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DJ Charlie Hustle and The Bronx: Inside the Mott Haven Photo Museum Night
- Damian Ali
- 9 hours ago
- 4 min read
A community gathering where shared photos and memories spark a different kind of fandom.
Mott Haven Transit Third Avenue El and Ruppert Ice Factory (1940s–1950s): Courtesy of Mott Haven Photo Museum
From the Bronx’s Central train station on 138th Street to the old Rupert Ice Factory, each photo shared from the Mott Haven Photo Museum sparked conversation right away. People leaned in, added details, corrected memories, and built on each other’s knowledge.
The importance of preserving Bronx history was clear, but what stood out most was the energy in the room. It felt less like a formal presentation and more like friends swapping stories, the way fans trade comic book or gaming knowledge, with each detail adding to a shared world.
The event was held at the Mott Haven Library and hosted by the Bronx County Historical Society, with Mott Haven History Keeper DJ Charlie Hustle leading the evening’s presentation.
Drawing from his personal archive of more than 1,000 historic photographs, Charlie guided the room through images of Mott Haven as it once was, focusing on its streets, storefronts, neighbors, and everyday moments that often go undocumented.
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Charles ‘DJ Charlie Hustle’ Johnson giving a presentation: Credit: TalkTeaV
“It’s very important that we know our history, where we came from, so we can know where we’re going in the future,” DJ Charlie said. His connection to this history is personal and deeply rooted. A lifelong creative, community organizer, and resident of Mott Haven, his work sits at the intersection of lived experience and preservation.
The Mott Haven Photo Museum reflects that approach, treating neighborhood history not as something sealed in the past, but as a shared record shaped by the people who remember it, recognize it, and continue to live it.
Book cover for 'The Dancing Gangsters of the South Bronx by Willie Estrada: Image (L) Courtesy of Mott Haven History Keepers
The evening began with Charlie acknowledging the recent loss of fellow Mott Haven History Keeper Willie Estrada. The author of 'The Dancing Gangsters of the South Bronx,' Estrada was one of the pioneers of the Latin Hustle, which originated in the South Bronx in the early 1970s.
“The one thing I want to say about Willie, with respect to his history,” Charlie said, “is that the contributions of Puerto Rican people should never be discredited and should always be celebrated. They are a very important part of South Bronx and Mott Haven history. In honor of Willie, we can never, ever, let that go without being celebrated.”
(L to R) 149th platform, 3rd Ave El Northwest, Rupert Ice Factory, and History Channel sign. Credit: Photos by Joseph H. Frank / Images Courtesy of Mott Haven Photo Museum
As the evening continued, DJ Charlie shared photos of the Third Avenue Elevated train, which was torn down, as well as images of lost buildings and Bronx neighborhoods lined with cobblestone streets.
The iconic History Channel sign that once sat atop the Ruppert Ice House sparked excitement, prompting discussion about earlier advertisements in the same spot, including Knickerbocker Beer, Cities Service Oil (later known as Citgo), and Kent Cigarettes, along with more recent brands such as iHeartRadio and Uber.
The Mott Haven Photo Museum is a public Google Photo Album founded by DJ Charlie Hustle, where community members can view and share historic images of the South Bronx. The album, dated Nov 26, 1614 to Nov 4, 2025, also contains maps, advertisements, blueprints, and newspaper clippings with stories of a daring robbery and real estate news, as well as a story about three siblings from the Bronx whose misadventure left them living for four days in St. Mary's Park.
Mott Haven History Keepers: Winter/Spring 2026 Community Event Schedule: Credit: The Bronx County Historical Society
The Bronx County Historical Society has three upcoming events open to anyone in New York interested in Bronx history. On Feb. 17, 2026, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., a Scanning Party will offer hands-on help digitizing old photos, flyers, and documents, with attendees encouraged to bring personal materials to scan for free.
A Past and Present Collages session follows on March 10, 2026, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., inviting participants of all ages to create collages using copies of historic South Bronx images and artifacts. The series concludes April 14, 2026, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., with a South Bronx Trivia Night, giving neighbors a chance to test their local knowledge in a friendly competition, with history-themed prizes for winners.
By the end of the evening, it was clear that preservation is not limited to photographs, archives, or displays. The act of gathering itself helps keep history alive. Sitting together, pointing at familiar corners, correcting details, and sharing memories is its own form of preservation.
A group portrait of the Mott Haven History Keepers: Credit: Photo by TalkTeaV/Courtesy of Mott Haven History Keepers
While the history keepers are a tight-knit community, the atmosphere was more than inviting and relaxed. It’s important to highlight that the knowledge at these events is cross-generational, with the elders passing down the missing pieces through little-known stories.
Long before libraries, museums, or digital archives, communities passed down their histories by coming together to talk them through. That same impulse was present in the room at the Mott Haven Library. The photos sparked memories, but it was the conversation around them that gave those images continued life.
In that way, the work of the South Bronx History Keepers goes beyond saving what once was. Each session becomes part of the living record of the neighborhood, ensuring that Mott Haven is remembered not just through images, but through the people seated at these gatherings.
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