I begin my journey towards Baruch walking the length of the Washington Heights. In an East-West direction, I cross St. Nicholas Street,widely considered the economic and cultural heart of the Heights. In the late 18th century, the Washington Heights became a fortified stronghold used against the British in the American Revolutionary War, due to its strategic and tactical advantage as the highest point on the island of Manhattan. The Washington Heights overlook the bluffs against the Hudson and Harlem Rivers.¹

1 Train at 181st and St. Nicholas Street

By the Twentieth Century working-class Irish and Jewish newly arrived immigrants began to make the Heights their permanent residence. The neighbor still constitutes a significant number of these ethnic types.Yet, the neighborhood dynamic began to change. In the 1980s, Washington Heights boasted the largest number of immigrants to New York City. A large portion of these immigrants were mainly hispanic speaking, originating from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.²

125th Street and Apollo Theatre, 20 Apr, 1935

Entering the 181st subway station, I board an A Train bound for downtown manhattan. Opened on September 10th, 1932, the A Train has provided commuters an express subway option from Northern Manhattan to Far Rockaway. The subway line conjured a particular cultural connotation in its role as a bridge between the two largest African-American communities in New York; being Harlem and Bedford-Steyvesant.

Once exclusively home to Eastern European Jews and a small number of Italians, the area of Harlem quickly transformed into a universally African-American neighborhood by the early twentieth century. Leaving Washington Heights, my subway steadily makes its way to the heart of Harlem’s commercial life, 125th street.³

Falling into a general state of disrepair through much of post-deppresion twentieth century, Harlem has witnessed strong revitalization efforts since the mid-1990s. What was was home to isolated small businesses and dilapidated brownstones, now claims several sprawling shopping complexes, office buildings, and a rejuvenated residential real-estate market.

The trains continues to rumble, bypassing the entirety of the Upper West Side, eventually stopping at 42nd street where I will transfer. The ride in general is a long slog, frequented by commuters making their way to work in Lower Manhattan. It is a crossroads between cultures, identities, and ways of life spanning much more than simply the island of Manhattan. Rather, the riders of the A Train can trace their roots across continents and oceans. The ride marks both the inequalities of American, and the dream we all share. The dream of upward mobility; an intrinsically American dream. Many of those who ride the train, will see their children commute elsewhere. Yet, the history and legacy of the A Train will always remain.

Fernandez, Manny. “New Winds at an Island Outpost.” New York TImes. March 4, 2007. Print