Media Representations of Le Petit Sénégal: Race, Nativity, and Place-Making in Harlem

• In Event: 40452 - The Structures and Institutions That Shape Place-Making

Abstract

This project examines the role of media in the construction of Le Petit Sénégal (Little Senegal), a Black immigrant neighborhood in New York City, to explore how race and nativity intersect in defining urban neighborhoods. To do so, I analyze representations of Le Petit Sénégal over the past four decades in two key sources: the New York Times (NYT) and the New York Amsterdam News (NYAN), representing mainstream and counter-hegemonic perspectives respectively. Preliminary findings show that the New York Times emphasizes the spatial dimensions of Le Petit Sénégal, framing it as a space of cultural vibrancy and exoticism, distinct from and in tension with the Black American Harlem in which it is embedded. Thus, NYT situates Le Petit Sénégal within broader discourses on immigration and diversity in New York City. In contrast, NYAN focuses on place-making, foregrounding the agency and resilience of Black immigrants’ community building, situating Le Petit Sénégal within a historical continuum of Black placemaking and resistance in Harlem. By examining these contrasting narratives, I demonstrate how media representations shape the symbolic identities and boundaries of Black immigrant neighborhoods. Ultimately, I show how race and nativity intersect in media portrayals, influencing public perception and material realities while offering insights into the dynamics of Black solidarity and division within urban spaces.

Author

• Nima Dahir, The Ohio State University