East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem or and historically known as Italian Harlem, is a

neighborhood A neighbourhood (British English, Irish English, Australian English and Canadian English) or neighborhood (American English; see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town, suburb or rural area, ...

Upper Manhattan, New York City Upper Manhattan is the most northern region of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary has been variously defined, but some of the most common usages are 96th Street, the northern boundary of Central Park ( 110th Street), ...

, roughly encompassing the area north of the

Upper East Side The Upper East Side, sometimes abbreviated UES, is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 96th Street to the north, the East River to the east, 59th Street to the south, and Central Park/Fifth Avenue to the wes ...

and bounded by 96th Street to the south, Fifth Avenue to the west, and the East and Harlem Rivers to the east and north. Despite its name, it is generally not considered to be a part of Harlem proper, but it is one of the neighborhoods included in Greater Harlem. The neighborhood is one of the largest predominantly Hispanic communities in New York City, mostly made up of Puerto Ricans, as well as sizeable numbers of Dominican, Cuban and Mexican immigrants. The community is notable for its contributions to Latin freestyle and salsa music. East Harlem also includes the area formerly known as Italian Harlem, in which the remnants of a once predominantly Italian community remain. The

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of v ...

population has increased dramatically in East Harlem since 2000. East Harlem has historically suffered from many social issues, such as a high crime rate, the highest jobless rate in New York City, teenage pregnancy,

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...

, drug abuse, homelessness, and an

asthma Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, co ...

rate five times the national average. It has the second-highest concentration of

public housing in the United States In the United States, subsidized housing is administered by federal, state and local agencies to provide subsidized rental assistance for low-income households. Public housing is priced much below the market rate, allowing people to live in mor ...

, behind

Brownsville, Brooklyn Brownsville is a residential neighborhood in eastern Brooklyn in New York City. The neighborhood is generally bordered by Crown Heights to the northwest; Bedford–Stuyvesant and Cypress Hills to the north; East New York to the east; Canarsi ...

. However, East Harlem is undergoing some

gentrification Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and planning. Gentrification often increases the ec ...

. In February 2016, East Harlem was one of four neighborhoods featured in an article in '' The New York Times'' about "New Hot Neighborhoods", and the city was considering re-zoning the area. East Harlem is part of Manhattan Community District 11, and its primary ZIP Codes are 10029 and 10035. It is patrolled by the 23rd and 25th Precincts of the New York City Police Department.

History

Early history

The area which became East Harlem was rural for most of the 19th century, but residential settlements northeast of

Third Avenue Third Avenue is a north-south thoroughfare on the East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan, as well as in the center portion of the Bronx. Its southern end is at Astor Place and St. Mark's Place. It transitions into Cooper Squ ...

and East 110th Street had developed by the 1860s. The construction of the elevated transit line to Harlem in 1879 and 1880, and the building of the Lexington Avenue subway in 1919, urbanized the area, precipitating the construction of apartment buildings and

brownstone Brownstone is a brown Triassic– Jurassic sandstone that was historically a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States and Canada to refer to a townhouse clad in this or any other aesthetically similar material. Typ ...

s. The extension of cable cars up Lexington Avenue into East Harlem was stymied by the incline created by Duffy's Hill at 103rd Street, one of the steepest grades in Manhattan. East Harlem was first populated by poor German, Irish, Scandinavian, and

Eastern European Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whi ...

Jewish immigrants, with the Jewish population standing at 90,000 around 1917. In the 1870s, Italian immigrants joined the mix after a contractor building trolley tracks on First Avenue imported Italian laborers as strikebreakers. The workers' shantytown along the East River at 106th Street was the beginning of an Italian neighborhood, with 4,000 having arrived by the mid-1880s. As more immigrants arrived, it expanded north to East 115th Street and west to

., p.1123-24 East Harlem consisted of pockets of ethnically-sorted settlements – Italian, German, Irish, and Jewish – which were beginning to press up against each other, with the spaces still between them occupied by "gasworks, stockyards and tar and garbage dumps". In 1895, the Union Settlement Association, one of the oldest settlement houses in New York City, began providing services in the area, offering the immigrant and low-income residents a range of community-based programs, including boys and girls clubs, a sewing school and adult education classes.

Italian Harlem

Southern Italians and Sicilians, with a moderate number of Northern Italians, soon predominated, especially in the area east of

Lexington Avenue Lexington Avenue, often colloquially abbreviated as "Lex", is an avenue on the East Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City that carries southbound one-way traffic from East 131st Street to Gramercy Park at East 21st Street. Along it ...

between 96th and 116th Streets and east of Madison Avenue between 116th and 125th Streets, with each street featuring people from different regions of Italy. The neighborhood became known as "Italian Harlem", the Italian American hub of Manhattan; it was the first part of Manhattan to be referred to as "

Little Italy Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood. The concept of "Little Italy" holds many different aspects of the Italian culture. There are s ...

". The first Italians arrived in East Harlem in 1878, from Polla in the province of Salerno, and settled in the vicinity of 115th Street.Meyer, Gerald
"Italian Harlem: America's Largest and Most Italian Little Italy"
/ref> There were many crime syndicates in Italian Harlem from the early Black Hand to the bigger and more organized Italian gangs that formed the

Italian-American Mafia The American Mafia, commonly referred to in North America as the Italian American Mafia, the Mafia, or the Mob, is a highly organized Italian American criminal society and organized crime group. The organization is often referred to by its mem ...

. It was the founding location of the

Genovese crime family The Genovese crime family, () also sometimes referred to as the Westside, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City and New Jersey as part of the American ...

, one of the Five Families that dominated organized crime in New York City. This includes the current

116th Street Crew The 116th Street Crew, *2010–present – Pasquale "Uncle Patty" Falcetti References

* Sifakis, Carl. The Mafia Encyclopedia:Second Edition. Checkmark Books, 1999. * Capeci, Jerry. The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia. Indianopolis, ...

of the Genovese family. During the 1970s, Italian East Harlem was also home to the Italian-American drug gang and murder-for-hire crew known as the

East Harlem Purple Gang The East Harlem Purple Gang was a gang or organized crime group consisting of Italian-American hit-men and heroin dealers who were semi-independent from the Italian-American Mafia and, according to federal prosecutors, dominated heroin distrib ...

. In the 1920s and early 1930s, Italian Harlem was represented in Congress by future Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia. After becoming mayor, La Guardia helped plan a large expansion of

Thomas Jefferson Park Thomas Jefferson Park is a public park in the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. The park is on First Avenue between 111th and 114th Streets. It contains a playground as well as facilities for baseball, basketball, footba ...

at First Avenue, between 111th and 114th Streets, in the mid-1930s. The neighborhood was represented, in the 1940s, by Italian-American civil rights lawyer, activist, and socialist

Vito Marcantonio Vito is an Italian name that is derived from the Latin word "''vita''", meaning "life". It is a modern form of the Latin name Vitus, meaning "life-giver," as in San Vito or Saint Vitus, the patron saint of dogs and a heroic figure in southern ...

