Harlem Was German?

+ Hair Braiding In Harlem

Author

The Harlem Neighborhood Block Association
October 17, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

132 years ago, much of German New York came to Sulzer's in East Harlem to enjoy a harvest festival.

Sulzer's Harlem River Park and Casino was located between 1st and 2nd Avenue and 126th and 127th Streets - and directly on top of East Harlem's African Burial Ground.

It burned down on November 21, 1907, but, as the card below notes, was opened the following year:

An image below, shows the carrousel that was lost to the fire:

Occupational Hazards - Hair Braiding

Bazzar has an in-depth article on West African hair braiders in Harlem who suffer repetitive motion injuries on the job, but have no support system (or healthcare) to fall back upon.

There are organizations trying to make a difference, such as the Natural Hairstyle and Braid Coalition but people who work in the service industry find it difficult to take time off to tend to injuries because they “need to be at work in order to get paid,” says Professor Lesley Green-Rennis, chairperson of the health education department at Borough of Manhattan Community College.

“If you don’t come to work, you don’t get paid. And that affects not only you, of course, but also your entire family. A lot of people return to work when they shouldn’t, when they’re still sick or are still suffering from an injury.”

Not only does the physical work of braiding take a toll, it is also exhausting to build up a regular customer base. Many of the braiders in Harlem started their professions before it was possible to advertise via social media, and it is still not uncommon to see them standing or sitting outside of salons along 125th Street, asking passersby if they are interested in having their hair braided.

The difference between West African hair braiders in Harlem and nail salon workers throughout the city, is that nail salon workers are employed under a boss, while braiders rent a chair. The role of braiders is comparable to being a “day laborer in a way.” Bargaining as a union would prove difficult because “there’s no one to bargain with”—braiders set their own rates; the salons just provide space.

Read more, here:

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