Harlem in the 1980s

HARLEM Â HARL EM

THE

I N

T HE

1 980S

UNTOLD

HISORY

OF

1980S

THE

THE BEGINNING By: Sherry Chen

Harlem in the 1980s was one of the most

Although the increase of criminal and gang

dangerous places in New York City because

activities was a result of the crack

of the high death rates and drug epidemic.

epidemic, further examination shows that

Criminal activities in the 1980s were

the lack of resources from the local

widespread in NYC and it especially

government was a core factor to these

impacted the poor neighborhood of

illegal misconducts. The allocation of

Harlem. At the time, the crack epidemic

nonprofit organizations and programs such

and racist attitude towards African

as the Harlem Children Zone and Harlem

Americans gave Harlem a bad reputation

YMCA have “rehabilitated” the social

as a neighborhood.

problems through community support and educational programs.

IN THIS ISSUE 05

CRIME RATE STATISTICS IN NYC

05

ED KOCH’S FAILURE

06

RISE OF CRACK EPIDEMIC

07

BLACK MARKET DRUG AND GUNS

08

FEAR OF GANGS

08

DEATH

09

A HARLEM STORY

10 10 11

NO HELP IN HARLEM SOCIAL PROGRAMS ON THE RESCUE HARLEM CHILDREN’S ZONE

12

HARLEM YMCA

13

A BLOG POST

13

ACTION FINALLY TAKEN

"ROUGH ESTIMATES NUMBER OF CRIMES GROWN FROM 172,000 IN 1980 TO 198,000 IN 1985" DR.FRANK

CRIME RATE STATISTICS IN NYC Throughout the 1980s, statistics showed

During the first half of 1980, the city's crime

that crime rates was at its ultimate peak in

index increased at a rate 50 percent

New York City. According to the Leonard

greater than that for the nation as a whole.

Buder’s article “1980 Called Worst Year Of

The homicide total in 1980 was 1,814 which

Crime In City History” from the New York

4.7 percent higher than the previous year

Times, in 1980 there was a total number of

(Buder, The New York Times 1981). New

reported crimes of 710,153 in New York City,

York City officials were alarmed by the

which represented a 14.3 percent increase

rapid increase in drug use. It was difficult

from the reported crimes of 621,110 in 1979.

for police officials to manage all the crimes

The number of reported crime in 1980 had

happening at once. Dr. Frank said, with

a 7.9 percent increase over the previous

rough estimates number of crimes have

record of 658,147 in 1976.

grown from 172,000 in 1980 to 198,000 in 1985 (Kerr 1986).

ED KOCH AS THE MAYOR Mayor Ed Koch played a significant factor

Ed Koch did not have sufficient knowledge

in the increase of crime rates in the 1980s

about crime or criminal justice issues at

because of the lack of government

the time. Once in office, he failed to live up

resources and public services. Based on

to his promises or to enforce the police and

Jonathan Soffer’s Article “Crime And Police

the criminal justice system in underserved

Issues (1978–84)”, Ed Koch ran for mayor in

neighborhoods like Harlem. Ed Koch’s

1977 and served three terms as mayor of

corrupted leadership and weak political

New York City from 1978 to 1989. While

system resulted in an increase of gang

running for his campaign, he reinstated to

violence that terrorized the neighborhoods

have death penalty and harsh action

with brutal street battles.

against looters during the New York City blackout of 1977.

ED KOCH'S FAILURE Due to the lack of law enforcement, many Harlem residents lost trust in the New York City Police Department to protect them

Despite the appointment, racism on police

against the criminal activities and gang

continued to prevail in Harlem. The crack

violence. There was a stigma that white police

epidemic spurned a nationwide moral

officers were not going to protect the black

panic that directly influenced the “war on

community against the local gangsters.

drugs.” Many street artists condemned the

Racism on New York’s police unfolded against

social issues of the crack epidemic

the white cops and black residents. Mayor Ed

in underprivileged community. Artists, like

Koch decided to make Benjamin Ward, a

Keith Haring, illustrated the controversial

corrections commissioner, New York’s first

issue of drugs in the Harlem community.

black police commissioner. The appointment

Haring’s artwork of a mural (1986) on the

was expected to expand department’s

handball court, at 128th Street and 2nd

diversity, reduce brutality and discourtesy, and

Avenue, was inspired by the crack

increase the trust of African Americans in the

epidemic and its effect on New York City.