. The Italian neighborhood approached its peak in the 1930s, with over 110,000 Italian-Americans living in its crowded, run-down apartment buildings.Lapp, Michael "East Harlem" in Quote: "During the 1930s as many as 110,000 Italians lived east of Lexington Avenue between 96th and 116th streets and east of Madison Avenue between 116th and 125th streets." The 1930 census showed that 81 percent of the population of Italian Harlem consisted of first- or second-generation Italian Americans, somewhat less than the concentration of Italian Americans in the Lower East Side's

with 88 percent; Italian Harlem's total population, however, was three times that of Little Italy. The Italian community in East Harlem remained strong into the 1980s, but it has slowly diminished since then. However, Italian inhabitants and vestiges of the old Italian neighborhood remain. The annual Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the "Dancing of the Giglio", the first Italian feast in New York City, is still celebrated there every year on the second weekend of August by the

Giglio Society of East Harlem Giglio Society of East Harlem is a non profit Italian-American society located in East Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, that sponsors an annual feast honoring their patron saint, Saint Anthony. History 20th century Southern Italian immigrant ...

. Italian retail establishments still exist, such as

Rao's Rao's () is a Southern Italian restaurant founded in 1896. It is located at 455 East 114th Street, on the corner of Pleasant Avenue in East Harlem, New York City. Rao's has sister restaurants in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Nevada. History The r ...

restaurant, started in 1896, and the original

Patsy's Pizzeria Patsy's Pizzeria is a historic coal-oven pizzeria in New York City. Opened in 1933, it was regarded as one of New York's original pizzerias for its use of traditional New York style thin crust pizza. History Patsy's Pizzeria was founded in what ...

which opened in 1933. In May 2011, one of the last remaining Italian retail businesses in the neighborhood, a barbershop owned by Claudio Caponigro on 116th Street, was threatened with closure by a rent increase.

Spanish Harlem

Puerto Rican and Latin American migration after the First World War. p. 265-268 established an enclave at the western portion of East Harlem – around

110th Street 110th Street is a street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is commonly known as the boundary between Harlem and Central Park, along which it is known as Central Park North. In the west, between Central Park West/Frederick Doug ...

and

– which became known as "Spanish Harlem". The area slowly grew to encompass all of East Harlem, including Italian Harlem, as Italians moved out – to the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, upstate

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * ...

and New Jersey – and Latinos moved in during another wave of immigration in the 1940s and 1950s. Although in certain areas, particularly around

Pleasant Avenue Pleasant Avenue is a north-south street in the East Harlem neighborhood of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It begins at E. 114th Street and ends at E. 120th Street. The street was the northernmost section of Avenue A, which stretched f ...

, Italian Harlem lasted through the 1970s, today most of the former Italian population is gone. Most of these predominantly older residents are clustered around Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, mainly from 114th to 118th Streets. According to the 2000 Census, there were only 1,130 Italian-Americans still living in this area. The newly dominant Puerto Rican population, which reached 63,000 in 1950, continued to define the neighborhood according to its needs, establishing bodegas and

botánica A botánica (often written botanica and less commonly known as a hierbería or botica) is a religious goods store. The name ''botánica'' is Spanish and translates as "botany" or "plant store," referring to these establishments' function as dispen ...

s as it expanded; by the 1930s there was already an enclosed street market underneath the Park Avenue railroad viaduct between 111th and 116th Streets, called "La Marqueta" ("The Market").

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

and evangelistic Protestant churches appeared in storefronts. Although "Spanish Harlem" had been in use since at least the 1930s to describe the Latino enclave – along with "Italian Harlem" and "Negro Harlem" – the name began to be used to describe the entire East Harlem neighborhood by the 1950s. Later, the name "El Barrio" ("The Neighborhood") began to be used, especially by residents of the area.

Decline

In the 1950s and 1960s, large sections of East Harlem were leveled for urban renewal projects, and the neighborhood was one of the hardest hit areas in the 1960s and 1970s as New York City struggled with deficits,

race riots An ethnic conflict is a conflict between two or more contending ethnic groups. While the source of the conflict may be political, social, economic or religious, the individuals in conflict must expressly fight for their ethnic group's positio ...

urban flight Suburban colonization happens when people move to suburbs, taking their political power with them from the place they leave. Other colonialism is often studied for the effects upon those already inhabiting the colonized area, but students of subur ...

, gang warfare, drug abuse, crime and poverty. Tenements were crowded, poorly maintained, and frequent targets for arson. In 1969 and 1970, a regional chapter of the

Young Lords The Young Lords, also known as the Young Lords Organization (YLO) or Young Lords Party (YLP), was a Chicago-based street gang that became a civil and human rights organization. The group aims to fight for neighborhood empowerment and self-det ...

which were reorganized from a neighborhood street gang in Chicago by Jose (Cha-Cha) Jimenez, ran several programs including a Free Breakfast for Children and a Free Health Clinic to help Latino and poor families. The Young Lords came together with the

Black Panthers The Black Panther Party (BPP), originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was a Marxist-Leninist and black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton in October 1966 in Oakland, Califo ...

and called for Puerto Rican independence and neighborhood empowerment. Still, as of the early 2000s, the Latin Kings gang remained prevalent in East Harlem.

Recent history

By the beginning of the 21st century, East Harlem was a racially diverse neighborhood, with about a third of the population being Puerto Rican. As it has been throughout its history, it is predominantly a working-class neighborhood. Until 2006, property values in East Harlem climbed along with those in the rest of New York City, leading to gentrification and changes to area demographics. On March 12, 2014, at 9:00 EDT, a large explosion and fire at 1644–1646 Park Avenue killed eight people and injured more than 70. The '' New York Post'' listed one part of the neighborhood – the block of

between East 123rd and 124th Streets – as one of "the most dangerous blocks in the city" because police crime statistics for 2015 showed that 19 assaults had taken place there, more than for any other city block. The ''Post'' also reported that there were, according to the Harlem Neighborhood Block Association, "22 drug-treatment programs, four homeless-services providers and four transitional-living facilities" in East Harlem. East Harlem has begun to feel the effects of

. In February 2016, an article in ''The New York Times'' about "New York's Next Hot Neighborhoods" featured East Harlem as one of four such areas. A real-estate broker described it as "one of the few remaining areas in New York City where you can secure a good deal". The article mentioned new luxury developments, access to transportation, the opening of new retail stores, bars and restaurants, and national-brand stores beginning to appear on the outskirts of the neighborhood. Primarily, though, it was the cost of housing in comparison to the rest of Manhattan, which the article noted as the major factor.Higgins, Michelle (February 26, 2016
"New York's Next Hot Neighborhoods"
''The New York Times''. Beginning in 2016, the New York City government was seeking to rezone East Harlem "to facilitate new residential, commercial, community facility, and manufacturing development". The residents of the neighborhood generated a suggested zoning plan, the "East Harlem Neighborhood Plan", which was offered to the city in February 2017, but in August 2017 residents and the Manhattan Borough President,

Gale Brewer Gale Arnot Brewer (born September 6, 1951) is an American Democratic politician from the state of New York who has represented the 6th New York City Council District since January 2022, a position she previously held from 2002 to 2013. From Janu ...

