When Did You Become a New Yorker?
Introducing The New Eight Million: A series of essays about becoming and living the existence of a New Yorker. We're here to ask, what's the story that made you feel like a part of our fair city?
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The story goes that in the late 19th century, a gentleman named Ward McAllister – originally from Savannah but who moved to New York and thought himself the arbiter of New York society – coined the term “The Four Hundred” referring to the number of people in the city worth knowing. "If you go outside that number," according to McAllister, "you strike people who are either not at ease in a ballroom or else make other people not at ease." Popular opinion has it that four hundred people was the capacity of William Backhouse Astor, Jr.’s ballroom, hence the cap of a score of scores.
Another Southern transplant to New York, this one from Greensboro, named William Sidney Porter—but who wrote under the name O. Henry—took issue with McAllister’s firm, if restrictive, assertion. O. Henry’s first collection of stories, The Four Million, opens arguing the "assertion that there were only 'Four Hundred' people in New York City who were really worth noticing. But a wiser man has arisen—the census taker—and his larger estimate of human interest has been preferred in marking out the field of these little stories of the 'Four Million.'" O. Henry would follow that collection up with another: The Voice of the City: Further Stories of the Four Million.
No matter what the 2010 census takers come up with, the city’s population is likely presently about 8 to 10 million people, with new blood from across the country and around the world pouring in every day. BrooklynTheBorough.com looked around and thought it might be interesting to compare notes on how we got here—how we became part of the new New York.
Hence the birth of "The New Eight Million" a collective essay project where we’ll post non-fiction personal essays about life in New York—specifically about moving/settling/becoming adjusted to New York. In essence, about those moments that define us as New Yorkers.
Who can submit? Anyone currently living in New York City. If you’re new to New York, tell us about how the transition is treating you. If you moved here five, ten, thirty or fifty years ago, tell us about that moment that made you stop and go, ‘Hell, I belong here. I’m part of this thing now.” Or if you were one of those O.G.’s that was born here, come at it from that angle. Likely you’ve moved neighborhoods at least once—and if not it’s probable that the neighborhood around you has undergone some sort to shift since your diaper days.
One of my favorite lines about New York comes from O. Henry's story, "The Complete Life of John Hopkins," published in The Voice of the City: "The City is a sprightly youngster, and you are red paint upon its toy, and you get licked off." Before that happens, let's hear from you.
To submit, send your 1,000 to 2,000 word essay to submissions@brooklyntheborough.com with Submission to The New Eight Million in the subject line.
Look for the first installment of "The New Eight Million" on BrooklynTheBorough.com soon…
*LEGAL STUFF: Submissions must be original and unpublished elsewhere. All essays and all rights to their publication become the property of BrooklynTheBorough.com (Misfit Media, LLC) and its assignees, which may use, edit and excerpt these entries for promotional or any other purpose, including placing them online (e.g., on BrooklynTheBorough.com) or in print form without compensation.
