The Harlem Reader: A Celebration of New York's Most Famous Neighborhood, from the Renaissance Yearsto the 21st Century

There is no neighborhood in America as famous, infamous, and inspiring as Harlem. From its humble beginnings as a farming district and country retreat for the rich, Harlem grew to international prominence as the mecca
of black art and culture, then fell from grace, despised as a crime-ridden slum and symbol of urban decay. But during all of these phases there was writing in Harlem—great writing that sprang from one of the richest and most unique communities in the world. From Harlem’s most revered icons (like Langston Hughes, Duke Ellington, Ann Petry, and Malcolm X) to voices of a new generation (including Willie Perdomo, Mase, Grace Edwards, and Piri Thomas), The Harlem Reader gathers a wealth of vital impressions, stories, and narratives and blends them with original accounts offered by living storytellers, famous and not so famous. Fresh and vivid, this volume perfectly captures the dramatic moments and personalities at the core of Harlem’s ever-evolving story.

HERB BOYD is the national editor at The Black World Today, an online publication. He currently teaches African and African-American history at the College of New Rochelle in Manhattan. Boyd is also coeditor with Robert Allen of the American Book Award–winning collection Brotherman and, more recently, editor of Autobiography of a People. He resides in Harlem with his wife, Elza Dinwiddie-Boyd, also a noted writer and college professor.