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"Mel's Harlem" 
  
And the Harlem of the thirties was full of differences between Blacks. The West Indians considered themselves industrious which was interpretated by southerners as 'pushy'. Americans were considered slow by the West Indians because they did not push. The Americans did not have to because they were already two generations of professionals, operating their own business and making it down home. Southerners said they came North to help in the War effort. They were heads of Universities, banks, heads of Negro colleges, had educated more blacks and were not competing with West Indians because the Americans did not think it necessary. Nevertheless, this was the Harlem of my youth, a Harlem of the thirties in which I grew up. 
  
The Harlem I knew was one in which a great depression reduced everyone. The Patricks got along because Morton Patrick was a chef cook on the Private Car of Newton Baker, then President of New York Central Railroad and Morton would cook all the food requested for the Car on Mr. Baker's frequent trips. When these trips were completed, it was my job to meet my father in the 163rd Street Melrose yards (now a Housing complex) to clean the car and I would bring home all the food cooked but not used, in a big black satchel. I would then order 50 pounds of ice from J. Raymond Jones, the iceman on our block to refrigerate same. 
  
Mr.Jones was destined to become a great power in Tammany Hall and became the first Black County Leader of Manhattan Democrats. 
  
The Harlem I grew up in the thirties was bounded in the East by 110th Street from Harlem River to Eighth Avenue. Harlem was bounded on the North by 155th Street from Harlem River to Eighth Avenue. The in between blocks were from Harlem River to Park Avenue (Italians, Blacks, Jews, and a sprinkling of Puerto Ricans, from Park Avenue over to Eighth Avenue, Blacks, Irish and some Scandinavians around Fifth Avenue to 125th to 130th Streets.)
  
The Blacks populated all the inner blocks. The Harlem of the thirties I remember was noted for its Avenues, like Seventh Avenue where you had some businesses from 125th to 145th Streets and trees on the Avenue. Marcus Garvey's; UMIA or the greater Monarch, Elks and Mason lodges used the Avenue as their parade grounds every Sunday.
  
Seventh Ave. also housed Salem Baptist Metropolitan, Baptist Church, St. Phillips Episcopal, The Gray Shops (restaurant) Tabs at 138th later to become the Red Rooster under the guidance of George Woods, Jocks at (138th Street); Smalls Paradise which moved to the Avenue from 135th & Fifth; Connie Beer at 134th & Seventh; the Big Apple at 135th & Seventh which was owned by Mr.Shannon whose daughter Earline was the best dressed young lady at Spellman College when I went to Morehouse. 
  
Seventh Ave. housed the Mimo Club, Connies Inn, Clarke Monroe Uptown house (134th & 7th), now Campanella's liquor store; the Lafayette Theatre and Lafayette Theatre building where all lodges met at corner of 131st and Seventh; Rodney Dade & Duncan Bros. undertaking shops; Jennie Lou restaurant 135th and Seventh; The Theresa Hotel 125th & Seventh; 209 West 125th Street, the Lafayette theatre; the Alhambra theatre 126th & Seventh; Lowes 124th Street theatre now a church; The Regent Theatre on 116th Street & Seventh now a Church; The Graham Courts still occupied by Blacks; and Fraziers Restaurant (123rd & Seventh Avenue.)
  
Lenox Avenue from 116th Street on was an Avenue of Churches, with Saint Martins Episcopal, The Seven Day Adventist Church; Mickys Funeral parlours buried all the people from Charleston and the South and Toppins buried all the West Indians; Eastman School of Music moved to Rochester as Blacks began to take over the area; Rice High School at 124th & Lenox, is still a high school where white students attend in Harlem. 
  
Then Lenox Avenue Housed Fritz Bar at 125th & Lenox, The Unity Insurance Building at 126th & Lenox which also housed Radio Station WLIB when they moved from the 9th floor of the Theresa Hotel.  
  
Mother Horne the Evangelist Church was at 129th to 130th. The foundation of her new temple is still standing for a church which was never completed by the late Mother Horne.
  
Before you got to Mother Horne Church one had to pass Colony Bar at 127th & Lenox where that phone call was made from when Josephine Baker was insulted in the Stork Club; Then Sol Apuzio's Vegetable Stand, which was never bothered even when the brothers rioted in Harlem (I wonder why).

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