The Harlem Neighborhood Block Association

Neighbors united to improve the quality of life in Harlem

Tag: As Seen In Harlem

FDR Opens The Triborough 87 Years Ago And Notes His Family’s Roots In Harlem

Posted on by Harlem Shill

President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke 87 years ago at the Dedication of the Triborough Bridge noting his Harlem roots:

`MANY of you who are here today, old people like myself, can remember that, when we were boys and girls, the greater part of what is now the Boroughs of the Bronx and Queens was cultivated as farm land. A little further back, but not much more than a hundred years ago, my own great-grandfather owned a farm in Harlem, right across there [indicating], close to the Manhattan approach of this bridge. But I am quite sure, Bob Moses, that he never dreamed of the bridge.

See: https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/eras/great-depression/triborough-bridge-dedication-1936/ for the full address.

As Seen In Harlem

Job Opening and Message from CB10

Posted on by Harlem Shill
August 25, 2023

Dear Harlem Community,
I hope this message finds you well. It is with great enthusiasm and pride that I share a significant development within Manhattan Community Board 10. We are excited to announce that we are actively searching for a District Manager to join our team, and the official job posting is now live!
The District Manager plays a pivotal role in our community, serving as a key liaison between our board and the residents we represent. Their dedication and expertise are essential in helping us address the unique challenges and opportunities that Central Harlem presents.

I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to our Personnel Committee, led by its Chairperson and Board Member Derek Perkinson. They have been tirelessly committed to ensuring that the job posting reflects the high standards and expectations of our board. Their efforts in seeking out the best candidates for this vital position are greatly appreciated.

As we embark on this important search, we encourage all qualified individuals who are passionate about making a positive impact on Central Harlem to apply. We welcome diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds that will enrich our community and help us continue our mission of uplifting and serving the people of Harlem.If you or someone you know is interested in this opportunity, please submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected]

Click here to view the official job positing and for further details about the position
Print Job Description

We believe that the right District Manager will play a crucial role in advancing the interests and well-being of our community, and we are excited to welcome them to our dedicated team.
Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement with Manhattan Community Board 10. Together, we will continue to work towards a stronger, more vibrant Central Harlem.

Warm regards,

As Seen In Harlem

Mount Sinai’s New 124th Street Facility Opening

Posted on by Harlem Shill

Mount Sinai will soon open the newly constructed $80 million Mount Sinai Harlem Health Center, located at 158 West 124th Street, NY, NY. This new, state-of-art location will bring services closer to where our patients live and work while also continuing to provide the highest quality healthcare services in a holistic and convenient manner.

Clinical Services
As part of our larger overall commitment to provide inclusive, equitable, and high-quality medical care for all communities, the new Center will provide a variety of medical services including outpatient primary care (adult internal medicine and pediatrics), outpatient mental health care, radiology, laboratory and pharmacy services. Primary care providers will also be able to refer to select in-house specialty services including but not limited to Gynecology, Dermatology, Nephrology, Cardiology, Orthopedics, HIV/AIDS Care, Transgender Care, LGBTQAI Services, Nutrition, Acupuncture, Dentistry (adult and pediatrics), and Pain Management. Beyond Traditional Health Care

The Harlem Health Center will also house the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s Diversity Innovation Hub (DIH), a unique community-driven program founded in 2019 that focuses on increasing the capacity of women and individuals from underrepresented groups in the health innovation space, and provides guidance on how to build inclusive and thoughtful health technologies. The goal of DIH is to help communities address health disparities through building equitable health technology design.

Our Commitment to the Harlem Community
All of us at the Harlem Health Center remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring our patients’, neighbors’ and fellow community members’ voices are heard. We greatly appreciate the input that many community members provided over the past several years, and we hope that the Center reflects your feedback. We share your values and concerns, and will continue to listen and learn from each of you throughout this transition.