, complained that the city had ignored their plan almost entirely. In 2019, the oldest portion of the neighborhood, the blocks of East 111th through 120th Streets between Park and Pleasant Avenues, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the East Harlem Historic District.

Demographics

The New York City Department of City Planning classifies East Harlem into two neighborhood tabulation areas: East Harlem North and East Harlem South, divided along 115th Street. The two areas had a combined population of 115,921, an increase of 1,874 (1.4%) from the combined 114,047 in the 2000 Census. Based on data from the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...

, the population of East Harlem North was 58,019, an increase of 871 (1.5%) from the 57,148 counted in 2000. Covering an area of , the neighborhood had a population density of .Table PL-P5 NTA: Total Population and Persons Per Acre – New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010
Population Division – New York City Department of City Planning, February 2012. Accessed June 16, 2016. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 6.8% (3,936) White, 35.5% (20,625)

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of enslav ...

, 0.2% (128) Native American, 3.0% (1,766) Asian, 0.0% (9)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Oce ...

, 0.3% (185) from other races, and 1.3% (769) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 52.7% (30,601) of the population.Table PL-P3A NTA: Total Population by Mutually Exclusive Race and Hispanic Origin – New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010
Population Division – New York City Department of City Planning, March 29, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2016. Based on data from the 2010 Census, the population of East Harlem South was 57,902, an increase of 1,003 (1.8%) from the 56,899 counted in 2000. Covering an area of , the neighborhood had a population density of . The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 17.4% (10,072) White, 24.6% (14,227) African American, 0.2% (96) Native American, 8.3% (4,802) Asian, 0.1% (55) Pacific Islander, 0.4% (218) from other races, and 1.6% (933) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 47.5% (27,499) of the population. The most significant changes in the racial composition of East Harlem between 2000 and 2010 were the Asian population's increase by 109% (3,427), the White population's increase by 68% (5,689), and the Black population's decrease by 12% (4,625). Although more of the influx of Asian and White residents was in East Harlem South, the greatest percentage growth was in East Harlem North, while the Black population's decrease was evenly split. The Hispanic/Latino population also decreased by 4% (2,485), a decrease almost entirely concentrated in East Harlem South, where it fell from being the majority group to the plurality group. The small population of other races experienced a slight increase of 5% (132). The entirety of Manhattan Community District 11, which consists of East Harlem, Randall's Island, and

Ward's Island Randalls Island (sometimes called Randall's Island) and Wards Island are conjoined islands, collectively called Randalls and Wards Islands, in New York County, New York City,

, had 124,323 inhabitants as of NYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 77.3 years. This is 3.9 years lower than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most residents are children and middle-aged adults: 21% are between the ages of 0–17, while 33% are between 25 and 44, and 23% are between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 10% and 13% respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community District 11 was $36,770. In 2018, an estimated 23% of Community District 11 residents lived in poverty, compared to 14% in all of Manhattan and 20% in all of New York City. One in nine residents (11%) were unemployed, compared to 7% in Manhattan and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 48% in Community District 11, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 45% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, , Community District 11 is considered to be gentrifying: according to the Community Health Profile, the district was low-income in 1990 and has seen above-median rent growth up to 2010. In the 2020 census report, East Harlem's demographics were separated into north and south parts. North East Harlem had between 30,000 to 39,999 Hispanic residents, 20,000 to 29,999 Black residents, 5,000 to 9,999 White residents, and less than 5000 Asian residents. Meanwhile South East Harlem was more racially diverse with 20,000 to 29,999 Hispanic residents, 10,000 to 19,999 Black residents, 10,000 to 19,999 white residents, and 5,000 to 9,999 Asian residents.

Ethnic groups

Community District 11 is a mostly low to middle income area. It is made up of first and second generation Puerto Ricans,

African-Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of enslav ...

, Italian-Americans, Asian-Americans,

West Indian Americans Caribbean Americans or West Indian Americans are Americans who trace their ancestry to the Caribbean. Caribbean Americans are a multi-ethnic and multi-racial group that trace their ancestry further in time mostly to Africa, as well as Asia, the ...

(especially Dominican Americans and

Cuban Americans Cuban Americans ( es, cubanoestadounidenses or ''cubanoamericanos'') are Americans who trace their cultural heritage to Cuba regardless of phenotype or ethnic origin. The word may refer to someone born in the United States of Cuban descent or ...

), and a growing population of Mexican Americans and

Salvadoran Americans Salvadoran Americans ( or ) are Americans of full or partial Salvadoran descent. As of 2010, there are 2,195,477 Salvadoran Americans in the United States, the fourth-largest Hispanic community by nation of ancestry.Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. C ...

n immigrants. It has one of the highest concentrations of Puerto Ricans in all of New York City. As of 2010, the Puerto Rican population was 27.7% in zip code 10029, and 23.4% in 10035. 10035 also has a large Mexican population, at 10.7%. As noted before, the number of

Asians Asian people (or Asians, sometimes referred to as Asiatic people)United States National Library of Medicine. Medical Subject Headings. 2004. November 17, 200Nlm.nih.gov: ''Asian Continental Ancestry Group'' is also used for categorical purpos ...

in East Harlem more than doubled between 2000 and 2010, largely due to Chinese people moving to East Harlem. Increasing rents in Lower Manhattan's Chinatown have driven many into public and subsidized housing developments in the neighborhood. Advocates have been calling for Chinese language services to be available in the community centers to accommodate the growing number of Chinese residents in the area. In 2000, the Chinese population in the northern portion was less than one percent, but by 2010, it has gone up to being three percent in the area. In the southern part, it rose from 4.6% to 8.4%.

Social issues

Social problems, including concentrated poverty, homelessness, overcrowding, substandard housing, language barriers, food insecurity, teen pregnancy, obesity, crime, drug addiction, dropping out of school, and low rates of advanced educational attainment, have long plagued the area. Although crime rates have dropped from the historically high numbers of the crack epidemic, East Harlem suffers from a high violent crime rate, especially in the 25th Precinct above 115th Street. In 2021, the 25th Precinct had the second-highest rates of felony assault and robbery, the sixteenth-highest rate of rape, and the highest rate of murder out of the New York Police Department's 77 precincts. East Harlem has the highest concentration of shelters and facilities in Manhattan, with eight homeless shelters, 36 drug and alcohol treatment facilities and 37 mental health treatment facilities. It also has the highest jobless rate in the entire city, as well as the city's second highest cumulative

rate. The asthma rate is also five times higher than national levels. The neighborhood also suffers from a high poverty rate. Union Settlement Association is one of the neighborhood's largest social service agencies, reaching more than 13,000 people annually at 17 locations throughout East Harlem, through a range of programs, including early childhood education, youth development, senior services, job training, the arts,

adult education Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained self-educating activities in order to gain new forms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralp ...

