Considered one of the most important black inventors of all time, Lewis Latimer made his home in Flushing.

By Raynelle Cerica Bull

How Many Are There/Who Are They?
Queens has become a common settling ground for many African Americans, and according to Jean Phelps, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (Jamaica Branch) president, African Americans have lived in Queens forever.
Queens is populated by 446,189 African Americans, which breaks down to 20 percent of the borough’s population.

When Did They Get Here?
A significant amount of African Americans moved to Queens from Brooklyn and Harlem in the early 1920s, during the Harlem Renaissance. Among those flocking to the borough were jazz musicians Clarence Williams, who moved to Jamaica in 1923, Lena Horne, who moved to St. Albans in the 1940s and Louis Armstrong, who purchased his Corona home in the 1940s.

Where Do They Live?
Majority of the Blacks that reside in Queens have chosen to call Southeast Queens home. According to Phelps and Thomas Crater, board member, Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, majority of Queens’ African Americans population reside in Jamaica, South Jamaica, East Elmhurst, St. Albans, Laurelton, Cambria Heights, Hollis, Springfield Gardens and South Ozone Park.

Rosedale is also considered a predominately African American area, but in 1980 crosses were burned on the lawns of African American residents living in the city, Phelps said.

Where Do They Worship?
Religion is a very important part of the Southeast Queens, and according to Crater, there are more storefront churches in the area than local businesses. Many African Americans worship at the Greater Allen Cathedral of New York located at 110-31 Merrick Blvd. in Jamaica, the Bethel Gospel Tabernacle located at 110-14 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. in Jamaica and the Calvary Baptist Church located at 111-14 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. in Jamaica.

“There are a slew of storefront churches,” Crater informed.
Many of the congregations have ministries that allow community members to extend their church evolvement beyond the Sunday morning services.

Where Do They Shop?
Hillside and Jamaica Avenues have been know as big shopping districts, especially for Southeast Queens residents who do not have cars and want to stay close to home to do their shopping. Jamaica Avenue retail stores like Cookies Department Store, Young World and Jimmy Jazz are usually highly trafficked, and many residents go to the local Key Food Supermarkets to purchase groceries.

According to Crater, Jamaica Avenue attracts a lot of young people because of the trendy clothing, brand names and Hip Hop fashions. He also said that people from other boroughs travel into Southeast Queens to shop on the weekends.

Many of the homeowners who have cars also frequent Jamaica Avenue, but do their grocery shopping at the Costco’s in Flushing, and Pathmark Supermarkets.

Where Do They Eat?
A good meal in Southeast Queens is never hard to find, but when African Americans want to leave home for a home-cooked meal, Carmichael’s Diner in Jamaica is a spot where you can have a seat at the counter and have a juicy steak or burger prepared just the way you like.

The diner is a family owned business that has been around for over 30 years.

Another popular restaurant is RCL Restaurant in South Ozone Park. According to Crater, hundreds of people line up outside the restaurant on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, because “it’s the best soul food in town.” The restaurant has been around for over 35 years, and every Thanksgiving they donate food to the community.

Maxie’s Restaurant is another well-known spot in the community. The Sutphin Boulevard restaurant is frequented by judges, lawyers and Long Island Railroad workers on their lunch breaks.

Mary Ann Shaw, a black pioneer in Queens, founded the Flushing Library. The library which was built at Kissena Boulevard and Main Street in the 1800’s is now part of the Queens Borough Public Library and remains at the same site today.

What Do They Do For A Living?
According to Phelps, the job market for African Americans in Queens varies across the board. “Some are teachers, professors, nurses, doctors, lawyers, government officials and some are unemployed,” Phelps commented.

According to a study done in 1999 by the Catholics Building Community, educational barriers are a major factor for Southeast Queens residents when looking for employment. Additional concerns were age, race, a lack of neighborhood employers and a lack of technical and vocational skills.

There are also a number of African American Queens residents who own their own businesses, like the Simply Marvelous Art Shop in Jamaica Market, owned by Marvin Scruggs and Mark Taly.

What’s In Their Future?
With the African Americans in Queens building up their educational level, specializing in certain crafts and contributing to their surroundings, Phelps envisions great things in the future of the African Americans in Queens.

Crater anticipates them to continue to be an economic force in the community. “If it wasn’t for the African Americans, Africans and Caribbeans in the community, many of the Southeast Queens merchants wouldn’t be where they are today,” Crater said.

Crater hopes for a new mergence among the African Americans, Africans and Caribbeans in Queens to build up the community. “We just don’t have the foot hold yet, but they are getting more and more educated, so the future is looking bright for us.”