Harlem

My name is Chloe Heinemann and I am a sophomore at the University of Arizona. I am majoring in English and minoring in Education and Spanish. Today in the Big Apple I toured the historic neighborhood of Harlem. Completing the usual routine, my roommate Sarah and I had breakfast at the Morningstar Cafe. We have spent nine days here and I still can't get over the comfort of having a hearty breakfast and unlimited hot coffee in a diner across the street. After we ate scrambled eggs and chocolate chip pancakes, we took the subway up Manhattan to a neighborhood full of history, music, and culture. Our two tour guides were named Neil and Joe who were born and raised in Harlem. They knew everything there was to know about the Harlem Renaissance and the history within the neighborhood. The class and I walked into the streets of Harlem and listened to Neil as he pointed out famous buildings and street corners. Suddenly, beautiful jazz music burst from his backpack adding a soundtrack to our walk. Immediately, the music changed the walk from great to extraordinary. We listened to the famous voices of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday and were transported back in time. One place we toured was the Savoy Ballroom, a place that was full of soul, music, and life. Nothing but a memorial is left for the historic ballroom, but it was amazing to view a place that was once full of laughter and joy.  We then toured the Cotton Club and learned about the famous people that have forever made their footprint in history including Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Langston Hughes. As we walked the jazz music heightened our spirits and enriched our entire tour. You could feel the energy in the neighborhood and the pride the community had for Harlem and it's history. As the tour came to an end, we stopped at a local restaurant called Sylvia's Soul Food. We dined on fried chicken, barbecue ribs, potato salad, and banana bread pudding - A perfect ending to our soulful day. I am so glad I had the chance to experience what life was like in Harlem and learn about the movements in art, poetry, politics, and music. Its amazing how all those years ago Ella Fitzgerald sang in the Savoy Ballroom, Langston Hughes wrote his poems, and Malcolm X preached his ideas, but to this day we will always remember the Harlem Renaissance.

Hello from Harlem!