I had an engaging discussion with a man in New Orleans, Pastor Randy. We did not speak very much about New York, but when we did, he spoke of Harlem as only someone who does not live here would. In his mind, Harlem is still “full of violent black drug kingpins and pimps” and is a “hotbed of violent crime and robbery.”
As native New Yorkers, we know that this is not the case. Harlem has cleaned up its act. But along with a crackdown on crime came other changes. The neighborhoods of Harlem are much neater and safer. Rent prices have gone way up. The apartments house many fewer poor black families and many more up-and-coming young professionals. The existing businesses have noticed and raised prices, while new businesses targeting this new yuppie community are moving in. In short: Harlem is experiencing gentrification.
Gentrification decimated the black community of Harlem. A second Harlem Renaissance is seeming more and more far-fetched as time goes on. This experience is not limited to Harlem or black communities. It has happened all over the city to cultural hotspots.
I propose that we study the cultures of neighborhoods that have undergone gentrification. In particular, I think we should study West Harlem, Astoria, Park Slope, and Williamsburg.
In groups of 4 or 5, I believe we should cover these facets of the 4 neighborhoods:
(1) History – What was the traditional culture of the neighborhood? We can rely on our family histories and neighborhood visits for much of this information.
(2) Gentrifiers – Who gentrified the area? Why did they go there? This would involve Internet research, and would lend itself to the multimedia aspect of the project: pictures of important early establishments to the gentrifying population; recordings of interviews with residents and workers in the area; street scene observations; etc.
(3) Exodus – Where did the local culture go? Did it disperse? absorb into similar ethnic enclaves? form a new central neighborhood? Research in Baruch’s databases, demographic statistics, newspaper articles, and blogs lend lots of information about this facet of gentrification.
(4) New Culture – What is cropping up in these communities? Who has followed the gentrifiers? Arts? Restaurants? Bars? A new ethnic or cultural group? A lackluster population with little diversity? What has the neighborhood become?
Joseph Salvo’s lecture spoke about this changing demographic of New York City, and I think it’s important that we speak about the change, rather than merely what currently exists or what once existed, for our final project.
I think this project would be engaging and successful because it takes a critical lens on the Peopling of New York. It is both historical and contemporary. It discusses New York beyond the essentialized “bright lights, big city” cultural center we show tourists and goes beyond the “diversity” label we throw around as if diversity and equality are the same thing. It talks about the people who are here, who were here, and – most importantly – why.
