The website http://digitalharlem.org/ is a research tool created for exploring the everyday lives of ordinary African Americans who lived in the Harlem neighborhood in New York City during 1915-1930. This site does not offer interpretations of the information presented, the creators have included links to sources published by the scholars involved in this project. As seen here below in the insert.

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The main technological tool used on this site is an interactive map of Harlem during this era.

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By using the legend and toggling over the map, you are able to see the size of the neighborhood as it evolved during this time, you can see location of churches and crime that took occurred, as well as nightlife and sports.

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Above the map, there are tabs that you can help you explore more information that the scholars have chosen to present. One such tab allows you to access a searchable timeline that displays when events happened or a person’s residence. There are also clickable iconography that opens up new windows with specific information on each topic.

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The information on the site was sourced from legal records, newspapers, and other archival and published sources. The Municipal Archives of New York City gave access to the District Attorney’s Closed Case Files, as well as Probation Department Case Files. Access to newspapers through the New York Public Library system were used also. There were two major black newspapers published in Harlem during the 1920’s that were used as well, The New York Age and The new York Amsterdam News.

Four historians from the Department of History at the University of Sydney, in Australia: Shane White, Stephen Garton, Graham White, and Stephen Robertson were the scholars who created and founded the “Digital Harlem” website. The research database the scholars used to compile the site is called the Heurist Knowledge Management System, which was created by Dr. Ian Johnson and Artem Osmakov. Dr. Ian Johnson is from the University of Sydney faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Robertson, Stephen, 2021. “Digital Harlem Blog.” accessed on Sept. 14, 2025. https://drstephenrobertson.com/digitalharlemblog/ ↩︎
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They have included a link to the Digital Harlem blog that shares news and analysis for the website “Digital Harlem: Everyday Life, 1915-1930.

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1. Robertson, Stephen, 2017. “Publications.” Digital Harlem: Everyday Life 1915-1930. Sept. 14, 2025, http://digitalharlem.org/
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2. Robertson, Stephen, 2017. “Map.” Digital Harlem: Everyday Life 1915-1930. Sept. 14, 2025, http://digitalharlem.org/ ↩︎
3. Robertson, Stephen, 2017. “Legend.” Digital Harlem: Everyday Life 1915-1930. Sept. 14, 2025, http://digitalharlem.org/ ↩︎
4. Robertson, Stephen, 2017. “Timeline.” Digital Harlem: Everyday Life 1915-1930. Sept. 14, 2025, http://digitalharlem.org/ ↩︎
5. Robertson, Stephen, 2021. “Researchers.” Digital Harlem Blog. Sept. 14, 2025. https://drstephenrobertson.com/digitalharlemblog/ ↩︎
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6. Robertson, Stephen, 2021. “Researchers.” Digital Harlem Blog. Sept. 14, 2025. https://drstephenrobertson.com/digitalharlemblog/ ↩︎