East Harlem Remembered: Oral Histories of Community and Diversity

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The community of East Harlem in New York City lays claim to a rich and culturally diverse history. Once home to 35 ethnicities and 27 languages, the neighborhood attracted Irish, Jewish, and Italian immigrants in the early twentieth century and later saw an influx of Puerto Rican immigrants and African Americans. In this oral history, former and current residents chronicle the history of East Harlem over the course of the twentieth century and beyond. They recount the early days, the post-World War II rise of public housing, the departure of Eastern European inhabitants, the growth of Latino and African American populations, the dominance of gangs in the 1950s, the urban blight of the 1980s, and the more recent resurgence and gentrification. This story of strength and struggle provides a vivid portrait of a fascinating community and the many resilient people who have called it home.