As Seen in Harlem

Just across Lenox, from the new Mount Sinai building:

Uptown, 1842

Posted on by Harlem Shill

In 1842, Manhattan (of course) showed settlement down at the tip of the island, and in a few locations northward. In this view, Harlem is the densest settlement north of 59th Street:

Note how West Harlem (Manhattanville, mostly) and East Harlem (then known as just Harlem). were settled, whereas what we call Central Harlem was not yet settled.

How To Build Community

(Un)Common Stock

Posted on by Harlem Shill

This rather dull piece of Harlem ephemera – a 5 shares worth of stock in the Harlem Stock Exchange – doesn’t on it’s surface have much going for it.

Almost the only thing of interest here is that of the $100,000 total amount of stock, a certain Julius D. Westmoreland owned 5 shares.

And this stock was certified on this day, February 1, in 1921.

What makes this dull document interesting is this stock exchange was an investment vehicle to pool Black Harlem’s assets into a Black real estate company that could transform Harlem.

The brochure (below) is from the collection of the University of Massachusetts and would have been printed to distribute and encourage investment in a large, Black firm that would be capable of financing the purchase and management of real estate throughout Harlem.

The brochure lists trustees and directors – note the inclusion of John E. Nail, of Nail and Parker real estate. John Nail got his start in the real estate business working for Philip A. Payton, Jr.’s Afro-American Realty Company, another real estate firm catering to African American customers in New York City. In 1905, he founded the Nail-Parker Company with Henry G. Parker and bought real estate in Harlem.

By 1925, Nail’s business owned around fifty apartment buildings in the Harlem area. Nail became the most important Black real estate agent in New York City, and sat on the Real Estate Board of New York and the Housing Committee of New York; in each case he was the only Black member.

In the brochure (below), the section on “The Need” notes how white capital’s racist refusal to back Black investment opportunities or Black businesses demanded a Black collective (monetary) response in order to build moneys available for the Black (business) community.

After the Great Depression struck, Nail’s business entered bankruptcy in 1933. Nail died in 1947. Harlem developed as a Black community of renters rather than owners.

To read the full brochure, see:

https://credo.library.umass.edu/view/pageturn/mums312-b033-i444/#page/1/mode/1up

As Seen In Harlem

Lost Church – Part 2

Posted on by Harlem Shill

A month or two ago I’d mentioned that The Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital, just east of Marcus Garvey Park (between 122nd and 121st Streets and Madison and Park Avenues) replaced a Harlem church (outlined in green below)

The fuzzy photo (below) showed the rock rubble in Marcus Garvey park before the depression era work to revitalize the park, with the church in the distance.

Zooming in, you can see the church, and the brownstones that used to line Madison Avenue.

One of the readers mentioned that this church was a Russian Orthodox church, and she was able to provide this (much, much) better photo of the church, looking northward on Madison Avenue:

Note the total lack of trees on Madison Avenue, and the brownstones lining the way north to 123rd street. It must be a warm day, as the shadow indicates its early in the morning, and the kids all seem to have shorts on.

As Seen In Harlem

HNBA Meeting (Zoom) on April 11, 7:00 PM

Posted on by Harlem Shill

Hello Harlem Neighbors and Hello Spring!

We’re looking forward to seeing you on ZOOM on Tuesday (April 11th) at 7:00 PM for our April HNBA community meeting.

We’ve got two very interesting speakers on tap this month.  First up will be Emily Chingay from Open Plans, a group that would like to help Harlem neighbors have more say in how their streets are used (playstreets for children, outdoor dining, beautification plantings, trash bins, etc.).  

The second, and main speaker, will be Blandon Casenave who has done extensive work on increasing Black admissions to NYC’s specialized high schools.  On Tuesday, Blandon will be speaking on the crisis of Black home ownership and the struggles of the Black middle class.  He notes that although Blacks are 24% of NYC’s population, they are 60% of the homeless and have an overall unemployment rate of 15% –  about triple the city average. Over the last twenty years Black New York has lost about 15% of its homeowners and 5% of its total population. This means that Black New Yorkers as a group are smaller, poorer and more vulnerable – despite the high number of Black elected officials.  Blandon will focus on research he has done on causes of this slide in the fortunes of the Black middle class and have a conversation with attendees on what kinds of legislation need to be in place to reverse this trend and support the Black middle class.

