In Harlem

Probably no neighborhood in NYC has as much a hold on the popular imagination as Harlem.

For over a century, as the center of black American culture and power, these 30 or so blocks in northern Manhattan have punched above their geographic weight to define the immense promise and enormous perils of black life in this country. Books, documentaries, and movies have been made about Harlem life -- and the contribution of its residents to our civic and national life have reverberated far beyond its block and NYC. 

But enough about its past and its legacy. What about today?

Today, Harlem is an economically vibrant neighborhood that is still making history.

Recently, one of the wrongly convicted/eventually exonerated people involved in the 1989 Central Park jogger case won a landslide primary election for the NYC council. Yusef Salaam was just a teenager when he was arrested and convicted for a crime he didn't commit, serving 13 years in prison before his conviction was overturned. He has spent the last 20 years rebuilding his life and now stands poised represent the same neighborhood in the same city that once condemned him. To me, Yusef personifies the perils and promise of Harlem -- a terrible crime, leading to a hysterical, racist reaction that lead to his wrongful conviction, and then, after painfully achieving justice, achieving power. 

Then there's the culture -- and nothing says the culture of Harlem like jazz. In an age of streaming and numerous genres of music to choose from, live jazz performance is a special rare treat. A jazz great named Bill Saxton keeps the tradition alive, performing along with others at his club Bill's Place on 133rd street and, believe it or not, people (including white folks) come from all over NYC to catch performances with lines down the block. To me, this shows that the artistic, lively -- dare I say jazzy -- spirit of Harlem is not only still alive but will withstand the forces of crime, gentrification, technology or whatever dark forces might threaten it. 

In Harlem, the black American experience continues to thrive and redefine itself.