8. Philip A. Payton, Jr., Real Estate Mogul
Harlem, New York is world renowned for being an epicenter of black culture and art. The concentration of black residents in Harlem is primarily due to one man: Philip A. Payton, Jr. The real estate mogul directed black residents in Manhattan to move to the newly built Harlem area, away from the overcrowding and discrimination rampant in the older black neighborhoods. Payton used white flight to his advantage, getting landlords to turn over buildings to his use to get revenge on neighboring landlords, as they knew white residents would be unhappy with black neighbors. His vision and ingenuity led Harlem to become a cultural Mecca for Black America.
