Bedford-Stuyvesant - A Neighborhood in Central Brooklyn

African-Americans were among the first residents of Bedford-Stuyvesant in the 1830s and today the neighborhood boasts the largest Black community in New York City. An economically diverse area, Bedford-Stuyvesant is known for its abundance of traditional, century old brownstones and brick and masonry houses that have attracted in recent years professionals seeking elegant, spacious homes at affordable prices; although the days of bargains have passed.

A community called Weeksville was settled in the 1830s by former slaves, and during the next 170 years many ethnic groups moved in and out of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Suburban villas were built in the 1860s, and middle class row houses and apartment buildings beginning in the 1880s. Stuyvesant Heights, an area designated as a historic district in 1971, features 12 blocks of preserved townhouses in French Second Empire, Neo-Grec, Romanesque Revival, and neo-Renaissance styles. Local residents speculate that condos will be the area's next phase of residential development because within the last year, 65 vacant lots have been purchased by developers.

Bedford-Stuyvesant residents take great pride in their local culture, history, and famous residents, which include Lena Horne, Shirley Chisholm, Earl Graves, Floyd Patterson, Eubie Blake, and Jackie Robinson. Weeksville's history has been conserved by the Society for the Preservation of Weeksville and Bedford-Stuyvesant, which offers tours of houses that are city and national landmarks and a museum of African-American history and culture. The Billie Holliday Theater at Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza, and a number of jazz clubs are located in the community. Each year the Central Brooklyn Jazz Festival offers a month of music in a variety of neighborhood venues. The area also is well-known for its vibrant and active churches.