, nutrition, counseling, a farmers' market, community development, and neighborhood cultural events.

Housing

East Harlem is dominated by

public housing Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the details, terminology, de ...

complexes of various types, with a high concentration of older tenement buildings between these developments. The neighborhood contains the second-highest concentration of public housing in the United States, behind

. The total land area is . After a wave of

arson Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...

ravaged the low income communities of New York City throughout the 1970s, many of the residential structures in East Harlem were left seriously damaged or destroyed. By the late 1970s, the city began to rehabilitate many abandoned tenement style buildings and designate them as low income housing. Despite recent

of the neighborhood, large numbers of apartment buildings have been deliberately kept vacant by their owners. Although the businesses on the ground floor are retained, landlords do not want to have the trouble involved in residential tenants. In some cases, landlords are waiting for a revived economy, warehousing the apartments so that they can rent them later at a higher rent. In 2007, a survey of Manhattan's buildings found that 1,723 were significantly vacant, three-quarters of them north of 96th Street. A 1998 survey found that one-quarter of low-rise residential buildings on avenues or major cross streets in East Harlem had sealed-up residential floors, despite having commercial businesses on the ground floor.

Public housing projects

There are twenty-four New York City Housing Authority developments located in East Harlem. As of 2013, 93.6% of all housing units were renter-occupied, and over 25% of the population resided in public housing units managed by the NYCHA. *335 East 111th Street; one 6-story building *East 120th Street Rehab; one, 6-story rehabilitated tenement building *

East River The East River is a saltwater Estuary, tidal estuary in New York City. The waterway, which is actually not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates the borough o ...

Houses; ten buildings, 6, 10 and 11 stories tall *Edward Corsi Houses; one 16-story building * Gaylord White Houses; one 20-story building *

George Washington Carver George Washington Carver ( 1864 – January 5, 1943) was an American agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted alternative crops to cotton and methods to prevent soil depletion. He was one of the most prominent black scientists of the e ...

Houses; 13 buildings, 6 and 15 stories tall *Governor Dewitt Clinton Houses; six buildings, 9 and 18 stories tall *

Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line ...

Houses; one 8-story building * James Weldon Johnson Houses; ten 14-story buildings *Lehman Village; four 20-story buildings *Lexington Houses; four 14-story buildings *Metro North Plaza; three buildings, 7, 8, and 11 stories tall *Metro North Rehab; seventeen 6-story rehabilitated tenement buildings *Milbank-Frawley; two rehabilitated tenement buildings 5 and 6 stories tall *Morris Park Senior Citizens Home; one 9-story rehabilitated building * Park Avenue-East 122nd Street, 123rd Streets; two 6-story buildings *President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...

; fourteen buildings, 6 and 14 stories tall *President

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

Houses; fourteen buildings, 12 and 14 stories tall *President Thomas Jefferson Houses; eighteen buildings, 7, 13 and 14 stories tall *President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

Houses; three 20-story buildings *Senator

Robert A. Taft Robert Alphonso Taft Sr. (September 8, 1889 – July 31, 1953) was an American politician, lawyer, and scion of the Republican Party's Taft family. Taft represented Ohio in the United States Senate, briefly served as Senate Majority Lead ...

; nine 19-story buildings * Robert F. Wagner Houses; twenty-two buildings, 7 and 16 stories tall *U.P.A.C.A. (Upper Park Avenue Community Association) Site 6; one 12-story building *U.P.A.C.A. (Upper Park Avenue Community Association) U.R.A. Site 5; one 11-story building

Other residential developments

Other subsidized housing includes: *Taino Towers – East 122nd Street and

. Four 35-story towers, 656 apartments. Opened 1979. *A new 68-story rental tower at 321 East 96th Street was approved in August 2017. The building, which is currently the site of the School of Cooperative Technical Education, would house three schools and retail space along with a mix of 1,100 affordable and market-rate apartments.

Economy

The neighborhood is home to one of the few major television studios north of midtown, Metropolis at 106th Street and Park Avenue, where shows such as BET's ''

106 & Park ''106 & Park'' is an American hip hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that was broadcast on weekdays at 6:00 pm ET/5:00 pm CT on BET; it aired on a one-day delay on BET International. It was the network's highest- rate ...

'' and ''

Chappelle's Show ''Chappelle's Show'' is an American sketch comedy television series created by comedians Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan, with Chappelle hosting the show and starring in the majority of its sketches. Chappelle, Brennan, and Michele Armour were th ...

'' have been produced. PRdream.com, a web site on the history and culture of Puerto Ricans, founded a media gallery and digital film studio called MediaNoche in 2003. It presents technology-based art on Park Avenue and 102nd Street, providing exhibition space and residencies for artists and filmmakers, and

webcasting A webcast is a media presentation distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand. Essentially, we ...

events.

Police and crime

East Harlem is served by two precincts of the NYPD. The area north of 116th Street is served by the 25th Precinct, located at 120 East 119th Street, while the area south of 116th Street is served by the 23rd Precinct, located at 164 East 102nd Street. The 25th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 62.1% between 1990 and 2021. The precinct reported 16 murders, 12 rapes, 242 robberies, 382 felony assaults, 108 burglaries, 401 grand larcenies, and 66 grand larcenies auto in 2012. Of the five major violent felonies (murder, rape, felony assault, robbery, and burglary), the 25th Precinct had a rate of 1,340 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2019, compared to the boroughwide average of 632 crimes per 100,000 and the citywide average of 572 crimes per 100,000. The 23rd Precinct also has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 69.7% between 1990 and 2021. The precinct reported 8 murders, 16 rapes, 189 robberies, 366 felony assaults, 109 burglaries, 383 grand larcenies, and 60 grand larcenies auto in 2021. Of the five major violent felonies (murder, rape, felony assault, robbery, and burglary), the 23rd Precinct had a rate of 819 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2019, compared to the boroughwide average of 632 crimes per 100,000 and the citywide average of 572 crimes per 100,000. , Community District 11 has a non-fatal assault hospitalization rate of 130 per 100,000 people, compared to the boroughwide rate of 49 per 100,000 and the citywide rate of 59 per 100,000. Its incarceration rate is 1,291 per 100,000 people, compared to the boroughwide rate of 407 per 100,000 and the citywide rate of 425 per 100,000. In 2019, the highest concentration of felony assaults in East Harlem was around the intersection of 125th Street and

, where there were 39 felony assaults. This location is well known as an open-air drug market and hotspot of other crimes. The highest concentration of robberies, on the other hand, was around the intersection of 116th Street and

, where there were 21 robberies. The

Willis Avenue Bridge The Willis Avenue Bridge is a swing bridge that carries road traffic northbound (and bicycles and pedestrians both ways) over the Harlem River between the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx, United States. It connects First Avenu ...

which connects East Harlem to the

Mott Haven Mott Haven is an American primarily residential neighborhood in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of the Bronx. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise, are East 149th Street to the north, the Bruckner ...

section of the

Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

has long been a hotspot for robbery.

