If anyone has questions about Harlem, Lloyd Williams has the answers.
As president of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce who is wrapping up another successful Harlem Week event on Friday, he knows a lot about the deep history and current events that make Harlem such a popular destination among New Yorkers and visitors alike.
Williams is not only the president of the 126-year-old local business association, he is also a lifelong Harlem resident who grew up on 120th Street between Lenox and Seventh Avenues, learning much about the iconic neighborhood from family members, community leaders and, of course, his own experiences. His family has even lived in Harlem since 1919.
Harlem Week 2024
The 50th annual Harlem Week this year kicked off on Aug. 1, and featured events such as the Percy Sutton Harlem 5K, Senior Citizens Day, a job fair and an array of exciting performances.
But Harlem does not need a special week to dazzle, as it is alive with culture, diversity, history and fun all year long. As Williams explained enthusiastically, the neighborhood is an exciting tourist destination within NYC. When visitors flock to the Big Apple from across the nation and around the world, Harlem is often on their itinerary.
“Harlem is one of the largest, most popular of all the tourist and visitor destinations in NYC,” Williams explained. “It stands among the top four destinations for visitors from around the nation and around the world when they come to New York.”
From the new Renaissance Hotel on 125th Street to the world-famous Apollo Theater that opened in 1914, there is a lot to see and do here.
As Williams explained, it is not only about the new and long-standing businesses that stand in Harlem. It is also the diversity of people that makes the area so popular.
In two words, Harlem is an “international community,” Williams said, describing it as an epicenter of cultural diversity that has been home to New Yorkers of so many different backgrounds.
“If you look up the history of Harlem, it was a home for the Irish, it was a home for the Germans, it was a home for the Jews, it was a home for the Greeks and others,” Williams said.
It is still an international area, Williams added, but is now a neighborhood home to New Yorkers of Dominican Republic, Cuban, Puerto Rican and Caribbean heritages, and Black Americans.
In the community of Harlem — defined as the area from 96 to 168 Streets, from the Harlem to Hudson Rivers — there are four distinct communities: East Harlem, West Harlem, Central Harlem and lower Washington Heights.
Colleges in Harlem
One of the many aspects of Harlem that Williams is particularly proud of is the higher education institutions that are based here.
“There are more colleges and universities in that area than in any community in America,” he said. “We know of course City College and Columbia. But we tend to forget Bank Street College, Teachers College, the Manhattan School of Music, the Union Theological Seminary, Jewish Theological Seminary, and the College of Podiatric Medicine, and I could go on.”
In fact, the New York City Jobs & Career Fair was held at City College Of New York on Aug. 14. It featured more than 50 job exhibitors from the private, nonprofit and government sectors.
Williams said the fair has grown in success each year.
“We did this event at City College of New York two years ago,” he said. “We were dramatically pleased because we had over 500 persons looking for jobs and looking for career opportunities come out to the expo.
Last year, the event was even more crowded, with 2,500 people in attendance.
Harlem Day: Friday, Aug. 18
There is still time to catch Harlem Week this year. Harlem Day — the grand and final day of the occasion — is packed with activities on Friday, Aug. 18.
“Harlem Week is so many things. If you come to Harlem Day for example, our biggest day, from West 135 Street from Fifth Avenue to St. Nicholas Avenue — a three-quarter-mile stretch — there are four stages of entertainment, programming, Broadway plays and all different types of events and activities.”
There is also a children’s festival that takes place that day with games and rides, food and beverages.
“Every child gets a back-to-school backpack,” Williams said.
The day also features a Harlem Health Village, hundreds of food vendors, arts and crafts, jewelry, hats, sculptors, corporate exhibitors and games.
