Africans in Harlem: An Untold New York Story

Africans in Harlem explores the untold story of African-born migrants and their vibrant African influence in Harlem from the 1920s to the early 1960s. The book highlights the intellectual, artistic, and creative exchanges between Africa and New York, featuring compelling character-driven narratives and interviews of longtime residents and community and religious leaders. It also reveals how African immigrants have transformed Harlem economically and culturally, and how New York City has self-renewed through the contributions of new human capital, creative energies, dreams nurtured and fulfilled, and good neighbors.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 30 May 2022
Publisher: Fordham University Press

Harlem, a vibrant neighborhood in New York City, has a rich history that includes the presence of African-born migrants. From the 1920s to the early 1960s, Harlem served as the intellectual and cultural hub of the Black world, witnessing the Harlem Renaissance movement, which brought together Black writers, artists, and musicians from diverse backgrounds. This movement challenged the segregation and lack of recognition of Black civil rights and played a significant role in redefining the place of Black people in American society.

However, the untold story of African immigrants in Harlem's recent renaissance remains largely overlooked. Africans in Harlem aims to shed light on the intellectual, artistic, and creative exchanges between Africa and New York dating back to the 1910s. The book explores the African presence and influence in Harlem, highlighting the experiences, challenges, and problems faced by African émigrés since the 1980s. Author, scholar, writer, and filmmaker Boukary Sawadogo offers a unique perspective as an African-born immigrant, capturing the essence of Harlem's African community through compelling character-driven narratives and interviews with longtime residents and community and religious leaders.

The book delves into the history of Africans in Harlem through the lens of media, theater, the arts, and politics. It highlights the contributions of African immigrants to the cultural landscape of the neighborhood, from the establishment of Little Senegal along 116th Street to the vibrant African street vendors on 125th Street. African stores, restaurants, and businesses have also proliferated throughout Harlem, contributing to the economic development of the community.

Africans in Harlem offers a self-examination of Sawadogo as an immigrant member in Harlem, blending his personal experiences with research on diasporic community building in New York City. The book reveals how African immigrants have contributed to the rich tapestry of Harlem's cultural heritage, while also facing challenges such as work, interaction, diversity, identity, religion, and education. It explores the ways in which African immigrants have built communities, organized social movements, and advocated for their rights within the larger African diaspora.

Through its comprehensive historical overview and compelling narratives, Africans in Harlem provides a valuable contribution to the understanding of the African presence and influence in Harlem. The book serves as a reminder of the importance of recognizing and celebrating the diverse contributions of African immigrants to American society and highlights the ongoing significance of Harlem as a cultural and intellectual center for the African diaspora.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780823299126