Fire safety

East Harlem is served by four

New York City Fire Department The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), is an American department of the government of New York City that provides fire protection services, technical rescue/special operations services, ...

(FDNY) fire stations: *Engine Company 35/Ladder Company 14/Battalion 12 – 2282

*Engine Company 53/Ladder Company 43 – 1836

*Engine Company 58/Ladder Company 26 – 1367 Fifth Avenue *Engine Company 91 – 242 East 111th Street

Health

preterm birth Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the birth of a baby at fewer than 37 weeks gestational age, as opposed to full-term delivery at approximately 40 weeks. Extreme preterm is less than 28 weeks, very early preterm birth is between ...

s and births to teenage mothers in East Harlem are higher than the city average. In East Harlem, there were 108 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 10.8 teenage births per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide), though the teenage birth rate was based on a small sample size. East Harlem has a low population of residents who are

uninsured Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss in which, in exchange for a fee, a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a certain loss, damage, or injury. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to hedge ...

. In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 3%, slightly less than the citywide rate of 12%, though this was based on a small sample size. The concentration of fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of

air pollutant Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. There are many different types ...

, in East Harlem is , more than the city average. Eighteen percent of East Harlem residents are smokers, which is more than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In East Harlem, 28% of residents are obese, 17% are

diabetic Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

, and 34% have high blood pressure—compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 23% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Eighty-four percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is lower than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 76% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", less than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in East Harlem, there are 17 bodegas.

Metropolitan Hospital Center Metropolitan Hospital Center (MHC, also referred to as Metropolitan Hospital) is a hospital in East Harlem, New York City. It has been affiliated with New York Medical College since it was founded in 1875, representing the oldest partnership be ...

and Mount Sinai Hospital are both located in southern East Harlem. North General Hospital, which formerly served the area as well, is now closed. In addition, FDNY EMS Station 10 is located close to Metropolitan Hospital Center. Super Associated East Harlem 1968 2nd Av 101 St jeh

Super Associated East Harlem 1968 2nd Av 101 St jeh

Fresh food

A lack of access to healthy food causes serious hardships to citizens of East Harlem, a neighborhood which is considered to be a food desert. According to an April 2008 report prepared by the New York City Department of City Planning, East Harlem is an area of the city with the highest levels of diet-related diseases due to limited opportunities for citizens to purchase fresh foods. With a high population density and a lack of nearby

supermarkets A supermarket is a self-service shop offering a wide variety of food, beverages and household products, organized into sections. This kind of store is larger and has a wider selection than earlier grocery stores, but is smaller and more li ...

, the neighborhood has little access to fresh fruit and vegetables and a low consumption of fresh foods. Citizens of East Harlem are likely to buy food from grocery stores that have a limited supply of fruits and vegetables, which are often of poor quality and generally more expensive than the same products sold at supermarkets. Compared to the

, supermarkets in Harlem are 30% less common. Without access to affordable produce and meats, East Harlem residents have difficulty eating a healthy diet, which contributes to high rates of obesity and diabetes. In 2011, Manhattan Borough President

Scott Stringer Scott M. Stringer (born April 29, 1960) is an American politician who served as the 44th New York City Comptroller. A Democrat, Stringer also previously served as a New York State Assemblyman, and as the 26th borough president of Manhattan. I ...

announced a program which would send Veggie Vans to East Harlem senior centers and housing projects. In 2012,

Whole Foods Whole Foods Market IP, Inc., a subsidiary of Amazon, is an upscale American multinational supermarket chain headquartered in Austin, Texas, which sells products free from hydrogenated fats and artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. A US ...

announced two uptown locations, one being on 125th Street and

Lenox Avenue Lenox Avenue – also named Malcolm X Boulevard; both names are officially recognized – is the primary north–south route through Harlem in the upper portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan. This two-way street runs from ...

, the other in the Upper East Side. In 2010, Aldi's Grocery opened at the East River Plaza located at E. 117th St. and the FDR Drive, providing access to affordable food for East Harlem's residents. In 2013, a new Super FI Emperior Grocery store opened up in East Harlem on 103rd Street and

Post offices and ZIP Codes

East Harlem is located in two primary ZIP Codes. The area south of 116th Street is part of 10029 and the area north of 116th Street is part of 10035. The extreme northwestern portion of East Harlem is also located in 10037. The United States Postal Service operates two post offices near East Harlem: *Hellgate Station – 153 East 110th Street *Triborough Finance New Station – 118 East 124th Street

Education

Tito Puente PS117 2095 2nd Av 240 E109 St jeh

East Harlem generally has a lower rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city . While 38% have a college education or higher, 25% have less than a high school education and 37% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 64% of Manhattan residents and 43% of city residents have a college education or higher. The percentage of East Harlem students excelling in math rose from 25% in 2000 to 51% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 33% to 39% during the same time period. East Harlem's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is higher than the rest of New York City. In East Harlem, 30% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year, more than the citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 67% of high school students in East Harlem graduate on time, less than the citywide average of 75%. As in other parts of the city, some schools require students pass through metal detectors and swipe ID cards to enter school buildings.

Schools

The New York City Department of Education operates public schools in East Harlem as part of Community School District 2. The following public elementary schools are located in East Harlem: *Central Park East I (grades PK–5) *Central Park East II (grades PK–8) *James Weldon Johnson School (grades PK–8) *Mosaic Preparatory Academy (grades PK–5) *PS 7 Samuel Stern (grades PK–8) *PS 30 Hernandez Hughes (grades PK–5) **PS 38 Roberto Clemente (grades PK–5) *PS 83 Luis Munoz Rivera (grades PK–5) *PS 96 Joseph Lanzetta (grades PK–8) *PS 102 Jacques Cartier (grades PK–5) *PS 108 Assemblyman Angelo Del Toro Educational Com (grades PK–8) *PS 112 Jose Celso Barbosa (grades PK–2) *PS 133 Fred R Moore (grades PK–5) *PS 138 (grades K-12) *PS 155 William Paca (grades PK–5) *PS 171 Patrick Henry (grades PK–8) *PS/MS 206 Jose Celso Barbosa (grades 3–8) *River East Elementary School (grades PK–5) * Tag Young Scholars (grades K–8) *The Bilingual Bicultural School (grades PK–5) *The Lexington Academy (grades PK–8) The following public middle schools are located in East Harlem: *Esperanza Preparatory Academy (grades 6–12) *Isaac Newton MS For Math And Science (grades 6–8) *MS 224 Manhattan East School For Arts And Academy (grades 6–8) *Renaissance School of the Arts (grades 6–8) * Young Women's Leadership School, East Harlem (grades 6–12) The following public high schools are located in East Harlem: *Harlem Renaissance High School (grades 9–12) *

Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics (abbreviated as MCSM) is a public high school at East 116th Street between Pleasant Avenue and FDR Drive in East Harlem, within Upper Manhattan, New York City. The school building, which was former ...

