Inside Brooklyn's Vibrant & Historical Caribbean Neighborhood

[@benjaminsmith2287]

Of course, this is a great history lesson from one of the most knowledgeable channels on NYC history.

[@sfellows68]

Tom should create a history course for the colleges that teach the history of NY. That would be a great class. Can you imagine? And there could be field trips. 😁

[@major_miniatures]

That would be fun

[@Not_Sal]

That already exists a lot of schools in the NYC area, especially the CUNY schools.

[@landocalrisian2014]

Love that idea!!!

[@major_miniatures]

@@Not_Sal “Not” with Tom it doesn’t… Yet!

[@TheSmartestManonEarth]

😮

[@Tyrni88]

Yay I'm the first one to comment. Thank you Tom for the video. I love traveling through your videos. During the corona years I started watching all your videos. Thank you for teaching me a lot about New York and other places you've done. Hopefully someday I'll get a chance to travel to New York. Hello from Helsinki

[@chuckles2189]

I worked in Flatbush in 1960s. Church and Flatbush Avenues. Used to be a Garfields Cafeteria on the corner. Building I worked in was behind the cafeteria. To the left of the church used to be a popular ice cream store it was where the "ice cream sink" was invented, a scoop of each flavor on a platter. Was usually ordered for special occasions.

[@reneeoperman8180]

Jahn's kitchen sink

[@TheBizzyjay]

Finally my hometown Flatbush Bk. Thanks Tom

[@Amser1]

It was a wild hood when u was growing up huh especially the Jamaicans I herd crazy stories

[@TheBizzyjay]

@@Amser1 Wild but fun.

[@hannahpchism]

22:02 has a photo of my block!! Those guys outside the laundromat are the domino club and they’re there every day playing dominoes or cards, they all live in the surrounding buildings! That group makes the recycled trash sculptures you might have seen and they have a little “Domino Club Sign” They constantly grill up some yummy food and take care of the neighborhood cats too ❤❤❤

[@jimbean7652]

can anyone join?

[@barbarawillis5187]

I enjoyed looking at the beautiful architecture and learning about the history of the Flatbush neighborhoods in this episode. I think the historic houses and buildings had much more character and beauty than what was built later. This was a great film.

[@kyledabandit6836]

The Jackie Robinson fact really blew my mind, never knew he lived on Tilden Avenue. Along with the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer fact as well. This is why I love watching your videos, you could live in an area your whole life and still learn cool stuff.

[@ilahildasissac1943]

The same with me and Chicago. I love learning tidbits like these.

[@iheartjetaviation2764]

Thanks for this video. I grew up in Flatbush 1953 - 1972. Graduated from Midwood HS in 1971. Even did summer school algebra at Erasmus HS.

[@roytownhill9934]

Another great one Tom, thank you 🤙🤙

[@AJsGreenThumbLLC]

Great video Tom, thoroughly enjoyed! I grew up in Flatbush in the 80's and early 90's-- so many awesome memories.

[@plazaro100]

Catching up w your amazing series. And yes, you should offer a history course for colleges, best regards.

[@Matein13]

Tom, your videos are great. Such a fan. I learned so much from your video on my neighborhood.

[@yearight6294]

lets gooo another tour of my own city

[@EphemeralProductions]

Phil!!!! Awesome to see him back! Hello Phil! :)

[@lissettea4641]

Born and raised in Flatbush, wow thanks for posting this! I haven't been back since 2008

[@animaginaryboy_]

Great video Tom! I will definitely being sending a personalized letter to my closest friends telling them check out your video. Love the history

[@mariawade913]

Enjoyed this one very much!!!! Love the humor.

[@SusannahPerri]

Another great one, Tom! Thank you for all the laughs and education!

[@SilFord-o9f]

it is NOT great! it is OFF!

[@SmrtPhonRtistCF]

Hey, this is my home area and I grew up and live and still live around in that area (or close to it), born and bred in Flatbush, I love everything in there....even though some things are changing.

