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Transit Sparked Harlem's Development
- Transit improvements like the New York and Harlem Railroad and elevated lines made Harlem reachable and attractive.
- Accessibility sparked speculative development and rising land values in the late 19th century.
Immigrant Building Boom Created Housing Stock
- Waves of immigrant groups — German Jews, Irish, Italians, Eastern European Jews — created diverse, often affluent neighborhoods.
- That influx produced high-quality housing stock that later became key in demographic transitions.
The Unbreakable Color Line In Housing
- Black New Yorkers were excluded from mainstream upward mobility despite education and ambition.
- Persistent racial barriers limited housing options and often forced Black residents into worst conditions at highest prices.