Once labeled “a reproach to the nation,” the Bronx has come a long way since the 1970s and 1980s. The New York borough, home to mainly Puerto Rican and Black communities, experienced a tumultuous period of alarming crime sparked by poverty, unemployment, and self-medicating addictions during the reign of U.S. Presidents Jimmy Carter (1977-1981), Ronald Reagan (1981-1989), and George H. W. Bush (1989-1993).
Three decades later, the Bronx community is still dealing with high rates of crime, documenting nearly 26,400 cases of grand larceny auto, felony assault, burglary, robbery, murder, and rape, combined, up 6.13% in 2023 from the previous year.
The South Bronx is located not too far from thriving neighborhoods, Upper Manhattan and Harlem, but has combatted the label of being the poorest borough of the state. Yet, out of the residue of its sordid past arises Bronxites who have left an indelible mark on the world and their community.
The Bronx Walk of Fame was established in 1997 by Bronx representative President Fernando Ferrer to channel hope and inspiration into the diverse, working class community. Over the past 27 years, 125 individuals have been inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame.
The list is impressive, including TV personality Regis Philbin, A Bronx Tale actor Chazz Palminteri, award-winning actress Diahann Carroll, the Romeo Santos-led music group Aventura, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, hip hop recording artists Fat Joe and Remy Ma, and R&B icons SWV.
Watch SWV’s Induction Into The Bronx Walk of Fame
Other inductees include Irene Cara, Luther Vandross, Joy Bryant, KRS-One, Kid Capri, Kurtis Blow, Malik Yoba, Prince Royce, Tyson Beckford, Valerie Simpson, Sunny Hostin, Swiss Beatz, Stacey Dash, Stanley Kubrick, and Slick Rick.
INTERVIEW: Actress Stacey Dash Reflects On South Bronx Upbringing
Noticeably missing from the inductees roster is Bronx-proud Jennifer Lopez, who drew recognition to the borough with her hugely popular single “Jenny from the Block,” released in 2002 on her album This Is Me…Then. The multi-faceted talent has built a massive legacy, making a staple on the Hollywood scene as lead actress in the biopic Selena and dropping back-to-back, chart-topping singles.
Cardi B is another proud Bronxite, who ironically played a supporting role in the film Hustlers, led by Lopez. From exotic dancer to Grammy-winning music artist, Cardi B, real name Belcalis Almánzar, unconventionally arose from the South Bronx through social media takes.
From the inductees to potential future candidates, and even with the recent news of Bronx college Albert Einstein College of Medicine offering its student tuition-free education, Bronxites continue to defy the stereotypes and prove their resilience in a community historically neglected by the nation’s leaders.
Check Out The Bronx Walk of Fame Website
As far as legislation to make Bronx a better environment for future generations, U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres petitioned for more funding toward making NYC subways safer in the aftermath of a fatal shooting on a Bronx departing train that occurred on Feb. 12.
In addition, the homeless services non-profit, The Doe Fund, has launched construction of a 98,400-square-foot affordable housing project containing 109 units in Norwood, a northwest Bronx neighborhood, set to open in 2025. The project will respond to the increase homelessness and mental health issues in the borough.