[@craigslistbuslistingsofnor6494]

Great video. I grew up in Flatbush in the 70s. I currently reside in rural Georgia, but still consider Flatbush home.

[@elir.195]

Yaaaay my hood. Thanks for visiting and giving us the background!

[@major_miniatures]

Another excellent tour. Thank you Tom!

[@slowtomove]

Born and raised in Flatbush in the 40s and 50s. The Dutch Reformed Church cemetery in those days didn't have a fence around it. My friends and I used to play in the cemetery on our way to the Kenmore movie theater around the corner on Church Avenue. The writing carved into the tombstones was so weather aged we could hardly read them.

[@mellow_keys8618]

21:24 thank you for pointing out what everyone blatantly chooses to ignore. How were so successful here but can’t be over there and he just answered the hard question everyone’s confused about. Thank you

[@JewelPressedRecord]

This was a great video, Tom! Thank you!

[@coolaunt516]

Beautiful architecture in the theatre!

[@chronicfatiguehermithiker3022]

At 11 my family relocated from Jamaica to a couple blocks from eastern parkway between church avenue and Beverley road, you were in my old neighborhood; it’s shocking how many of my favorite stars grew up in the area.

[@eattherich9215]

When my sister came over, she too lived in Flatbush. It's a little bit of home that probably helped with the transition.

[@austind9222]

Love the videos Tom. You should do personal tours of the city. I’d pay!

[@tomdnyc1]

Nice. Reach out to me through the website or IG!

[@jeffreyjackman7053]

Watching from Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹

[@karensliwinski1243]

More on the rest of Flatbush please! Enjoyed your video but want more😃

[@franciscorosa9690]

It's amazing how you just freestyle your tours, I hang on every word, love NYC History. Request!, Brooklyn Navy Yard.

[@GeOsmomGina]

@18:04 That's the church that the DeFeo, family used to attend. When they lived in Brooklyn..They lived at 3501 East 31st street. The building were called Vanderve Estates. Now called Flatbush Gardens. Before moving to Amityville LI. It is a very well crime ridden area. Barbara Streisand, Also lived there as a child. Don't walk there after sundown.

[@findthesecondnow4315]

A tour of Kings Highway that goes all thru Brooklyn!

[@Daveinbangormaine]

This is really interesting Tom.

[@tonigutierrez917]

I still love watching love the way you talk and you are so informative love that and Thank you for what you do

[@Sydneyrella]

Toms back 😍😍😍

[@jaredleemease]

Thank you Tom. 😎

[@DQs-gy6nk]

Thank you for enlightning us. I wasn't aware of Little Haiti or Little Caribbean in Flatbush, Brooklyn. And the diverse home structures.

[@suletheabstrxct702]

Finally!!

[@abstech1]

I went to Flatbush Dutch church played church league basketball there. Also went to Erasmus Hall HS graduated in 78.

[@eattherich9215]

I first visited NYC in 2018 and one of the places I wanted to go to was Flatbush because my sister lived there when she first moved to America. It all looked very familiar to this South East London (UK) native - the same kinds of people, food and accents. I felt at home and seemed like somewhere I could live. @22:17, were it not for your leaning against the station sign, that could be a street in many a UK urban area.

[@findthesecondnow4315]

Tom is so excellent !

[@DannyBoy-wq9ze]

Hi Tom, thanks for doing this upload video of Flatbush Brooklyn, NYC !. You forgot to mention that the new Target building on Church Ave and Flatbush used to be a movie theater too !. Brooklyn college borderline Midwood and fake projects "Vandeveer Estates nka Flatbush Gardens" by Newkirk Ave and Nostrand Ave not under NYCHA ownership, but do take all Section 8 transfer vouchers !. Haitians aka little Haiti runs Nostrand side of Flatbush from Winthrop Ave to Newkirk Ave and the Jamaicans run the other side of Flatbush by Church Ave and Ocean Ave, Flatbush Ave main big roads and cross streets !.

