Starting in the seventeenth century and increasing into the early 19th century, the majority of African Americans in New York City lived in Greenwich Village. Black Americans populated Lispenard, Broome, Spring St and then spread out more among this area of lower Manhattan (Johnson, 58). Due to the high concentration of black residents in this area, it was nicknamed “Little Africa.” However, by the 1870’s the black population was pushed out by the wave of Italian immigrants and the area soon became Little Italy. (Black NYs) Due to this, the African American population moved farther uptown.