African-Americans endured centuries of slavery and the struggle for abolition in the United States. When the Emancipation Proclamation took …show more content…
This migration resulted from African-American’s quest for a better life, and they felt that northern cities provided more financial opportunities and better educational opportunities. In the South during this time, education for African-Americans barely existed and achieving financial stability in the South was very difficult to achieve. Jim Crow laws assured that African-Americans would not have an equal opportunity for education or the right to own businesses without retaliation. When African-Americans did achieve education and financial success, it was common for southern Caucasians to take personal offense. Success of African-American individuals was a driving force that led to the establishment of the Ku Klux …show more content…
‘Harlem occupied less than two square miles of northern Manhattan, composed of a rough triangle bounded to the West by St. Nicholas Avenue, running from 114th St. to 156 Street, and to the east by the East River”(Watson 3). Established in 1658 and originally a Dutch village, Harlem was named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands. Purchased from the Lenape tribe in 1658, the neighborhood was originally established as an upper middle class neighborhood for white Americans. The beauty of the neighborhood is recognized for its brownstone buildings and the significant architectural designs that date back to 1600. The great migration of African-Americans from southern states to the Harlem area drastically changed the neighborhood culturally. Harlem transitioned from a predominantly white community into an African- American community. This created a lot of racial tension within the Harlem