[@EmployedBird]

Da Zoo 😂😂😂😂 My hood. Very dangerous. Plus I peeped the roti truck in front of Veer... IYKYK

[@marialabridis3804]

Great video on Flatbush I didn't know that's an area called little Haiti😊

[@DevinMack]

Great Video. Other interesting facts - 1) The movie - the “Lords of Flatbush” filmed at Erasmus was Henry Winkler and Sylvester Stallone’s first movie. 2) Congregational Home for the aged on Linden Blvd. Between Bedford and Rogers Ave. It was declared a landmark - not sure if it’s still standing because they built a skyscraper high rise either over it or in front of it. They somehow skirted the landmark rules.

[@ignaciosantiago7504]

Erasmus! My alma mater!

[@anthonygates7523]

Another good vid

[@dissidentfairy4264]

What an interesting tour! As far as the hat goes maybe you should have left it in the trash. lol I see you as more of a beret type of guy:-) The artist-poet, Che' sort of look:-) 🧚‍♀

[@Gl6619]

14:58 sick price master reference

[@ashereinhorn]

I wish these videos had more shots of the streets and neighborhoods so you could really see the areas

[@vincentgoupil180]

18:08 Tom espousing the greatness of Caribbean gentrification of Flatbush as wave after wave of people crash onto the streets up from the subway. Howabout a tour of the Roosevelt Hotel. Tom to Phil for the twentieth time is there jizz on my beard. Phil: ... kinda long (winded) :)

[@guymandudely324]

Grew up in Flatbush and taught at Erasmus Hall HS. Even though my old neighborhood is now a middle-class Haitian and Caribbean area, ghetto crime is just as horrific today as it was in the late 1970's. I resent like hell that the area is called "Little Haiti." I grew up in a neighborhood that had Russians, Polish, Irish, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Jamaican, Black ... you get the idea ... but no one group claimed Flatbush as 'Little Whatever.' Glad I'm not there anymore to see how the area has become a dangerous slum and Erasmus Hall barely a shell of the excellent high school it once was.

[@kyletoddpeters]

Maybe you should slow your roll on that racist trash. As you said, you’re not here anymore, but if you were as I am (I live at Church and Ocean Ave.) you’d know it’s not a dangerous slum. It’s a rich, vibrant community full of wonderful people. Also, look at any crime statistics available before you go off. NYC crime levels are at historic lows especially in comparison to the 70s and 80s.

[@kennethbraun1568]

Downhill all the way.

[@nickmele9968]

Would send a child to a public school in this place??

[@guymandudely324]

@@nickmele9968 If you had no other choice and lived near the school, I guess so.

[@pjlove5564]

i currently live in Flatbush and it’s crime but not the way you making it seem, it’s very gentrified! & everywhere you turn in “Little Haiti” & “Little Caribbean” there’s sky rise buildings that their building to accommodate the “Yuppies” moving in the area..so you literally have no idea what you talking about because if you wanna be technical it’s crime everywhere! & how you resent like hell the fact that’s theirs a “Little” anything in urban communities because I bet you don’t “resent like hell” “LITTLE ITALY” or Little Paris in NYC 🙄

[@readyforwateva]

There was a show called Money and Violence in 2016 recorded in Flatbush now it's on TUBI 🔥🔥🔥

[@Bodega180]

Great tour!

[@GeOsmomGina]

I live in the Midwood-Flatbush area. I mother graduated from Erasmus HS.

[@jchow5966]

Wonderful!!!!!!!

[@chefxhyrule242]

Wow I live Ina bush didn’t expect this vid

[@craigslistbuslistingsofnor6494]

U deh a bush lol

[@brerkris]

Yay! My hood!

[@jameslombardo8535]

Hold my beer, Tom dropped a new vid.

[@SeanAndersonThe9th]

Ushers there, Oh wow I didn't know that. Cool video The man of Happy Days

[@br.anthonyhamilton2286]

That Dutch Church was literally my Backyard!

