In Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity."'' Skyhorse Publishing. New York, New York, 2020
External links
Portraits of HarlemDigital Harlem: Everyday Life 1915–1930Harlem—NYCwiki
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1658 establishments in North America
1658 establishments in the Dutch Empire
African-American culture
Former villages in New York City
Neighborhoods in Manhattan
Populated places established in 1658