The main part of the 1.2 million people living in Harlem are blacks. In the early 20th century it was the center of Afro-Americans in whole America. Some very important people lived and worked in Harlem at that time e.g. Jazz-musicians, writers and Malcolm-X.
In later years upper-middle-classes and middle-classes developed there. In the 1960s many middle-class families left Harlem. This way it became a ghetto. In the late 1970s deindustrialization and inflation promoted unemployment in the Harlem industry. During this time poverty, drugs, crime and a deteriorating school system worsened the conditions of the inhabitants.

In Steve’s Harlem there are many poor black people and also Puerto-Ricans habitants. There are only birr row houses divided by the streets straight through the city. Most of the time the boys and girls are on the streets, because they have no computer or television at home nor activities to stay in the apartment. As a consequence they play street ball on the places. Resulting of the social problems the youth try to do better in gangs. They have friends but also become criminal or a junkie.
In this place, in this Harlem Steve is growing up.

by Andy D.