(grades 9–12) – replaced Benjamin Franklin High School, a school which had the smallest graduating class in the city at the time of its closing. *PS 79 Horan School (grades 6-12) *The Heritage School (grades 9–12) The public charter schools in East Harlem include: *Success Academy Harlem 2 of Success Academy Charter Schools (grades K–8) *Harlem Village Academy (grades K–9) *East Harlem Scholars Academies (grades PK–8) *Dream Charter School (grades PK–8) St. Cecilia's School in East Harlem was closed by the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York The Archdiocese of New York ( la, Archidiœcesis Neo-Eboracensis) is an ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church ( particularly the Roman Catholic or Latin Church) located in the State of New York. It encompasses the borough ...

– which operates Catholic schools in Manhattan and the Bronx – in 1991.

Libraries

The New York Public Library (NYPL) operates two branches in East Harlem: *The Aguilar branch is located at 174 East

. The three-story Carnegie library opened in 1903 and was renovated in 1996. It is named for the author

Grace Aguilar Grace Aguilar (2 June 1816 – 16 September 1847) was an English novelist, poet and writer on Jewish history and religion. Although she had been writing since childhood, much of her work was published posthumously. Among those are her best know ...

. *The 125th Street branch is located at 224 East 125th Street. The two-story Carnegie library opened in 1901 and was renovated in 2001. Two additional NYPL branches are located nearby. The 96th Street branch is located at 112 East 96th Street, at the border with the

, while the Harlem branch is located at 9 West 124th Street, near the border with Harlem.

Transportation

The Harlem River separates the Bronx and Manhattan, necessitating several spans between the two New York City boroughs. Three free bridges connect East Harlem and the Bronx: the

(for northbound traffic only), Third Avenue Bridge (for southbound traffic only), and Madison Avenue Bridge. In East Harlem, the Wards Island Bridge, also known as the 103rd Street Footbridge, connects Manhattan with Wards Island. The Triborough Bridge (officially the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge) is a complex of three separate bridges that offers connections between Queens, East Harlem, and the Bronx. Public transportation service is provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The New York City Subway's IRT Lexington Avenue Line runs through East Harlem, with an express station at 125th Street (served by the ) as well as local stations at the 116th Street,

, 103rd Street, and 96th Street (served by the ). There is also a Second Avenue Subway station at 96th Street on the . MTA Regional Bus Operations and bus routes serve East Harlem as well. Metro-North Railroad has a commuter rail station at Harlem–125th Street, serving trains to the Lower Hudson Valley and Connecticut.

Notable people

* Jack Agüeros (1934–2014), community activist, poet, writer, translator, and the former director of

El Museo del Barrio El Museo del Barrio, often known simply as El Museo (the museum), is a museum at 1230 Fifth Avenue in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is located near the northern end of Fifth Avenue's Museum Mile, immediately north of the Museum of the City ...

. * Petra Allende (1920–2002), community activist * Marc Anthony (born 1968), singer *

Frankie Cutlass Frank Javiel Malave (born January 16, 1971), better known by his stage name Frankie Cutlass, is an American award- winning platinum DJ, Artist, Producer, Writer and Remixer from Harlem, New York, United States. He is best known for his hits "Pue ...

(born 1971), DJ and record producer. *

Arcángel Austin Agustín SantosBiografía de Arcángel
Retrieved on May 19, 2017 (born Decembe ...

(born 1985), reggaeton singer *

ASAP Rocky Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky ( ; stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper, music producer and record executive. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a membe ...

(born 1988), rapper * Ray Barretto (1929–2006), musician * Joe Bataan (born 1942), singer * Walter Berry (born 1964), former professional NBA basketball player. * Mario Biaggi (1917-2015), decorated policeman and US Congressman * Frank Bonilla (1925–2010), academic of Puerto Rican descent; leading figure in Puerto Rican studies. * Joe Budden (born 1980), rapper and member of hip hop group Slaughterhouse. *

Cam'ron Cameron Ezike Giles (born February 4, 1976), better known by his stage name Cam'ron, is an American rapper, record executive, and actor from Harlem, New York City. Beginning his career in the mid-1990s as Killa Cam, Giles signed to Lance "Un" ...

(born 1976), rapper * Duke Carmel (1937–2021), former professional baseball player who played all or part of four seasons in Major League Baseball. *

Daniel Celentano Daniel Celentano (1902–1980) was an American Scene artist who made realistic paintings of everyday life in New York, particularly within the Italian neighborhood of East Harlem where he lived. During the Great Depression he painted murals ...

(1902–1980), artist *

Frank Costello Frank Costello (; born Francesco Castiglia; ; January 26, 1891 – February 18, 1973) was an Italian-American crime boss of the Luciano crime family. In 1957, Costello survived an assassination attempt ordered by Vito Genovese and carried out by ...

(1891–1973), mobster *

Leonard Covello Leonard Covello (November 26, 1887 - August 19, 1982) was an Italian-born American educator, most known as the founder and first principal of the Benjamin Franklin High School and for his work on behalf of the children of Italian and Puerto Rican ...

(1887–1982), educator, founder and first principal of Benjamin Franklin High School *

Bobby Darin Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) was an American musician and actor. He performed jazz, pop, rock and roll, folk, swing, and country music. He started his career as a songwriter for Connie Fr ...

(1936–1973), singer * Julia de Burgos (1914–1953), poet *

James De La Vega James De La Vega (1972) is a visual artist of Puerto Rican descent who lives in New York City. He is best known for his street aphorisms and muralist art.''Become Your Dream'' by De La Vega. Harper Collins, 2009. Life James De La Vega was born ...

(), visual artist best known for his street aphorisms and muralist art. * Angelo Del Toro (1947–1994), politician *

Nelson Antonio Denis Nelson Antonio Denis is an American attorney, author, film director, and former representative to the New York State Assembly. From 1997 through 2000, Denis represented New York's 68th Assembly district, which includes the East Harlem and Spanish ...

, New York State Assemblyman *

Dave East David Lawrence Brewster Jr. (born June 3, 1988), better known by his stage name Dave East, is an American rapper. East began his career in 2010, and gained attention in 2014 from his eighth mixtape, ''Black Rose''. Its release garnered the attent ...

(born 1988), rapper *

Erik Estrada Henry Enrique Estrada (born March 16, 1949) is an American actor and police officer. He is known for his co-starring lead role as California Highway Patrol officer Francis (Frank) Llewelyn "Ponch" Poncherello in the police drama television series ...

(born 1949), actor. * Destiny Frasqueri (born 1992), rapper who performs under the stage name "Princess Nokia" * Giosue Gallucci (1865–1915), gangster *

Joan Hackett Joan Ann Hackett (March 1, 1934 – October 8, 1983) was an American actress of film, stage, and television. She starred in the 1967 western '' Will Penny''. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the Gold ...

