Many people think of Harlem not only as New York City's most famous neighborhood, but also Black America's most famous neighborhood. Others simply look at Harlem as another black and Latino ghetto. During the Harlem Renaissance, a black middle class was established, but more important was the introduction of black arts, which included jazz music, poetry, books and short stories, and other art that allowed a black consciousness to transpire.
As I walked through Harlem a few days ago, I noticed the effects of gentrification. Condominiums and co-ops are being built in areas that were, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, swarming with drug peddlers, needle stickers, and prostitutes like every other black community. Starbucks and a New York Sports Club warmly invite new members, many of whom are white, to what was once considered, in the minds of black people, the center of the America (and maybe the world). Columbia University continues to buy out old buildings, including historical landmarks, to expand their campus.
Am I the only one that sees a problem with this? On the one hand, Harlem has become more integrated with whites and racial groups. Many people would consider this to be positive, moving away from racial tensions. On the other hand, preservationists, like myself, argue that the system of racial privilege is taking place once again. The black community and the local government have worked hard to clean up Harlem's drug epidemic, but the community is not being rewarded for their diligence and loyalty.
Instead, the black community is being pushed out of Harlem because rent prices have become significantly higher. Many people who are pushed out of Harlem end up leaving New York City because rent prices are just as high in other places. As a firm advocate of economic independence within black communities and other racial enclaves, I wonder if economic independence within Harlem is possible in the long run. Was this destined to happen? And if so, how do black people stay empowered when New York City's recurring gentrification movements are destroying part of their history?
People who view gentrification favorably believe that black people and other racial groups no longer need economic independence because race issues are less prevalent today, especially since President Barack Obama is black (although he's actually biracial). I believe that black people (and other racial groups that are viewed as low on a subconscious hierarchy of race) still need black empowerment, economic independence, and community intervention in order to improve their lives socially, economically, and politically. The black people of Harlem and of America deserve to keep their historical home, regardless of who moves in next door, but the effects of racial privilege won't allow this. Most of the black people of Harlem will be moving south very soon, in order to accommodate others who have moved in.
Kayla Baker is a member of the Class of 2009.