Le Petit Senegal

Le Petit Sénégal, or Little Senegal, is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It has been called Le Petit Senegal by the West African immigrant community and Little Senegal by some people from outside the neighborhood.

Le Petit Senegal is a smaller section of the much larger, and older, neighborhood of Harlem. The neighborhood's exact borders are difficult to define as it is still new, growing from nonexistent in 1985 to 6,500 by 2005.Kankam, Nana (2007-07-22), "Uptown, Africa Toujours". "The New York Times", [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/nyregion/thecity/22harl.html?ei=5088&en=c351af2652116775&ex=1342756800&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=print&adxnnlx=1189306968-FE3LFW5lDcCgeiavablyXA] . ] Daff, Marieme O. (1997-01-01), "A Little Senegal in Harlem". "Washington Square News", [http://media.www.nyunews.com/media/storage/paper869/news/1997/01/01/UndefinedSection/A.Little.Senegal.In.Harlem-2393946.shtml] . ] Le Petit Senegal is generally defined as located in Central Harlem. The neighborhood's main streets are the blocks surrounding W. 116th Street between St. Nicholas Avenue on the east and Morningside Park to the west. [Attah, Ayesha. [http://www.africanmag.com/viewer/magazines/article.asd/id/504/vts/design001 "Mourides Celebrate 19 Years in North America"] , "The African". Accessed October 23, 2007. "116th Street in Harlem, New York is aptly named Le Petit Senegal. It abounds in aromas of stewing mafe and yassa wafting out of restaurants, sidewalks turned into mosques and businesses stocked with merchandise right out of Dakar."]

Le Petit Senegal is the main shopping and social area for many of Harlem's West African immigrants. The majority of these recent immigrants hail from (partially) French speaking Senegal, reflecting the French local name of Little Senegal. However, African languages, such as Wolof, are also spoken in this part of Manhattan. There are also immigrants from other West African countries, including Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Gambia, and Burkina Faso. West African stores, restaurants, bistros, bakeries, cafes, and other proprietorships can be found in the neighborhood.

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External links

* [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/30/nyregion/30harlem.html?ex=1275192000&en=7418cdd064868305&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss New York Times: A One-Woman Welcome Wagon in Le Petit Sénégal]
* [http://www.boston.com/travel/articles/nytimes/articles/2007/08/01/in_dense_stews_from_senegal_intriguing_secrets/ Boston Globe (taken from the New York Times): In Dense Stews From Senegal, Intriguing Secrets]
* [http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0225,jockbeat,35784,3.html World Cup fans cheer on Senegal at Africa Kine restaurant]
* [http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0608,sietsema,72233,15.html An unexpected taste of Vietnam in Harlem's Little West Africa]