Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn is a neighborhood in the north-central part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bounded by Flushing Avenue to the north, Classon Avenue to the west, Crown Heights to the south, and Bushwick to the east, near Queens. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 3 and is represented by the New York City Council's 35th district, which also includes parts of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. Bedford–Stuyvesant is close to Prospect Park, Brooklyn Museum, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and is served by the New York City Subway's J/M/Z and G trains at the Flushing Avenue and Myrtle–Willoughby Avenues stations.

Geography and Climate

Bedford–Stuyvesant is situated near the East River and is close to the neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Greenpoint, which are separated from it by McCarren Park and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The neighborhood's terrain is generally flat, with some slight elevations near Stuyvesant Heights and Ocean Hill. Bedford–Stuyvesant is also near the Jamaica Bay and the Gowanus Canal, and is served by the New York City Department of Sanitation's Brooklyn North 11 and Brooklyn South 15 districts. The neighborhood is represented by the New York State Assembly's 56th district, which also includes parts of Brownsville and East New York, and is served by the New York City Police Department's 79th Precinct and 81st Precinct.

History

The area that is now Bedford–Stuyvesant was originally settled by the Lenape Native American tribe, and was later colonized by the Dutch West India Company in the 17th century, near the Village of Brooklyn. The neighborhood was named after the Bedford Corners area, which was named after the Duke of Bedford, and the Stuyvesant family, who were early settlers of the area, including Peter Stuyvesant, the last Director-General of New Netherland. Bedford–Stuyvesant was also home to the Weeksville community, which was founded by James Weeks in the 19th century, and was one of the first free black communities in the United States, near the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. The neighborhood was also a major hub for the Underground Railroad, with many abolitionists, including Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison, living and working in the area, near the Brooklyn Historical Society.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States Census, the population of Bedford–Stuyvesant was approximately 157,000 people, with a diverse mix of African Americans, Hispanics, and White Americans, including many residents of Jewish and Italian-American descent, near the Congregation Beth Elohim and the Italian American Museum. The neighborhood is also home to a large Caribbean American community, with many residents from Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, and is served by the Brooklyn Public Library's Bedford Library and Macon Library branches. Bedford–Stuyvesant is represented by the New York State Senate's 18th district, which also includes parts of Bushwick and Williamsburg, and is served by the New York City Housing Authority's Bedford-Stuyvesant Houses and Stuyvesant Gardens developments.

Culture

Bedford–Stuyvesant is known for its vibrant cultural scene, with many African American and Latino cultural institutions, including the Weeksville Heritage Center, the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music's BAM Fisher building, near the Brooklyn Lyceum and the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts. The neighborhood is also home to many historic Brownstone buildings, including the Stuyvesant Heights Historic District and the Bedford Historic District, and is served by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Bedford–Stuyvesant has been the subject of many works of art and literature, including the Spike Lee film Do the Right Thing, which was set in the neighborhood, near the St. Marks Avenue and Nostrand Avenue commercial corridors.

Education

Bedford–Stuyvesant is served by the New York City Department of Education's District 16, which includes several public elementary and middle schools, including P.S. 3 and M.S. 35, as well as several high schools, including Bedford Academy High School and Paul Robeson High School for Business and Technology. The neighborhood is also home to several private and charter schools, including the Bedford Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter School and the Brooklyn Excelsior Charter School, near the Brooklyn Technical High School and the City Polytechnic High School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology. Bedford–Stuyvesant is also served by the CUNY Brooklyn College's Brooklyn College Academy and the Medgar Evers College's Medgar Evers College Preparatory School.

Transportation

Bedford–Stuyvesant is served by several major transportation routes, including the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and the Atlantic Avenue commercial corridor, near the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Terminal and the New York City Subway's Atlantic Avenue – Barclays Center station. The neighborhood is also served by several bus routes, including the B15, B25, and B43 routes, which connect to other neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens, including Downtown Brooklyn, Fort Greene, and Jamaica. Bedford–Stuyvesant is also close to the LaGuardia Airport and the John F. Kennedy International Airport, and is served by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission's Brooklyn Taxi and Car Service industries. Category:Neighborhoods in Brooklyn