NYPD (Soffer. The Ward Years: Police, Crime, And Police Crimes (1984–89).

"PARANOIA AND AGGRESSION" The local government did not effectively

The use of cocaine had a more severe and

resolve the crack crisis and the NYCD failed

violent impact in society because crimes

to get rapport with the Black community.

associated with cocaine abuse was “more

As a result, the crimes worsened with rising

violent [due to an] increase [of] paranoia

force of the crack epidemic. Since there

and aggression” (Kerr, 1986). There was a

was no law enforcement against illegal

high possibility for millennials, between

drug use, people in Harlem and other

the age of 16 to 30, to follow the latest

inner-city neighborhoods shifted from

trend of cocaine use, while the older

heroin to turn to use cocaine as their drug

generation fell behind with the trend and

of choices in the late 1960s and early

continued to increase use of heroin.

1970s.

RISE OF CRACK EPIDEMIC Crack represented a technological innovation that dramatically widened the availability in inner cities, in which increased crime rates as addicts stole money and drugs and destroyed personal property. Despite the different drug use, there was an increase in deaths and hospitalizations among all addict because supplies for heroin and cocaine became more prominent for each age group.Â

BLACK MARKET DRUG AND GUNS

Drug abuse negatively impacted people from a variety of age group in the Black community. As for many younger children living in Harlem, they grew up watching people in their neighborhood engage in harmful and illegal drug activities. These young children were set up to become involved with drugs and other illegal activities as they grow up. The number of gun procession expanded in the 1980s as well as the death rates in Harlem. Black markets increased because people began to own illegal weapons such as the 9millimeter, semiautomatic pistol which sold for about $1,000. Guns and illegal drug use were major causes of the high mortality rate in Harlem. Crack was highly popularized in the 1980s because of its lucrative business for the drug sellers and street gangs (Bourgois 1996, Jacobs 1999).Â

The illegal drug market was highly profitable and low risk because small quantities of cocaine were sold anonymously on the street markets, in which was hard for police to track the origin of the drugs. The nature of crack was highly addicting and even attracted women to use this drug (Bourgois 1996, Chitwood, et al. 1996). Harlem in the 1980s was known as a crack era because a majority of the Harlem population was involved with illegal drug use and unauthorized misconduct.Â

FEAR OF GANGS With the lack of the community programs, gang activities became more predominant and violent in the 1980s. Most drug-gang homicides remained unsolved because witnesses were afraid of retaliation against gang members and fearful of losing their lives and family’s lives. The Harlem community went by the slogan, “We Sell Drugs, And We Kill.” Nobody wanted to risk their lives to testify against the gangs even if there were sufficient evidence and witnesses to file charges against them. Resources and public services were limited in Harlem; simultaneously, many schools, police stations, and hospitals were closed in the 1980s. According to Selwyn Raab’s article “Brutal Drug Gangs Wage War Of Terror in Upper Manhattan” from The New York Times, the gangs in Harlem were reported to have committed roughly one in every three killings in the area north of 96th Street and 523 slayings in upper Manhattan in 1983.

The Vigilante was a famous gang that was known to be rough and gruesome in killing others. In the mid-1980s, the Vigilante had about 40 members who roamed the busy streets of Harlem.

These members were easily identified on the streets because residents reported that Vigilante members swaggered about dressed in “olive-drab hooded sweatshirts and black boots, and depending on rank wore gold or silver hatchet necklaces”(Raab 1988). The Vigilantes in the 1980s created the wardrobe of contemporary pop-culture fashion, wearing hoodies and different silver/golden chains to distinguish their ranks among the other gang members. Although a majority of the killings stemmed from internal gang clashes, territorial fights or money disputes with customers, there were several innocent victims caught in the wild gunfire.

DEATH As a result of the lack of protection and public services in Harlem, the prevalence of criminal crimes and illegal drug use resulted in high death rates of innocent civilians. Death rates did not just involve people in gangsters but also included innocent civilians who went against the Vigilantes.

For example, Kelly Williamson was only 18-year-old when she was shot in the car and became paralyzed; her six-month-old fetus was killed instantly. There was a 66-year-old Harlem restaurateur, Thomas Wilson, was “shot to death in 1985 after he had complained to the police about street drug sales by a gang known as the John Johns outside his restaurant” (Raab 1988). With the lack of legal authority and protection against criminal misconduct, new gangs were cruel and distraining because they had ''less respect for human life'' than previous and older drug dealers (Raab 1988).