(1934–1983), actress who appeared on television, film and stage. * Langston Hughes (1901–1967), writer and social activist *

Jose Cha Cha Jimenez José Cha Cha Jiménez (born August 8, 1948) is a political activist and the founder of the Young Lords Organization, a Chicago-based street gang that became a civil and human rights organization. Started in September 23, 1968, it was most acti ...

(born 1948), founder of the

Jim Jones James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 – November 18, 1978) was an American preacher, political activist and mass murderer. He led the Peoples Temple, a new religious movement, between 1955 and 1978. In what he called "revolutionary suicide", ...

(born 1976), rapper *

Roger Katan Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ...

, architect, planner, sculptor, and activist. * DJ Kay Slay (born 1966), hip hop disc jockey * Fiorello H. La Guardia (1882–1947), Congressman and mayor of New York City *

Burt Lancaster Burton Stephen Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor and producer. Initially known for playing tough guys with a tender heart, he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles over a 45-yea ...

(1913–1994), actor and film producer * Lillian López (1925–2005), activist and librarian * Tommy Lucchese (1899–1967), mobster * Machito (1908–1984), musician *

(1902–1954), lawyer and politician *

Alpo Martinez Alberto Geddis Martinez, better known as Alpo Martinez, Abraham G. Rodriquez (witness protection), or more simply as Alpo or Po (June 8, 1966 – October 31, 2021) was an American drug dealer from Harlem, New York City of Puerto Rican descent. Ma ...

(born 1966), former drug dealer who rose to prominence alongside

Azie Faison Azie Faison Jr. (born November 11, 1964), sometimes known by the nickname "AZ", is an American former drug dealer and businessman who attained notoriety during the War on Drugs era as an individual drug dealer in New York. His five-year reign as ...

and

Rich Porter Richard Porter (July 26, 1965January 3, 1990), better known as Rich Porter, was an Afro-American drug dealer who rose to prominence in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City during the crack era in the mid–1980s. Porter was described by the ...

in the mid 1980s in Harlem during the War on Drugs. *

Soraida Martinez Soraida Martinez (born July 30, 1956 in Harlem, New York) is an American visual artist of Puerto Rican descent known for her contemporary abstract expressionist paintings and social commentary. She is the creator of the art movement, Verdadism. ...

(born 1956), artist and designer * Thomas Minter (1924–2009), education official who served in the

United States government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a feder ...

and the government of New York City. * Monifah (born 1972), R&B singer-songwriter * Edward Mosberg (1926-2022), Polish-American Holocaust survivor, educator, and philanthropist *

Alice Neel Alice Neel (January 28, 1900 – October 13, 1984) was an American visual artist, who was known for her portraits depicting friends, family, lovers, poets, artists, and strangers. Her paintings have an expressionistic use of line and color, psyc ...

(1900–1984), painter *

Dael Orlandersmith Dael Orlandersmith (born Donna Brown, 1960–) is an American actress, poet and playwright. She is known for her Obie Award-winning ''Beauty's Daughter'' and the 2002 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Drama, '' Yellowman''. Early life Orlandersmith, born ...

, actress, poet and playwright known for her Obie Award-winning ''Beauty's Daughter'' and the 2002 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Drama, ''

Yellowman Winston Foster , better known by the stage name Yellowman, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay, also known as King Yellowman. He first became popular in Jamaica in the 1980s, rising to prominence with a series of singles that establishe ...

''. *

Al Pacino Alfredo James Pacino (; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he has received numerous accolades: including an Academy Award, two Tony Awards, and two Primetime Emmy A ...

(born 1940), actor * Tito Puente (1923–2000), musician * Ernesto Quiñonez (born 1969), writer *

Anthony Salerno Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno (August 15, 1911 – July 27, 1992) was an American mobster who served as underboss and front boss of the Genovese crime family in New York City from 1981 until his conviction in 1986. Early life Salerno was born an ...

(1911–1992), mobster * Jonas Salk (1914-1995), virologist who developed polio vaccine * Ray Santos (1928–2019), Grammy Award-winning Latin musician. *

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

(1971–1996), rapper and actor *

Gregory Sierra Gregory Joseph Sierra (January 25, 1937 – January 4, 2021) was an American actor known for his roles as Detective Sergeant Chano Amengual on ''Barney Miller'', Julio Fuentes, the Puerto Rican neighbor of Fred G. Sanford on ''Sanford and Son' ...

(1937–2021), actor known for his roles as Detective Sergeant Chano Amengual on ''

Barney Miller ''Barney Miller'' is an American sitcom television series set in a New York City Police Department police station on East 6th St in Greenwich Village. The series was broadcast on ABC Network from January 23, 1975, to May 20, 1982. It was created ...

'' and as Julio Fuentes, the Puerto Rican neighbor of

Fred G. Sanford Fred G. Sanford is a fictional character portrayed by actor/ comedian Redd Foxx on the 1972–1977 NBC sitcom ''Sanford and Son'' and the 1980–1981 NBC sitcom '' Sanford''. Foxx, whose real name was John Elroy Sanford, modeled the character ...

on '' Sanford and Son''. * Ronnie Spector (1943–2021) and the Ronettes, singers *

Piri Thomas Piri Thomas (born Juan Pedro Tomas; September 30, 1928 – October 17, 2011) was a Puerto Rican- Cuban writer and poet whose memoir ''Down These Mean Streets'' became a best-seller. Early years Thomas was born to a Puerto Rican mother and Cuba ...

(1928–2011), writer *

Joseph Valachi Joseph Michael Valachi (September 22, 1904 – April 3, 1971) was an American mobster in the Genovese crime family who is notable as the first member of the Italian-American Mafia to acknowledge its existence publicly in 1963. He is credited wit ...

(1904–1971), gangster, notable as the first member of the

to publicly acknowledge its existence, and credited with popularization of the term ''

Cosa Nostra The Sicilian Mafia, also simply known as the Mafia and frequently referred to as Cosa nostra (, ; "our thing") by its members, is an Italian Mafia-terrorist-type organized crime syndicate and criminal society originating in the region of Sicily ...

''. * Marilyn Zayas (born 1965), judge who became the first Latina on the Ohio District Courts of Appeals when she was elected in 2016.

In popular culture

Music *

Ben E. King Benjamin Earl King (né Nelson; September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015) was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He is best known as the singer and co-composer of " Stand by Me"—a US Top 10 hit, both in 1961 and later ...

's song, " Spanish Harlem" (1961) and the 1966 cover of it by The Mamas & the Papas *

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

's song "Spanish Harlem Incident" from his album ''

Another Side of Bob Dylan ''Another Side of Bob Dylan'' is the fourth studio album by American singer and songwriter Bob Dylan, released on August 8, 1964, by Columbia Records. The album deviates from the more socially conscious style which Dylan had developed with his ...

