Ephemeral New York just post a great history article on Phillip A. Payton, Jr. who would later be consider the Father of Harlem by the time the neighborhood transitioned to an African-American majority in the 1940's. Mr. Payton's Afro-American Realty Company came up with the idea that the developers could not refuse after the financial markets crashed in 1904 and would transform Manhattan's newest neighborhood. The just built subway systems had set up a speculative building period which changed the small villages of Harlem into a modern part of city but the housing stock outweighed the demand in tough financial times. Mr. Payton's answer was to rent the empty buildings to African-Americans (at a premium) and thus the great migration to Harlem began. The top images shows the Paytons and their house at 13 West 131st Street which recently has been restored with its neighbors in the past couple of years (lower photo at right). Click on top photo to enlarge. Read more details in the Ephemeral New York article:
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Mr. Payton and his career are explored in detail in ‘Harlem: The Making of a Ghetto, Negro New York,1890-1930’, Gilbert Osofsky, Elephant Paperbacks, Chicago. Fascinating book.
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