According to Gordon Gaines, an investigator in the Manhattan homicide unit, he said that the new gangs in the 1980s were dangerous because they may kill someone simply because they liked it.

Since there was no legal consequence for gang violence, mortality rate dramatically increased in the 1980s. It was unpredictable who the next victim was since they did not follow any rules. Based on an interview with William K. Hoyt Jr., an assistant district attorney who heads the homicide unit, he emphasized murdering was a crucial factor to be part of the gang. If one did not abide by this rule, one will die instead. Mr. Hoyt said that “killings [happen] in the drug business...these gangs believe that if they can intimidate everybody, they can operate openly and flourish (Raab 1988). This concept of power and control was the ultimate goal of all gangs in Harlem in the 1980s. Each gang instilled fear to rule over its territory.

One recorded tape captured the drug dealers and rivals in other gangs wore bulletproof vests to teach the youths how to execute people. A Vigilante member mentioned that he “put the gun up to his head and go, bam, bam, bam, bam” (Raab 1988). In 1983, police arrested two powerful the leaders of the Vigilante, then new groups appeared, the New Vigilantes established a crack house at 136 Manhattan Avenue in 1986. The 1980s in Harlem was a never-ending cycle of new gang arrivals, it was difficult to enforce the law to protect the neighborhood and to terminate the illegal activities.

A HARLEM STORY Based on an interview by Dr.William Seraile from the New York Public Library, it recorded Aden Seraile’s, a Harlem resident’s, early memory of Harlem in the mid-1980s, when it was known to have high crime rate and was a dangerous area to walk in. Mr.Seraile explained that he was practically trapped in his neighborhood because of his “inability to go places and do things” (Seraile, A People's History of Harlem). He was not able to go too far from the house and had to stay in the “safe corner.” The high criminal activities ruined his childhood because he limited himself from his adventurous attitude to venture around the neighborhood as a child. Mr. Seraile wanted to be independent: “to walk on the streets, go to street… take the subway,” but because of his dangerous neighborhood, he suppressed his feelings and limited his opportunities.

Mr.Seraile recalled his memory when I was a kid, “I had to drive to Jersey to buy grocery because there was no place [in Harlem] where you can get quality grocery.” At that time, conditions in Harlem

Harlem was deprived of government

were harsh and unpleasant. Many local

community resources and public services

residents struggled to make a living and to

so many residents moved to other safer

survive the crack era. Additionally,

areas. Residents were forced to abandon

Mr.Seraile emphasized the strong

their homes after their properties were

apprehension that people had of Harlem

stolen or burnt because of gang activities.

from Upper Westside and Westchester.

Other people thought of Harlem as a repulsive and undesirable neighborhood because of its high criminal activities and lack of resources. Harlem in the 1980s was the “height of the crack era….people who lived in Harlem was scared, the people who didn’t live there was absolutely terrified.” The 1980s had embedded Harlem as a stereotypical criminal neighborhood full of Black people. The negative stigma was very strong and as of today’s society, people are still relining Harlem as a poor and unsavory place.

NO HELP IN HARLEM Besides the crack epidemic, high crime rates and gang violence in the Harlem, there was minimum governmental support and community resources to “rehabilitate” these social issues. Nonetheless, it was difficult for the Black community in Harlem to speak out against the criminals activities and to search for legal protection from the police. Since many Harlem families were low-income and struggled for financial stability, they were vulnerable to be involved in illegal drug use or in a gang affiliation. Many people lived in poverty and were unable to sustain basic physiological need and safety protection.

SOCIAL PROGRAMS ON THE RESCUE Since the local government did not provide support for the Harlem community, the individuals and local activists developed their own nonprofit organizations to provide educational programs and to “rehabilitate” the social problems.

Nonprofits like the Harlem Children’s Zone was established to help young children and positively served the Black community.

Established in the 1970s, Rheedlen Centers for Children and Families is a Harlembased nonprofit charitable organization that became New York City's first truancy prevention program. In 1990, Geoffrey Canada became the president of this organization and initiated the Harlem Project was to “improve the world, one poor child at a time” (Tough 2004).

