I Remember Harlem

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A four-part documentary film with the title I Remember Harlem. It consists of four (4) reels of 16mm color polyester film with optical sound. The documentary uses archival footage, interviews with residents, and still photographs to chronicle the early settlement of the Village of Harlem in the 17th century to its redevelopment in the 1970s. In part one, "The Early Years 1600-1930," the narrator discusses Harlem's original inhabitants, the Lenape, and the sale of their land to the Dutch. Part two, "The Depression Years 1930-1940" discusses Harlem's changing demographics in the early 20th century. Part three, "Toward Freedom, 1940-1965," focuses on urban decay in Harlem in the mid-20th century. Part four, "Towards A New Day," focuses on the impact of the civil rights movement on the neighborhood.

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