March 2024

New York City is one of the most culturally diverse places in the world. People from many different countries would immigrate to the city and bring their own unique culture with them. Some areas of the city have become dedicated to a specific culture, like Little Italy, where people will come across many Italian shops and restaurants. Similarly, one part of Harlem has been transformed into a cultural center for West Africans.

A strong Senegalese community

African Americans began traveling to the big city from the southern U.S. in the early 1900s, enticed by jobs and urban life. During the last three decades, French-speaking immigrants from West Africa settled in Harlem. Immigrants arrived from Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Ghana, Nigeria, and the Ivory Coast. In particular, the community from Senegal has brought a new life to the diverse neighborhood. There is a strip of blocks, located around West 116th Street, known as Little Senegal or Le Petit Senegal. Senegalese immigrants have brought their influence into the fashion and food of the area, opening restaurants and shops.  

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Creating a community

We’re the ones who built Harlem,” said El Hadji Fey, vice president of the Senegalese Association of America. “When we got here, all the stores you see over here, it was absolutely nothing. We bought a lot of stores here, a lot of Senegalese businesses right here.  We were scared in the beginning — you know how Harlem was 20, 30 years ago. We’re the ones who really made Harlem grow up. That’s why a lot of people call here Little Senegal because we started making the community grow, we started making people grow.”

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The restaurants are especially successful

There is a variety of businesses with Senegalese influence – clothing stores, hair salons, street vendors, markets etc. But the restaurants are the ones that are truly shining. Africa Kine was one of the first Senegalese restaurants to open in Harlem. It became a place for homesick people to get a taste of their homeland and for people to find fellow immigrants. Waitress Maritou Djigal said Senegal’s national dish – thiebou dienn – is the most popular dish of the restaurant.

 “Most of the time they [diners] say ‘it reminds me of Senegal, it reminds me of my family,'” she said.

A restaurant named Red Rooster is known for mixing African spices with Western dishes. Chef Marcus Samuelson said:

“I look at Africa as a great source of information and inspiration.  And that’s how I come up with some of the great dishes here.”  He added “Harlem is a very special and unique community and it always reminds me of Africa and I feel the most at home here. I love it, it’s a real community.”

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SEE ALSO: A Senegalese Migrant Wins 400 000 Euros In Spain’s Christmas Lottery.