(THEME)
VOICE ONE:
It was home to the great jazz performers Ella Fitzgerald and DukeEllington, poet Langston Hughes, and civil rights activist MalcolmX. I’m Mary Tillotson.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember. We tell aboutthe area of New York City known as Harlem in our report today on theVOA Special English program THIS IS AMERICA.
VOICE ONE:
Harlem is a community in the northern part of Manhattan in NewYork City. Harlem is known throughout the world as the center ofAfrican American culture. African American writers, musicians,artists and performers settled there during the nineteen-twentiesand nineteen-thirties. This period of artistic expression is knownas the Harlem Renaissance. Renaissance means re-birth.
Later, however, Harlem experienced increased crime and difficulteconomic conditions. Now the community is in the process of greatimprovements. Many people are calling it Harlem’s SecondRenaissance.
VOICE TWO:
The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce promotes economicdevelopment in the community. Lloyd Williams is director of theorganization. Mister Williams says that the recent re-birth of thecommunity is very different from the Harlem Renaissance of thenineteen-twenties. He says this Renaissance is about housing andeconomic development.
Harlem’s economy is growing at afast rate. Workers are rebuilding houses that are falling apart orwere simply forgotten. Businesses are being built on almost everymain street in Harlem’s major business center.
Recent reports show crime rates have decreased sharply. Manypeople had once moved away because of crime and poor conditions. Nowpeople are coming back to live in Harlem. Real estate agents say itcosts less to live in Harlem than in most other areas of Manhattan.People like Harlem because of its lower prices, the interestingdetails on the houses, the large beautiful parks, and its manycultural events. Former President Bill Clinton opened an office inHarlem in two-thousand-one.
VOICE ONE:
One of Harlem’s greatest economic improvements is the opening ofa huge shopping and entertainment center. It is called Harlem USA.It opened in two-thousand-one. The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zoneprovided financial loans for Harlem USA. Five-hundred-fifty-milliondollars was spent on Harlem USA and several other projects to renewthe community.
For many years nationally known businesses would not open storesin Harlem. The opening of Harlem USA has changed that.Many people ofHarlem are happy that national businesses finally recognize thattheir community should have the same fine stores as othercommunities.
However, activists are worried about the small businesses thathave remained in Harlem through the difficult times. Thesebusinesses are said to be the spirit of Harlem. Yet, they have notbeen offered loans to help their businesses. The Upper ManhattanEmpowerment Zone says an increase in shoppers and visitors to thearea will help the small businesses.
VOICE TWO:
Long before there was Harlem USA, Harlem was just farmland. Dutchpeople settled in Harlem in sixteen-fifty-eight. They named it aftera city in the Netherlands.
In eighteen-thirty-seven the New York and Harlem Railroad Companycompleted a railroad link from Harlem to lower Manhattan. Richimmigrant families became interested in living in Harlem. Newlydeveloped, high-priced homes were being built on the land.
Harlem had become one of the finest areas of the city for whitepeople. This changed in nineteen-oh-one, when a black real estateagent named Philip Payton influenced white landowners to rent theirproperty to black families. Harlem quickly became the largestAfrican American community in the United States.
(MUSIC: “DROP ME OFF IN HARLEM”/Duke Ellington and EllaFitzgerald)
VOICE ONE:
Musician Duke Ellington and singer Ella Fitzgerald were amongmany blacks who became well known during the Harlem Renaissance.White people began to note the sudden increase of black culture thatwas happening there.
The rich writings of James Weldon Johnson, Zora Neal Hurston andothers are as important to the Harlem Renaissance as the music ofthat time. Here is a recording of poet Langston Hughes reading hispoem “I Too.”
(LANGSTON HUGHES)
VOICE TWO:
Harlem continues to be known throughout the world for itsimportance in the arts. For example, the Dance Theater of Harlem wasfounded in nineteen-sixty-nine by former New York City Ballet dancerArthur Mitchell. Mister Mitchell says he wanted to provide newchances for young people in the mostly black and Hispanic communityfollowing the murder of civil rights leader Doctor Martin LutherKing, Junior. The Dance Theater of Harlem has performed throughoutthe United States and in many other countries.
VOICE ONE:
Another artistic treasure is theBoys Choir of Harlem. Its founder and musical director is WalterTurnbull. In nineteen-sixty-eight twenty boys came to a Harlemchurch to form a singing group or choir. Over the years the choirhas grown in size and skill. Now there are two-hundred-fiftymembers. The group has received international praise forperformances of classical music, gospel and spirituals, show tunes,jazz and popular songs. Listen as the Boys Choir of Harlem sing”Heroes.”
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
The famous Apollo Theater in Harlem opened in nineteen-fourteen.From the nineteen-thirties to the nineteen-seventies, the Apollo wasthe center of black entertainment in New York City and northeasternAmerica. Musicians, singers, dancers and people who told funnystories performed there.
People traveled from different parts of the United States tocompete at the Apollo Theater’s famous Amateur Night. Amateur Nightis a competition for nonprofessional performers. Some winners laterbecame well known performers. Past winners of the Apollo Theater’sAmateur Night competition include Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday,Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Sarah Vaughn and the Jackson Five.
VOICE ONE:
The Apollo Theater has recently received some needed repairs. Thetheater is producing great performances again. A show called “HarlemSong” told the history of Harlem through music, dance, and historicpictures. Here is a song from the show. It is called “One Word.”
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VOICE TWO:
Today Harlem is still a mostly African American community.However, people of other ethnic groups live there too. Irish,Italian, Dominican, Haitian, Puerto Rican, West African, and otherpeople live side by side.
Harlem is a community that has seen the worst of economic times.Yet its citizens maintain a welcoming spirit. Harlem is one of themost popular places for visitors to New York City.
While Harlem is proud of its rich history as the center ofAfrican American culture, the community moves toward the future.Experts say Harlem has much to look forward to in its SecondRenaissance.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
This program was written and produced by Lawan Davis. I’m MaryTillotson.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another reportabout life in the United States on the VOA Special English programTHIS IS AMERICA.