HIS KEEP

MAIN THE

GOAL

WAS

CHILDREN

PROGRAMS

TO

IN

HIS

ALIVE

HARLEM CHILDREN'S ZONE Harlem suffered simultaneous plagues of crack cocaine, cheap guns, and rampant homelessness. The organization spent an annual budget of $3 million on an array of services in Upper Manhattan such as afterschool programs, truancy prevention, safety housings, and anti-violence training for teenagers. The objective of these programs was supposed to serve the poor and unrepresented community and to keep the children safe from trouble. Canada had a philanthropic approach in life to give back to the community and to invest in the lives of each child.

His main goal was to keep the children in his programs alive and did not want to see the innocent children and teenagers in Harlem ended up in jail or shot dead on the street.

Private non-profit organizations sparked a sense hope and positivity for children in Harlem. Under Canada’s Harlem Project, it served over 6,500 children. During the crack era, many Harlem families had people with alcohol or drug abuse problems, which led to many domestic violence cases and child abuse. The Harlem Project worked to help children stay out of trouble and away from drug abuse. Harlem rejuvenated into a better neighborhood with more community outreach programs and charitable resources.

The national economy was booming, housing prices in the neighborhood were increasing and the first signs of gentrification in Harlem were appearing. According to Paul Tough’s article, “The Harlem Project.” from the New York Times, in 2003, Canada saw the social gap between the white children who studied in private schools and black children in Harlem’s public school. Therefore, the Rheedlen Centers for Children and Families started a new program in four Harlem public schools called the Fifth Grade Institute, an after-school program for 160 fifth-grade students designed to improve their education and to provide more resources for children in need.

THE HARLEM YMCA Another crucial community-based

As a result of these programs, African-

organization that improved the lives of

American children were able to

Harlem residents in the 1980s was the

professionally develop and prepare

Harlem YMCA. The Harlem YMCA played a

themselves to truly succeed in life.

significant landmark in African-American

According to Harlem YMCA’s website, in

culture and was sometimes referred to as

1971, Dr. Leo B. Marsh initiated the Black

the "living room of the Harlem

Achievers program to build a volunteer

Renaissance" (About the Harlem YMCA).

adult mentoring model that has helped

Established in 1901, the Harlem YMCA has

youth raise their academic standards and

served the communities with innovative

develop a positive sense of self. Education

programs and services that meet the

is a key factor to success in life so, with the

unique needs of the individuals. This

academic support and positive mentorship,

organization had preached its vision of

many Black teenagers and young adults

equality and social justice. Programs such

had a second chance for a better life. The

as the Youth Enrichment Program that

Harlem youth was able to stay out of

dealt with drug abuse prevention and

trouble because they gained self-

basketball programs all were different

confidence and were exposed to new

methods to inspire and empower youths to

opportunities.

break out of the stereotypical social norms.

A BLOG POST About Cassandra Perry from the YMCA website Based on a blog from the Harlem YMCA

Through the supportive care of the Harlem

website, Cassandra Perry highlighted how

YMCA, it has redesigned a successful path

the YMCA has impacted her life in the

for the future for the Harlem community. It

1980s. Ms.Perry moved to NYC in the early

had awakened people’s values, confidence

80s where she struggled to live in poverty

and, most importantly, expanded sense of

and experienced harsh living conditions

self. Perry released all of her stress and

with no heat or hot water. Fortunately, she

problems to the safe and supportive

lived near the Harlem Y and used its

environment cultivated by the Y

resources to get help and support. She

community. She learned that she was

stated that she got a “workout to get rid of

never "too big," or "too old" or "too clumsy"

my frustration and, equally importantly, get

to do anything and was encouraged to

a good hot shower so I could go downtown

continue to love herself. Now fast forward

and pound the pavement looking for work.”

30 years later, Perry emphasized that the Y

The YMCA became a second home to

“has proven to have been an invaluable

Perry, like to most other people, because

networking resource” (Perry, New York

she was surrounded by people who had

City's YMCA). There were many valuable life

time to listen and simply care for who she

lessons about opportunities and the core

was as an individual.

values like perseverance, patience,

THE Y “HAS PROVEN TO HAVE BEEN AN INVALUABLE NETWORKING RESOURCE."

humanity, and, self-acceptance. Through the participation of YMCA, the community grew a deeper understanding of social responsibility by fostering care to those in need. The Y was truly a wonderful gift that sparked a positive change in many people during the peak of crack era in the 1980s.

