Description

Three of a Kind

With the amount of time, I spent in West Africa (four years), people often asked me, “Where are you from?” I’d reply, “Harlem and The Bronx.” We lived in Fredrick Douglass Houses, located on the Upper West Side between Amsterdam and West End Avenue, primarily populated with Blacks and Puerto Rican folks; somewhat considered a fringe neighborhood of Harlem. Jews, Irish, Italians, Asians, Polish, Dominicans, etc., all contributed to the diverse flavor of my childhood.

In 2002, Harlem and The Bronx were on my mind. It was Sunday and I rounded the Magic Johnson Theater on 8^th Avenue and 124^th Street, spotting these three dapper brothers. Without saying a word, I gave a quick look at their mother, who gave me the nod. This image was captured on my first shot because as they noticed my presence, camera in hand, they began to freeze up, losing the essence of their naturalness. Sometimes you don’t get a second chance!

This beautiful photograph became part of my “Sunday, Sunday Series.”