'' (1964) * Phil Ochs' song "Lou Marsh" from his album '' All the News That's Fit to Sing'' (1964) *

Louie Ramirez Louie Ramirez (February 24, 1938 – June 7, 1993) was an American boogaloo, salsa and latin jazz percussionist, vibraphonist, band leader and composer. He co-wrote with Johnny Pacheco the 1961 hit "El Güiro De Macorina". He has been called "the ...

's song "Lucy's Spanish Harlem" from his album ''In the Heart of Spanish Harlem'' (1967) * The Velvet Underground's song I'm Waiting for the Man (1967) * Elton John's "

Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was released on the 1972 album ''Honky Château''. The lyrics conveyed Taupin's take on New York City after hea ...

" from '' Honky Château'' (1972) * Paul Simon's song "Adios Hermanos" from his album ''

Songs from The Capeman ''Songs from The Capeman'' is the ninth solo studio album by Paul Simon, released in 1997. His first new studio album of original materials in seven years, it contains Simon's own performances of songs from the Broadway musical he wrote and produc ...

'' (1997) * Cocoa Brovaz,

Tony Touch Joseph Anthony Hernandez (born July 2, 1969), professionally known as Tony Touch, is an American hip hop break dancer, rapper, record producer and DJ of Puerto Rican descent. Career Tony Touch began as a B-boy during the rap music renaissance ...

Hurricane G Gloria Rodríguez (1970 – November 6, 2022), better known by her stage name Hurricane G, was an American rapper of Puerto Rican descent. Her 1997 single release "Somebody Else" charted at #10 by Billboard Magazine on Hot Rap Singles, and at # ...

's song, "Spanish Harlem" (1997) *

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

's song "Contemplation Rose" from his anthology album " Philosopher's Stone" (1998) *

Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Santana, which pioneered a fusion of Rock and roll and Latin American jazz. Its sound feature ...

's songs "Maria Maria" and "Smooth" from his album '' Supernatural'' (1999) *

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint of ...

's song, "East Harlem" (2011) *

Edward W. Hardy Edward W. Hardy (born January 12, 1992) is an American composer, music director, violinist and violist. He is known as the composer, co-conceiver, music director, and violinist of the Off-Broadway show '' The Woodsman'' and is the owner of '' ...

's composition ''Flying (Dancing in Spanish Harlem)'' for Latin ensemble, alternative version for string quartet (2019) Literature *

's memoir ''

Down These Mean Streets ''Down These Mean Streets'' is a memoir by Piri Thomas, a Latino of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent who grew up in Spanish Harlem,Berger a section of Harlem with a large Puerto Rican population. The book follows Piri through the first few decad ...

'' (1967)Rocco, Renata
"El Barrio Within New York City – Piri Thomas's ''Down These Mean Street'' – An introduction"

Academia.edu Academia.edu is a for-profit open repository of academic articles free to read by visitors. Uploading and downloading is restricted to registered users. Additional features are accessible only as a paid subscription. Since 2016 various social ...

. Accessed September 26, 2017. "The first important Puerto Rican memoir written in English was his ''Down These Mean Streets'', a story of growing up among violence and decay in Spanish Harlem in the late forties and fifties." * Ernesto Quiñonez's Spanish Harlem Trilogy, ''Bodega Dreams'' (2000), ''Chango's Fire'' (2005), ''Taina'' (2019) *Salvatore Mondello's novel ''A Sicilian in East Harlem'' (2005) * Nora Roberts's novel ''Salvation in Death'' (2008) Film *The film ''

Popi ''Popi'' is a 1969 American comedy-drama film directed by Arthur Hiller, and starring Alan Arkin (in the title role) and Rita Moreno. The screenplay was written by Tina Pine and Lester Pine. The film focuses on a Puerto Rican widower struggling ...

'' (1969), written by Tina Pine and Lester Pine and directed by

Arthur Hiller Arthur Hiller, (November 22, 1923 – August 17, 2016) was a Canadian-American television and film director with over 33 films to his credit during a 50-year career. He began his career directing television in Canada and later in the U.S. By t ...

Nelson Denis Nelson Antonio Denis is an American attorney, author, film director, and former representative to the New York State Assembly. From 1997 through 2000, Denis represented New York's 68th Assembly district, which includes the East Harlem and Spanish ...

's film ''Vote For Me!'' (2003) Music videos *

's "Puerto Rico" music video was shot in Spanish Harlem (1994) * Jay-Z's " Death of Autotune" music video was shot inside

Italian restaurant (2009) *

's "Peso" music video features footage of East Harlem (2011)

Gallery

File:Museum of the City of New York 1220 Fifth Avenue from north.jpg,

Museum of the City of New York A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...

(1220 Fifth Ave.) File:PS 72 Lex 105 jeh.jpg, Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center, formerly P.S. 72
(1680 Lexington Ave.) File:2013 New York Academy of Medicine 2 East 103rd Street.jpg,

New York Academy of Medicine The New York Academy of Medicine (the Academy) is a health policy and advocacy organization founded in 1847 by a group of leading New York metropolitan area physicians as a voice for the medical profession in medical practice and public health ...

(2 East 103rd St.) File:WTM3 The Fixers 0056.jpg,

(1230 Fifth Ave.) File:East 105th Street tunnels through Metro-North viaduct from east.jpg, Tunnels through the

Metro-North Metro-North Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, is a suburban commuter rail service run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public authority_of_the__is_a_type_of_Nonprofit_organization">nonprofit_corporation_char ...

viaduct
( Park Avenue and 105th St.) File:28th Precinct Hope Community Hall 177 East 104th Street from east.jpg, Hope Community Hall, formerly the 28th Precinct Station house
(177 East 104th St.) File:NYPL 125th Street Branch, Manhattan.jpg, New York Public Library 125th St. Branch
(224 East 125th St.) File:Nat Mus Cath Art His 443 E115 jeh.JPG, National Museum of Catholic Art and History
(443 East 115th St.) File:All Saints rcc 129 Madison jeh.JPG, All Saints Roman Catholic Church
(47 East 129th St.) File:Church of the Living Hope 161 East 104th Street.jpg, Church of the Living Hope
(161 East 104th St.) File:Greater emmanuel Baptist Ch Harlem jeh.jpg, Greater Emmanuel Baptist Church
(325 East 118th St.) File:Hellenic Orthodox Church of Sts. George and Demetrios.jpg, Hellenic Orthodox Church of Sts. George and Demetrios
(140 East 103rd St.)

References

Notes

External links

Community Board 11
* {{authority control 1860s establishments in New York (state) African Americans in New York City Chinatowns in New York City Chinese-American culture in New York City Cuban-American culture in New York (state) Dominican-American culture in New York (state) Hispanic and Latino American culture in New York City Italian-American culture in New York City Little Italys in the United States Mexican-American culture in New York (state) Neighborhoods in Manhattan Populated places established in the 1860s Puerto Rican culture in New York City Sicilian-American culture