Davida Siwisa James

Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill

Alexander Hamilton's Old Harlem Neighborhood Through the Centuries

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill explores four centuries of colonization, urban development, and architectural splendor in this historic landmark West Harlem neighborhood. Home to Alexander Hamilton's country estate, the creative spark of George Gershwin and Norman Rockwell, the literary genius of Ralph Ellison, and countless other luminaries, this picturesque enclave has long been a hub of cultural and artistic innovation. Davida Siwisa James brings to life its evolution-from lush farmland in the 1600s, the Harlem Renaissance, to its modern-day history-highlighting its remarkable residents, stunning architecture, and enduring legacy as a cornerstone of New York history. "Strings of sentences sing so poetically. Old Hamiltonian New York and twentieth-century Harlem come alive with the stories in each chapter. We lovers of New York City thank you."-Ron Howell, Associate Professor of Journalism, Brooklyn College, author of One Hundred Jobs: A Panorama of Work in the American City "Her story of the geography, history, architecture, and cultural life of the area covers its origins as the land of the Lenape people, colonization by the Dutch and British, the construction of Alexander Hamilton's country estate, the Harlem Renaissance, ... gentrification, and the present day. James describes the social connections between Harlem residents while supplying readers with context for each person she discusses, expertly capturing a sense of life in Harlem. A fascinating record of the history and culture of influential neighborhoods in Harlem."-Amy Trendler, Library Journal DAVIDA SIWISA JAMES is a Philadelphia native and lived in Manhattan's Morningside Heights and Sugar Hill. She has a BA in English from UCLA and attended Penn State Dickinson Law in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She has been a university public relations director, a freelance journalist for the twice Pulitzer Prize-winning Virgin Islands Daily News, and has a twenty-year management career in performing arts finance and marketing. An accomplished writer, she has published nonfiction books, short stories and poetry. She resides in Los Angeles, CA.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: Fordham University Press
• Seitenzahl: 434
• Erscheinungstermin: 7. Oktober 2025
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781531511586
• ISBN-10: 1531511589
• Artikelnr.: 73397942

Autorenporträt

Davida Siwisa James

Inhaltsangabe

Author's Historical Note ix
Dyckman and Hamilton Maps xi
Note on Spelling xiii
Preface xv
The Neighborhood xxi
1. Dutch Beginnings and Native Americans 1
2. The Making of Harlem Heights 9
3. Harlem Land Grants, Mount Morris, and a Revolution 22
4. Harlem Grange and the Duel 38
5. The Jumels, the Street Grid, and Audubon 55
6. The Bailey Mansion, St. Luke's, and a Building Boom 76
7. The Great Migration and the Morris Museum 100
8. The Hamilton Museum and the Hamilton Theatre 124
9. The Harlem Renaissance 139
10. The Heights Identity and the Black Mecca 170
11. Jazz Clubs, The Numbers, and Firsts 193
12. The Advent of the Sixties, Generational Changes, and the Arts 212
13. A Neighborhood's Changing Face 236
14. Parlor Jazz and the Great Renovation 253
15. Changing Demographics and a Revived Hamilton Heights 279
16. Bailey House, Jazz, and the Renaissance Remix 302
17. Where It Leads 336
Afterword 345
Addendum A: Excerpted Harlem Ordinances and Land Patents 349
Addendum B: Photos Past and Present 353
Acknowledgments 355
Notes 359
Selected Bibliography 375
Index 383