Haarlem is the capital of North Holland in the Netherlands, just a 30-minute drive west of Amsterdam. It is known for its tulips and its important role in the Dutch Golden Age. More recently, it also drew attention by banning most meat advertisements in public spaces. The other Harlem is located in Upper Manhattan, New York! It is known for the Harlem Renaissance, which celebrated the artistic and academic talent of African Americans in the 1920s and 1930s. But why do these two places have such similar-sounding names? If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, you’ll be glad to hear that there’s a simple story behind it. However, it’s intertwined with numerous sensitive and complex political and geographical issues… Read on to find out more!
Harleem and Harlem. What’s the story?
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Haarlem in the Netherlands dates back to the Gothic era, which is why its streets are filled with historic architecture. Harlem, NY, however, actually originated as a Dutch outpost. In 1658, the Dutch even named it Nieuw Haarlem (a bit like New York or New Jersey), which means “New Haarlem.” It became part of the colony of New Netherland, an area that covered parts of Vermont, all the way down to Connecticut. New York, and more specifically the southernmost tip of Manhattan, was also a Dutch settlement and served as the seat of the colonial government in New Netherland. And it wasn’t called New York back then, but New Amsterdam.
At that time , the area was inhabited by people: Europeans and Native Americans, such as the Wecquaesgeek, who had been living there before the Dutch arrived. All in all, the population grew to about 9,000 people at its peak. After the Second Anglo-Dutch War of 1665–1667, however, the Dutch ceded the area to the British. No matter how hard they tried to rename New Haarlem as Lancaster, the name just wouldn’t stick. People continued to call it Haarlem, which over time was anglicized to Harlem.
So there you have it—that’s why there’s a Haarlem in the Netherlands and a Harlem in New York. Although the two share a sort of history, they don’t have much else in common, except that they both have an incredible cultural profile on the world stage, each for their own reasons.