[@KingLoneWolf44]

My old High School that I barely went too. LOL

[@scubadiva666]

That's "Breukelen" (pronounced BROIK-elen) 1:22 or "broken land." Of course, the oldest churches in the city are those that are made of fieldstones-stones that were gathered up in tilling the fields.

[@LaLaLand-hr3qk]

Prayers for Haiti🙏

[@a.musaahmad5229]

I'm from Flatbush 😊

[@mariedowney1676]

flatbush when the Dutch first started farming It was some of the most geologically fertile lands. pave it over and make a parking lot. flooding in other parts of brooklyn. erasumus

[@iamzyire]

I saw that you mentioned the home where Jackie Robinson once lived in Flatbush. Charles Ebbets, then owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers once owned and occupied 193 Ocean Avenue ..across the street from Prospect Park. 🌿

[@christineh4192]

I grew up in East Flatbush.

[@pleso1]

Great info but would have liked to see more of the neighbourhood. Prefer it when you walk and talk like in the Fort Greene tour vid.

[@highcardace]

I’m from Flatbush!!

[@landocalrisian2014]

I remember seeing The Wiz at that movie theatre back in the 70s and a few other movies.

[@royalclipper5382]

American Chess great Bobby Fisher also attended Erasmus High School.

[@gil_L]

Next should be Sheepshead bay or Midwood which I guess is part of Flatbush. I think that last bit was a dig to cashjordan lol.

[@Claudi771]

Regarding kings theatre my mother was born in 1929!

[@suburbjorn]

My neighborhood!

[@palo10]

Do Bay Ridge Bay ridge Bay Ridge!!! History is very rich

[@Planethollywood409]

I wanted to go that church but competitive even now and church so important. I'll be right back.....

[@june_keke]

You covered Haiti perfectly, Tom. Great job

[@AmbroseChamberpot]

may had been the earliest Wilhelm scream ever

[@City-Hiker]

Flatbush neighborhood is another real estate hot area after Williamsburg. Flatbush Avenue is the longest Commercial Avenue connecting the Manhattan Bridge and Marine Parkway Bridge.

[@ksailor71]

My family were the Bogaerts (Bogart family) They lived in Flatbush in 1700's then some left for Staten Island - Also, the Van Peel's

[@3506Dodge]

Toothpaste and dog food as sponsors! You've come a long way Tommy baby!

[@caliWally1981]

Erasmus high school special Ed the rapper who sang I got it made went there as well

[@skipprice4376]

Cool 👍

[@CharlesReiche]

Peter Stuyvesant ordered my great great great....... Great grandfather Jan Gerrits (Strijcker) Stryker to build that church.

[@bennie613]

Suprised you did not cover Jewish Flatbush

[@eugenedimitrov]

Hey Tom! What's up?

[@TrainsFerriesFeet]

The only open Sears I can think of is in Jersey City.

[@annestrmsted9749]

I agree

[@thelongspring]

I love these videos, Tom, but I have to say… not enough trucks

[@angelicagaldos]

Awesome video Tom. Flat of the Bush. Lol! Also suck plug

[@christophercox936]

My family was the first black people on Union Street between Franklin and Bedford in Brooklyn. My mother, who was white, had to get the lease without my father who was black. Once the lease was signed my father moved in and it was too late.😂 Interesting note: prior to that we lived in the projects in Manhattan because my family couldn’t move to North Carolina and build a house on our family’s land due to the anti miscegenation marriage laws which would have gotten them arrested. It was repelled in 1967.

[@mar2mar2]

Ave. D and E.29th st. My block. Where I had my first kiss. Where I pulled that alarm when I was 10 years old.

[@marlenebean]

5:00 omg that took me out 😂

[@franklinwilliams7923]

Go back where you came from Tom. " Only The Dead Know Brooklyn " by Thomas Wolf.

[@ilahildasissac1943]

OMG, he had to explain what a mall was to young people, I am old!!

[@GRMAN40]

You didn’t do Cortelyou rd😡

[@champ1061]

4:58