Growing up in east Harlem In the 1950s was an experience unlike any other. The city blocks formed natural barriers- dividing space into what were affectionately known as "neighborhoods"- each with its own flavor and characters. Growing up in the neighborhood meant you knew everyone and everything that went on there. Loyalties were divided by what block you lived on and your education came from the street, where the "wise guys" were in charge of everything and outsiders were neither trusted nor tolerated. The friends you made in the neighborhood were the friends you kept for life.
For...