​Here is the Zoom link for the meeting.  Please feel free to forward to anyone you think might be interested:

​Join HNBA’s Zoom Meeting – Tuesday, April 11th, 7:00 PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86105986910?pwd=VlU3dXd5U1BMVnliR1V4MDFhM2R0UT09

Meeting ID: 861 0598 6910 Passcode: 193325

As Seen In Harlem

Lenox and 116th Street

Posted on by Harlem Shill

A few images from the intersection of Lenox and 116th Street. The first (above) shows the south facing view today.

Below shows the same view from 1901 and the construction of what is now the 2/3 subway line:

Looking northward, today’s view shows a building the is now a charter school on the north-west corner:

While the Google Street view (above) shows the space abandoned (before the charter school move in), the image below shows that in mid-century Harlem it was the home to a supermarket.

As Seen In Harlem

Uptown Grand Central lights up, under the Metro North Tracks.

Top 10 Lists From ChatGPT

Posted on by Harlem Shill

We’ve all seen those annoying websites with pop-up ads as we travel around the web that feature “Top 7 ways to…”

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly being employed by these click-bait sites in order to create ‘content’ and drive up their ad revenue. Here is an example of the content that was generated titled:

Top Ancient History in Detail

The history of the world is long, winding, and fascinating. It is filled with many incredible stories, experiences and achievements that have shaped our lives today. Among the many chapters of world history, ancient history is perhaps one of the most fascinating. It is an area of study that has captivated the minds of historians, archaeologists and anthropologists for centuries. It is also an area of study that has provided us with valuable insights into the way our ancestors lived and thought. This article will explore the top 10 ancient histories in detail.

1. Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt is one of the most studied and discussed ancient civilizations. It was a powerful and influential civilization that ruled much of North Africa and the Middle East for over three thousand years. Ancient Egypt was a theocracy, which means it was ruled by a god-king. The civilization was known for its powerful army, its monumental architecture and its rich culture. Ancient Egypt was also known for its advanced writing system, its mathematical and astronomical knowledge, and its many advances in medicine and agriculture.

2. Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece was another powerful and influential ancient civilization. It was a major force in the Mediterranean for centuries and its influence can still be seen today. Ancient Greece is known for its many contributions to philosophy, literature, art, science, politics and architecture. Its most famous monuments, such as the Parthenon and the Acropolis, are still standing today. Ancient Greece was also known for its democracy and its advances in warfare.

3. Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was the largest and most powerful empire in Europe for centuries. It was a powerful force in the Mediterranean region and its influence can still be seen today. Ancient Rome was known for its engineering feats, its literature, its art and its religious beliefs. It was also known for its advanced military tactics, its law system and its government system.

4. Ancient China

Ancient China was one of the oldest civilizations in the world. It was a powerful and influential force in East Asia for centuries. Ancient China was known for its many inventions, such as gunpowder, paper and the compass. It was also known for its advanced architecture, its writing system and its complex philosophy.

5. Ancient Mesopotamia

Ancient Mesopotamia was a powerful civilization located in the Middle East. It was the birthplace of many great empires, such as the Babylonian, Assyrian and Persian empires. Ancient Mesopotamia was known for its invention of writing, its advances in mathematics and its irrigation systems. It was also known for its gods, goddesses and religious beliefs.

6. Ancient India

Ancient India was another powerful ancient civilization located in South Asia. It was a major force in the region for centuries and its influence can still be seen today. Ancient India was known for its advances in mathematics, astronomy, medicine and philosophy. It was also known for its many religions and its contributions to literature, art and architecture.

