Big Apple History . New York Living . A Lamppost in Harlem


	Bessie Smith

In 1900, few African Americans would have predicted that a mostly German-Jewish section of upper Manhattan called Harlem would soon become the world-famous "Negro capital of the world." In less than 25 years, Harlem -- originally named "Nieuw Haarlem" by Dutch farmers -- attracted over 120,000 blacks and became a thriving, creative community.

How did this dramatic transformation occur? It began in 1900 when Manhattan's new subway was extended to Harlem as an above-the-ground railway. Confident that many whites would want to move to Harlem, real estate speculators built new, luxury apartment buildings in this area. Then, in 1904, an economic depression hit, ensuring that many of the new buildings would remain empty. An ambitious African-American real estate agent named Philip Payton seized the opportunity. Payton envisioned that Harlem could be the home for African Americans. He persuaded thousands of blacks to move to buildings near 135th Street. African Americans at the time were eager to escape prejudice, violence, and crowded conditions elsewhere in New York. Although white property owners exploited blacks by charging them an additional fee to live in the Harlem apartments, many blacks felt the fee was a small price to pay for a community they could call their own.

As Harlem's reputation grew, blacks flocked there from all around the U.S., especially the South, as well as from the Caribbean. The period became known as the "Great Migration." A popular saying for African Americans at the time went: "I'd rather be a lamppost in Harlem than the Governor of Georgia." By the 1920s, Harlem had prospered in numerous ways, gaining successful banks, newspapers, churches, and cabarets. A group of outstanding African-American writers, musicians, political thinkers, and artists flourished in the exciting atmosphere of Harlem. An important cultural movement was created -- the Harlem Renaissance.

Illustration: Courtesy of Culver Pictures.