The new historic district marker at Dorrance Brooks Square Park. Image Credit: NYC LPC.
On February 23, 2022, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the New York Landmarks Preservation Foundation (NYLPF), and the Dorrance Brooks Property Owners and Residents Association celebrated last year’s designation of the Dorrance Brooks Square Historic District with new historic district markers.
The Dorrance Brooks Square Historic District is in two sections: the western part runs from West 140th Street to the north, West 136st Street to the south, St. Nicholas Avenue to the west and an eastern border that runs one block down Frederick Douglass Boulevard between West 139th Street and West 140th Street, and then runs behind the buildings facing Frederick Douglass Boulevard from West 136th Street to West 139th Street. The eastern portion of the district runs from West 137th Street to the north, West 136th Street to the south, a border that runs behind the buildings on the eastern side of Frederick Douglass Boulevard on the west and Adam C. Powell Boulevard to the east. The eastern portion of the proposed district is adjacent to the St. Nicholas Historic District.
The historic district is the city’s first historic district named after an African American. Dorrance Brooks was a World War I hero who died in action. Dorrance Brooks Square, located at between West 137th Street to the north, West 136th Street to the south, St. Nicholas Avenue to the west and Edgecombe Avenue to the east has been the site of many political protests starting in the 1920s. The surrounding area consists of row houses in the Renaissance Revival, Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne styles. By the 1920s, the area became a community for middle-class African Americans, many who were pushed out of other Manhattan neighborhoods by discrimination. The historic district contains the homes of many prominent and historical residents and institutions. The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to establish the historic district last June.
Six markers will be installed as part of the NYPLF’s Historic District Marker Program. The markers were funded by NYPLF and the Dorrance Brooks Property Owners and Residents Association. The markers are located at Dorrance Brooks Square Park; on the north side of West 136th Street between Adam Clayton Powell and Frederick Douglass Boulevard; on the north side of West 137th Street between Edgecombe Avenue and Frederick Douglass Boulevard; on the south side of West 137th Street between Adam Clayton Powell and Frederick Douglass Boulevard; on the north side of West 138th Street between Edgecombe Avenue and Frederick Douglass Boulevard; and on the north side of West 139th Street between Edgecombe Avenue and Frederick Douglass Boulevard.
The new markers are 19 by 36 inch terra cotta-colored signs. A map is on one side and a description on the other, which reads:
“The Dorrance Brooks Square Historic District, designated in 2021, is significant for its association with notable and pioneering African American individuals, institutions, and organizations during the Harlem Renaissance in the fields of politics, literature, healthcare, and education. The district features a striking collection of late-19th- and early-20thcentury row houses, religious structures, and apartment buildings that create intact and picturesque streetscapes. Dorrance Brooks Square, dedicated in 1925, was named for a Black serviceman who died in action while serving with a segregated military regiment in World War I. It was the first public place in New York City to be named for an African American.”
Landmarks Chair Sarah Carroll stated, “The Commission designated the Dorrance Brooks Square Historic District both for its architectural merit and to recognize its associations with the Harlem Renaissance and Civil Rights movements, and through this designation recognized the African American figures who played a critical role in creating political and social change in New York City and the nation. The installation of these historic district markers will memorialize the designation of this historic district – the first named after an African American – and let New Yorkers and visitors alike know about its historic and architectural importance.”
Council Member Kristin Richardson Jordan stated, “As a woman who comes from a family of veterans including my grandfather Victor Jordan who was a World War II vet and who married at Abyssinian Baptist Church and lived right here in Harlem, and as a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee of the New York City Council, I love and honor this commemoration today. This park and historic district are named in honor of Dorrance Brooks an African American soldier who died in France shortly before the end of World War I and who is known for his deep bravery in continuing the charge after his superiors were killed. This bravery is what we all need in our hearts today as many of our spaces and memorials whether recognized by the powers that be or not are under attack. It is my honor to stand here as we lift up this piece of our history.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the CityLaw fellow and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)