Changing Places: Race, Class, and Belonging in the “New” Harlem
Author(s)
Prince, Sabiyha Robin
Abstract
Harlem has possessed class and racial/ethnic diversity since the 19th century. However, African American professionals have been coming to Harlem in unprecedented numbers since the early 1990s. This paper examines the forces behind the influx of the black middle class. It reveals that through what are often contradictory notions of development and belonging, African Americans are attempting to redefine what characterizes an attractive and desirable residential community. This paper also shows the range in the experiences and ideas of black professionals in cities today and details some of the specific social processes through which African Americans negotiate the landscape of race and class in contemporary American life.