7. Ancient Mayan

The Ancient Mayan civilization was one of the most advanced civilizations in the Americas. It was located in what is now Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize. Ancient Mayan is known for its complex writing system, its calendar system, its astronomical knowledge and its advanced architecture. It was also known for its many gods and religious beliefs.

8. Ancient Aztec

The Ancient Aztec civilization was a powerful and influential force in Central America. It was located in what is now Mexico and its influence can still be seen today. Ancient Aztec is known for its advanced writing system, its complex calendar system, its religious beliefs and its advanced architecture. It was also known for its many gods and goddesses and its many rituals and ceremonies.

9. Ancient Inca

The Ancient Inca civilization was another powerful and influential ancient civilization located in South America. It was located in what is now Peru and its influence can still be seen today. Ancient Inca was known for its engineering feats, its advanced agricultural systems and its sophisticated writing system. It was also known for its many gods and goddesses, its religious beliefs and its advanced architecture.

10. Ancient Sumerian

The Ancient Sumerian civilization was an ancient civilization located in the Middle East. It was the first civilization to develop writing and its influence can still be seen today. Ancient Sumerian is known for its advances in mathematics, its complex writing system and its sophisticated irrigation systems. It was also known for its many gods, goddesses and religious beliefs.

Conclusion

The ancient world was filled with many great civilizations and empires. These civilizations and empires have left a lasting legacy that can still be seen today. This article has explored the top 10 ancient histories in detail. It has discussed the major civilizations and empires, their contributions to world history, their inventions and their religious beliefs. All of these ancient histories have helped to shape our world today.

And what does this drivel have to do with Harlem, well, included in their lists of royals, milk drinking, gym tips, and unheard childhood stories, is Top 7 New York Places You Should Never Visit, another AI-generated list:

New York is one of the most popular cities in the world, and many tourists flock to the city to experience the hustle and bustle of life in the Big Apple. However, while there are many great places to visit, there are also some areas of New York that should be avoided. Here are the top 7 places in New York that you should never visit.

1. Brownsville, Brooklyn:

Brownsville is one of the most dangerous and impoverished areas of New York City. The neighborhood has a high crime rate and is known for its gang violence, drug dealing, and prostitution. There have also been numerous shootings in the area over the past few years. It is best to avoid Brownsville and stay away from the area.

2. West Farms, Bronx:

West Farms is another dangerous area of New York City that has a high crime rate. The neighborhood is home to drug dealers, gangs, and violent criminals. It is best to avoid the area and stay away from any suspicious activity.

3. East Harlem, Manhattan:

East Harlem is a poor and dangerous neighborhood in Manhattan that has seen a rise in crime in recent years. The area is known for its gang violence, drug dealing, and prostitution. It is best to avoid East Harlem and stay away from any suspicious activity in the area.

4. Mott Haven, Bronx:

Mott Haven is another dangerous area of New York City and is known for its gang violence, drug dealing, and prostitution. The neighborhood is also home to many homeless people and is best avoided for safety reasons.

5. North Brooklyn:

North Brooklyn is home to a large number of gangs and criminals, and it is best to avoid the area. The neighborhood is known for its drug dealing, gang violence, and prostitution. It is best to stay away from any suspicious activity in the area.

6. Hunts Point, Bronx:

Hunts Point is an area of the Bronx that is home to a large number of gangs and criminals. The neighborhood is known for its drug dealing, gang violence, and prostitution. It is best to avoid Hunts Point and stay away from any suspicious activity in the area.

7. Jamaica, Queens:

Jamaica is another area of New York City that is known for its high crime rate. The neighborhood is home to many gangs and criminals and is known for its drug dealing, gang violence, and prostitution. It is best to avoid Jamaica and stay away from any suspicious activity in the area.

These are the top 7 places in New York that you should never visit. While there are many great places to visit in New York, these areas are best avoided for safety reasons. It is best to stay away from any suspicious activity in these areas and stay safe.

As Seen In Harlem