East Harlem Street Could Be Renamed 'Cicely Tyson Way'

EAST HARLEM, NY — Nearly a century after her birth in East Harlem, Cicely Tyson could become the namesake of her childhood block thanks to a neighborhood campaign to honor the late actress.

Tyson, who died in January at age 96, was born in 1924 and raised at 178 East 101st St. — a five-story walkup near Lexington Avenue.

Even after rising to fame onscreen and onstage, Tyson clung tightly to her Harlem roots, considering herself a sort of neighborhood ambassador. In 1994, after a nonprofit housing developer renovated her childhood building to serve low-income tenants, Tyson spoke proudly at its dedication.

"To have some place memorialized in that manner means more to me than I can verbalize," she said at the time.

At a Tuesday night community board meeting, a neighborhood group presented its plans to rename East 101st Street between Lexington and Third avenues as "Cicely Tyson Way."

Aiming to comply with city rules, the group has gathered dozens of signatures from neighbors supporting the proposal, as well as 14 letters of support from groups like El Museo del Barrio, Landmark East Harlem and the New York chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, of which Tyson was an honorary member.

If successful, the southeast corners of East 101st on both avenues would be renamed, with a new street sign on at least one of the corners.

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In addition to reminding neighbors of the block's history, the new street could spur tourism and support nearby restaurants, the group hopes.

"We wanted to do this in a way to also support small businesses within the East Harlem corridor," said Nina Saxon, one of the leaders of the Cicely Tyson Street Naming and Landmarking Committee, at Tuesday's meeting.

Tyson, the daughter of immigrants from Nevis, sold shopping bags on the streets of Harlem as a young child after her parents separated.

She began her career as a model, became a stage actress and entered the mainstream in 1972 when she was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in the film "Sounder."

After her death on Jan. 28, a public viewing at Abyssinian Baptist Church drew hundreds of admirers from Harlem and beyond, looking to pay their final respects.

This week's presentation at Community Board 11's public safety and transportation committee will be followed by another to the full board next month.

The City Council would ultimately vote on the subject, likely later this year.

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