During HG’s college days HG spent a lot of time in Harlem. And, loved it. HG attended C.C.N.Y. The college was located at 137th Street and Convent Avenue, the heights of Harlem. This was a rather classy neighborhood that housed the Harlem elite of judges, lawyers, doctors and city officials. Nearby Hamilton Terrace had elegant brownstones (you can buy one now if you’ve got $3,000,000). Some blocks to the north was prestigious Edgecombe Avenue, once home to Duke Ellington, Joe Louis and other African-American luminaries. (This was also known as Sugar Hill).
Central Harlem (the area around 8th Avenue, 7th Avenue and Lenox Avenue) was another story. It was run down. It was tough. There was plenty of violence. And, the welcome mat was not out for white folks. College senior HG was a “youth counselor” in Central Harlem. This was part of an experimental program where college athletes (including HG) worked with violent Harlem gangs in an effort to lead the gangbangers (then called “boppers”— violent gangs were “bopping gangs”) down a more peaceful, constructive path. HG was not successful in this endeavor. HG made no positive impact. HG’s gang, the “French Dukes” (neither Gallic nor of noble lineage), was very protective of HG since having a “youth counselor” enhanced its reputation. As soon as the neighborhood realized HG was not a cop, social worker or narc, attitudes became friendly. HG managed to eat a lot of fried fish & chicken, pork chops smothered in gravy, sweet potato pie and other staples of Harlem cuisine with the young “Dukes” and their friends. HG liked to walk along lively (to say the least) Lenox Avenue and often popped into the Red Rooster bar which was near the subway. The Rooster welcomed a few white folks and catered to a number of Harlem intellectuals. It was a stimulating place (It closed in the 1970s). Recently, Marcus Samuelsson has revived the name with an ambitious and exciting new Red Rooster on the site of the old Red Rooster at 310 Lenox Avenue. HG loved the food and atmosphere at Aakavit, the Swedish restaurant once owned and run by Samuelsson. HG hopes the new RR is equally successful and that some of the “French Dukes” (now rather senior aristocrats) are around to enjoy the fried yardbird.
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