Harlem Street Portraits

Well-known New York photographer Harvey Stein documents the humanity and spirit of the people of Harlem in 166 beautiful black and white photographs taken over 23 years, from 1990 to 2013. The images are mostly close-up portraits that reveal the friendliness and warmth of this city's inhabitants, the vibrant and bustling vitality of the area, and the changing nature of the neighborhood. What may at first appear to be a casual encounter becomes a personal, intimate record, a meaningful collaboration between photographer and subject. With a population of nearly half a million people, Harlem is America's most celebrated African-American neighborhood. Its rich past and historical importance have made a unique contribution to our national popular culture. Stein's photographs capture and celebrate the Harlem spirit.