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Alain Leroy Locke's Life During The Harlem Renaissance

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African Americans Make History The Harlem Renaissance was a time period where African American culture flourished (326). There were several prominent composers in literature, art, and music. This time period lasted from 1917 until 1935. The Harlem Renaissance is important in history because African Americans finally received recognition for their talents. They now had the opportunity to influence others with their pieces of music, art, and literature. One of the most famous writers during the Renaissance period was Alain Leroy Locke. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Locke was a philosopher who graduated from Harvard University. He is most known for his piece called “The New Negro,” and it expanded into anthology. This became known as the New Negro Movement. In Alain’s writings, he focused on African American’s finding out who they really were (“Alain Leroy Locke”). …show more content…

(“Alain Leroy Locke”). After reading Locke’s writings, one quote stuck out to me, and he says “But while the minds of most of us, black and white, have thus borrowed in the trenches of the Civil War and Reconstruction, the actual march of development has simply flanked these positions, necessitating a sudden reorientation of view. We have not been watching in the right direction; set North and South on a sectional axis, we have not noticed the East till the sun has us blinking.” (“Alain Locke”). This quote was appealing because Alain Locke realizes that most people are still focusing on the troubles that the Civil War and Reconstruction caused. He speaks very positive, and he knows that in order for African Americans to start living better, they will have to look at the positive side of

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