Harlem's New Renaissance

After more than three decades as a reigning symbol of urban crime, racial conflict, poverty, and despair, Harlem has emerged as a vibrant mixed-race community of nations.  The neighborhood is reviving its rich cultural history, with galleries, museums, and artists in the lead.

Headlines about Harlem are now less harbingers of fear than heralds of new deals, as city and state agencies combine with private interests to attract new business and rebuild residential blocks.  Artists and arts institutions are playing an essential role in this development.  The energy of neighborhood, people's sense of adventure, and the search for affordable space, as well as a new sense of security are attributes to the activity. 

What is visible, at least along 125th Street, are now chain stores, the Magic Johnson movie theater complex, and of course, the high-rise building that houses the offices of former president Bill Clinton.  He made Harlem respectable in one fell swoop.  His presence also made it more expensive, as landlords seized the moment to raise their rents.

                                                 ----- to be continued