by Nelsyda Perez
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![North-bound by LaGuardia Airport, South-bound by Northern Blvd., East-bound by Flushing Bay and West-bound by 85th St. Map courtesy of Google Maps.](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3766/2013/04/15235447/East-Elmhurst-Boundaries-300x167.png)
North-bound by LaGuardia Airport, South-bound by Northern Blvd., East-bound by Flushing Bay and West-bound by 85th St. [Source: Google Maps. Google Inc.]
History
Beginning in the year 1905, East Elmhurst started out as a residential area. Post World War II marked the commercialism of the Ditmars Boulevard area of East Elmhurst due to the close proximity of Ditmars Boulevard to LaGuardia Airport [1]. The most interesting pieces of history is the past residents of East Elmhurst. Malcolm X, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and even Willie Mays were all residents of the lower middle class neighborhood [2].
Statistics
According to a 5-year average calculated by the U.S. Census, the total population in East Elmhurst is about 21,980 people. Of that group of 21,980 people, 24 percent of them are white, 29 percent are black or African-American, 0.3 percent are Native Americans, 7 percent are Asians, 0.1 percent are Pacific Islander, 37 percent are people of other races besides the ones listed and 2.9 percent of the population consider themselves as being of two or more races3. The most interesting part of these statistics is the ratio of people that are of Hispanic or Latino background versus the people that aren’t of Hispanic or Latino background. 61 percent of the total population is Hispanic or Latino and 39 percent of the population is not Hispanic/Latino[3]. Of course, this contradicts the data given by the same survey with regards to the other races. One reason this discrepancy might exist is because of the way the survey collects this information. Recently, with all demographic surveys, there is a separate question asking whether or not you are Hispanic or Latino. Perhaps the census considers anyone who answered yes to the question was immediately considered to be Hispanic or Latino regardless on the other responses to the race questions.
![This is a chart showing the racial breakdown of the population. Note: The Native American and Pacific Islander population were too small to put in. [Source: United States. Department of Commerce. American Community Survey. Washington: Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, n.d. Received from . 14 May 2013.]](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3766/2013/04/15235446/Racial-Breakdown-300x179.png)
This is a chart showing the racial breakdown of the population. Note: The Native American and Pacific Islander population were too small to put in. [Source: United States. Department of Commerce. American Community Survey. Washington: Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, n.d. Received from . 14 May 2013.]
![This is a breakdown of the population by Hispanic and non-Hispanic. [Source: United States. Department of Commerce. American Community Survey. Washington: Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, n.d. Received from . 14 May 2013.]](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3766/2013/04/15235446/hispanic-300x166.png)
This is a breakdown of the population by Hispanic and non-Hispanic. [Source: United States. Department of Commerce. American Community Survey. Washington: Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, n.d. Received from . 14 May 2013.]
The median income for persons 15 years and older is roughly about $23,028 annually [3]. In other words, the average class status of the population lies within the lower middle class status of the United States [4].
![This chart shows where the population lies in terms of income. [Source: United States. Department of Commerce. American Community Survey. Washington: Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, n.d. Received from . 14 May 2013.]](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3766/2013/04/15235445/income-300x160.png)
This chart shows where the population lies in terms of income. [Source: United States. Department of Commerce. American Community Survey. Washington: Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, n.d. Received from . 14 May 2013.]
Notable Locations
Louis Armstrong Middle School (I.S. 227)
![Louis Armstrong Middle School [Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Louis_Armstrong_Middle_School.jpg]](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3766/2013/04/15235445/Louis_Armstrong_Middle_School-300x225.jpg)
Louis Armstrong Middle School [Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Louis_Armstrong_Middle_School.jpg]
The Louis Armstrong House Museum
![The Louis Armstrong House Museum [Source: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/05/museums_celebrities/image/armstronghouse.jpg]](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3766/2013/04/15235444/armstronghouse-300x199.jpg)
The Louis Armstrong House Museum [Source: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/05/museums_celebrities/image/armstronghouse.jpg]
Langston Hughes Community Library
![The Langston Hughes Community Library [Source: http://www.bridgeandtunnelclub.com/bigmap/queens/corona/northernboulevard/22100-01northernblvd.jpg]](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3766/2013/04/15235444/22100-01northernblvd-300x225.jpg)
The Langston Hughes Community Library [Source: http://www.bridgeandtunnelclub.com/bigmap/queens/corona/northernboulevard/22100-01northernblvd.jpg]
Fair Theatre
![The Fair Theatre in Astoria Boulevard. [Source: http://forgotten-ny.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/fairtheater.jpeg]](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3766/2013/04/15235444/fairtheater-300x225.jpeg)
The Fair Theatre in Astoria Boulevard. [Source: http://forgotten-ny.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/fairtheater.jpeg]
As one explores East Elmhurst, one finds some of the most interesting pieces of cultural history out there. This historical marvel of a neighborhood is hidden within the quiet and peaceful nature of the neighbors in the area.
——
Notes
1 See Jackson p. 389
2 See Berger
3 This is based on data gathered by the US Census Bureau through the American Community Survey results from 2006 to 2010. See United States.
4 The idea of social class is rather abstract as there is no real universal or uniform basis for determining where someone lies in terms of social class. I based the classification of East Elmhurst in the social class ladder on where it lies according to an article in the New York Times that was written in 2005. My interpretation in confirming this classification is based on a trend I noticed in the data of employment status by age that I based my data on. For the scale I looked at, see Tse and Werschkul’s graphic “How Class Works”.
5 See <http://www.louisarmstronghouse.org/about/overview.php> for more information.
Works Cited
Berger, Joseph. “There Stays the Neighborhood.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 8 Jan. 2011. Web. 14 May 2013.
Jackson, Kenneth T., ed. The Encyclopedia of New York City. 2nd ed. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Print.
“Louis Armstrong House Museum – About Us.” Louis Armstrong House Museum. Louis Armstrong House Museum, 2008. Web. 16 May 2013.
Tse, Archie and Werschkul Ben. “Graphic: How Class Works”. The New York Times. The New York Times, 2005. Web. 15 May 2013.