Harlem

The Four Hundred Year History from Dutch Village to Capital of Black America

By: Jonathan Gill

Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin

Harlem is perhaps the most famous, iconic neighborhood in the United States. A bastion of freedom and the capital of black America, Harlem's 20th-century renaissance changed our arts, culture, and politics forever. But this is only one of the many chapters in a wonderfully rich and varied history.

In Harlem, historian Jonathan Gill presents the first complete chronicle of this remarkable place. From Henry Hudson's first contact with native Harlemites through Harlem's years as a colonial outpost on the edge of the known world, Gill traces the neighborhood's story, marshaling a tremendous wealth of detail and a host of fascinating figures, from George Washington to Langston Hughes. Harlem was an agricultural center under British rule and the site of a key early battle in the Revolutionary War. Later, wealthy elites, including Alexander Hamilton, built great estates there for entertainment and respite from the epidemics ravaging downtown. In the 19th century, transportation urbanized Harlem and brought waves of immigrants from Germany, Italy, Ireland, and elsewhere. Harlem's mix of cultures, extraordinary wealth, and extreme poverty was electrifying and explosive.

Extensively researched, impressively synthesized, eminently listenable, and overflowing with captivating characters, Harlem is an ambitious, sweeping history and an impressive achievement.

©2011 Jonathan Gill. Recorded by arrangement with Grove Atlantic, Inc. (P)2014 Audible Inc.

FASCINATING

I have read books about the history of New York in the past, but never in such detail about Harlem. I learned much about the back ground of a lot of people, most of them only known to me by name.
It is truly fascinating and I highly recommend getting this “free” book.
The narrator did an excellent job.
My thanks to all involved, JK.

Fascinating

A great journey through the ebbs and flows of Harlem. Loved the detailed history and learning about the many connections across and within the cultural landscape that is Harlem.

Very Interesting.

I enjoyed this book all the way it was very easy to learn so much about Hallem history. We are in the middle of a unsettling time there are riots in New York City And all over our country. The rioters seem to be set up and encourage d by Antifa a antiAmerican and dangerous group bent on over throwing our country.This book is very timely for me to see the side of Americans who are poor. The handing of the riots are not going well . As of now June 6, 2020 there is unstable controls. But this is not the first time in America’s history. I picked a great time to read the book.