ACTION FINALLY TAKEN By the mid-1990s, many nonprofits were

Living conditions improved because the

established in Harlem and gradually the

Harlem residents were no longer afraid of

local government became more proactive

leaving their houses. In 1981, 6,500

to reduce crime rates in New York City,

robberies were reported in Harlem;

especially in Harlem. After Ed Koch’s term,

robberies dropped to 4,800 in 1990 during

there was more aggressive policing under

David Dinkins' mayoralty (Wintz). With the

mayor David Dinkins and, subsequently,

establishment of stricter law enforcement

Rudolph Giuliani reduced the crimes in

and an increase of community programs,

Harlem and ended the “crack wars.” With

the neighborhood became safer as it had

additional police officers and more

changed the lives of many Harlem

aggressive enforcement in Harlem, it

residents.

secured law enforcement and helped gain the trust of the residents.

THE ENDING

WHA T BE

IS

HA RLEM

LIKE

IN

GOING

THE

TO

NEXT

DECA DE?

With the absence of strong local policies

From the lack of government support,

and government services in Harlem, the

nonprofit programs from the Harlem

1980s was known to be a crack era with

Children’s Project and the Harlem YMCA

extremely high criminal activities and gang

fostered supplemental means of support

violence. As people transitioned from using

and happiness for the Black community. In

heroin to cocaine, the Black community

the 1980s, resources from private sectors

was at risk for more violent crimes and an

have had an ever-lasting impact on Harlem

increase of death rates. On the contrary,

because they have minimized the social

with the creation of public programs from

problems with drug abuse and street

nonprofit organizations, the local

violence. The educational programs and

community was given hope and positivity

workshops from nonprofits had fought

for a better change in life.

against violence and helped many local residents to break the cycle criminal activities. Nonprofit programs had a significant influence on the lives of the Harlem community. Let's continue to see a positive in Harlem for decades to come.

WORK CITATION “About the Harlem YMCA.” New York City's YMCA, www.ymcanyc.org/harlem/pages/about.

Bourgois, Phillip. 2002. In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio. Cambridge University Press.

Buder, Leonard. “1980 Called Worst Year Of Crime In City History.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 Feb. 1981, www.nytimes.com/1981/02/25/nyregion/1980-called-worst-year-of-crimein-city-history.html.

Hagan, John; Peterson, Ruth D. (1995). Crime and Inequality. Stanford University Press. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-8047-2404-3. Retrieved 14 June 2013.

Jacobs, Bruce. 1999. Dealing Crack: The Social World of Streetcorner Selling. Boston: Northeastern University Press.

Kerr, Peter.“Growth In Heroin Use Ending As City Users Turn To Crack.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Sept. 1986, www.nytimes.com/1986/09/13/nyregion/growth-in-heroin-useending-as-city-users-turn-to-crack.html?pagewanted=all.

Perry, Cassandra. “Stories.” Stories | New York City's YMCA, www.ymcanyc.org/association/timelineentries/c/1980s.

Raab, Selwyn. “Brutal Drug Gangs Wage War Of Terror in Upper Manhattan.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 15 Mar. 1988, www.nytimes.com/1988/03/15/nyregion/brutal-drug-gangs-wagewar-of-terror-in-upper-manhattan.html?pagewanted=all.

Seraile, William. “Aden Seraile.” NYPL Community Oral History Project | A People's History of Harlem | Aden Seraile, 25 Aug. 2014, oralhistory.nypl.org/interviews/aden-seraile-39x0gg.

Soffer, Jonathan. “Crime And Police Issues (1978–84).” Ed Koch and the Rebuilding of New York City, Columbia University Press, 2010, pp. 317–333. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.7312/soff15032.25.

Soffer, Jonathan. “The Ward Years: Police, Crime, and Police Crimes (1984–89).” Ed Koch and the Rebuilding of New York City, Columbia University Press, 2010, pp. 334–353. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.7312/soff15032.26.

Tough, Paul. “The Harlem Project.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 June 2004, www.nytimes.com/2004/06/20/magazine/the-harlem-project.html.

Wintz, Cary, Harlem Speaks: A Living History of the Harlem Renaissance."

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