New York's Harlem: Harlem remains one of the most celebrated sections of New York City.(Editorial)

Its history as a hub of black art, politics, and culture is known around the world. Harlem is located in the uppermost section of the New York island borough of Manhattan. Stretching from around 96th Street on the city's East Side and 110th on the West Side, it goes all the way up to 155th Street.

Originally named "Nieuw Haarlem" by Dutch immigrants who had bought the land from the Manhattan tribe of American Indians in 1626, Harlem has not always been heavily populated by African Americans. In 1664, the English bought Manhattan from the Dutch, and the uptown neighborhood, which was mostly farmland at the time, became a resort for New Yorkers living downtown, who wanted to get away from the urban hustle and bustle.

As New York City grew during the industrial era in the late 1700s and 1800s, downtown became more unaffordable. As a result, the blacks …