The Weeksville neighborhood was founded by African
American freedmen during the first half of the 19th century. It was
named after James Weeks, a stevedore and African-American ex-slave from Virginia.
At the time it covered an area bounded by present-day Fulton Street, East New
York Avenue, Ralph Avenue and Troy Avenue. With the completion of the Brooklyn
Bridge and as New York City grew and expanded, Weeksville gradually became part
of Crown Heights.
