Harlem

geographical name

1
river channel in southeastern New York northeast of Manhattan Island connecting (with Spuyten Duyvil Creek) the Hudson and East rivers
2
section of New York City in northern Manhattan bordering on the Harlem and East rivers; a center of African American culture especially in the 1920s

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Cite this Entry

“Harlem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Harlem. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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