Manhattan district, used figuratively for "African-American culture" from 1934. The N.Y. community was founded 1658 and originally named Nieuw Haarlem for Haarlem in Netherlands, which probably is from Dutch haar "height" + lem "silt," in reference to its position on a slight elevation on the banks of the Spaarne River.
Neighborhood of Manhattan.
Note: Mostly populated by African-Americans, Harlem has long been a center of black culture.
Note: During the 1920s, Harlem was the site of a great upsurge in black literature, music, and theater known as the Harlem Renaissance.
Note: The area now contains a large Puerto Rican population and, after a period of economic decay, has experienced a revitalization.