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
The Harlem Renaissance was a time of reinvention and creation for the black citizens of America. Throughout this period in history, black Americans invented new dances, new music genres, new styles and trends. However, one of their most important contributions to this time period was that of their literary contributions which publicly spoke about political and personal issues that authors faced as black citizens. Gwendolyn Bennett, a poet and fiction writer, was one of the main contributors to this movement.
Before the Renaissance, many people, especially blacks, didn’t have much to look up to. Their people were constantly treated wrong and neglected all they could do is wish for a new beginning. The Harlem Renaissance or also the “New Negro Movement” inspired and encouraged people, African Americans the most, in a remarkable way. The musicians during this time did their best to try and be role models to the upcoming kids, the newest generation of that time. They wanted to see their culture continue to grow and become something that people would look back on. Alain Locke one of the most encouraging black Harlem Renaissance Movement Leaders, he inspired all sorts of kids, he was an educator. “To varying degrees, Locke encouraged young black writers,
The Harlem Renaissance was a poetic and musical movement that started in the 1920’s. The Harlem Renaissance was the most popular and influential African American movement in history. The Harlem Renaissance played a big part in shaping music in our world today. In doing so the Harlem Renaissance created many influential musicians, poets, and artists. One of the most if not the most famous and influential musicians was Louis Amrstong.
The Harlem Renaissance referred to the flowering of the African- American art and literature during the 1920s. However, it was mainly experienced in the Harlem in New York City.
The Harlem Renaissance was an event that started during World War One and lasted until the 1930’s. The Harlem Renaissance reshaped art, music, literature and theatre in the African American community. One debated during the Harlem Renaissance was whether folk art or high art best represented racial pride. Folk art best represents racial pride because it does not imitate other people’s art it shows the lives of everyday people, and people could relate to it.
"Race pride" and "race consciousness" cornerstones to the Harlem Renaissance, were closely linked to a new understanding of the African heritage of Black American(Marx 170). The Harlem Renaissance was a period between 1920 and 1940 of great cultural, economic and identity assertion among talented and expressive African Americans. Its high point occurred between 1920 and 1930 but it had started before then and continued after. The art, literature and music of the Harlem Renaissance expressed the rebirth of the African American spirit and it was born in the minds of its poets and in the hears of its common people. Such emotions were expressed in songs, essays, artwork, and dance. The Harlem Renaissance brought along racial pride for blacks.
The Harlem Renaissance is a time in American history where the African-Americans in politics, literature, music, culture and society grew and became a part of the mainstream. This time was in the early 1900 when African American moved to the newly built building in the suburb called Harlem in NYC (New York City). It was 1904 when started families to move from a part of New York City called “Black Bohemia” and relocated themselves to Harlem. This influencing other to move.
The Harlem Renaissance was the rebirth of black literary and musical culture, during the years after War War, which started around 1914 and ended around 1919, in the Harlem section of New York City. The Harlem Renaissance was the most influential times of cultural black history, in so many different aspects. The Harlem Renaissance helped “blacks” in ways that pretty much launched them to a high level them to a higher level in the arts, music, and literature. It is very important because in the 20th century and now in the 21st century, the Harlem Renaissance enabled African Americans to express their feelings through the arts and it also created a trend for other generations because them too could express their feelings.
The Harlem Renaissance was an era full of life, excitement, and activity. The world in all aspects was in gradual recovery from the depression. The world of music was
He was a guest editor of for “Harlem Mecca of the New Negro” in March 1925 and in December of the same year the issue was expanded into The New Negro which is a collection of writings by African Americans. Locke himself contributed five of his essay which was “Forward”, “Negro Youth Speaks”, “The Negro Spirituals”, “The New Negro” and “The Legacy of Ancestral Arts”.
It was in Harlem, New York. During this time Alain Locke named the Harlem Renaissance the “New Negro Movement.” The article Harlem Renaissance by History, states the Harlem Renaissance as “the development of the Harlem neighborhood in New York City as a black cultural mecca in the early 20th Century and the subsequent social and artistic explosion that resulted.” It was named from the culture of African Americans. There was artist, writers, actors, poets, fashion, and more. The Harlem Renaissance was famous for its artistry. The journal Alain Locke written by Beth Helen Stickney, mentions some famous people from the Harlem Renaissance who are Claude McKay, Alain LeRoy Locke, Aaron Douglas, Marcus Garvey, Zora Neale Hurston, Duke Ellington, Josephine Baker, and W. E. B. Du Bois, just to name a few. These are famous poets, activist, musicians, and more. These are some examples of what Alain Locke was describing the metaphor, the “New Negro.” Alain Locke writing is during the Harlem Renaissance and he references Harlem multiple of times within his work. This essay and this movement is significant to each other because of the idea each had on society. The essay the New Negro explain the new and expanded mind of an African American after slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction period, and World War 1. The Harlem Renaissance was the growth of African American
The Harlem Renaissance was a time of racism, injustice, and importance. Somewhere in between the 1920s and 1930s an African American movement occurred in Harlem, New York City. The Harlem Renaissance exalted the unique culture of African-Americans and redefined African-American expression. It was the result of Blacks migrating in the North, mostly Chicago and New York. There were many significant figures, both male and female, that had taken part in the Harlem Renaissance. Ida B. Wells and Langston Hughes exemplify the like and work of this movement.
Harlem Renaissance, a blossoming (c. 1918–37) of African American culture, particularly in the creative arts, and the most influential movement in African American literary history. Embracing literary, musical, theatrical, and visual arts, participants sought to reconceptualize “the Negro” apart from the white stereotypes that had influenced black peoples’ relationship to their heritage and to each other. They also sought to break free of Victorian moral values and bourgeois shame about aspects of their lives that might, as seen by whites, reinforce racist beliefs. Never dominated by a particular school of thought but rather characterized by intense debate, the movement laid the groundwork for all later African American literature and had
The Harlem Renaissance is a very important period in history for many reasons. The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural, social, and artistic explosion that happened in Harlem. Harlem was a cultural center during this time. It drew black artists, musicians, writers, poets, and scholars. It was also very important because it affected black culture for the rest of time. It also advanced them greatly during that time. Black lives during the Harlem Renaissance were definitely not great still. But they were improving. People were starting to respect them more and there art, writing, and music. The Harlem Renaissance created a very new type of music. A new upbeat jazz genre was created. And with this music new dances came with it. Some popular musicians include, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Billie Holiday. It also brought in new poetry. Some famous poets include Langston Hughes, Claude Mckay, and Countee Cullen. Please consider adding the poems “I too”, “After the Winter”, and “Let America Be America Again” and a history of the Harlem Renaissance as an exhibit in your museum.
The Harlem Renaissance was a wonderful allotment of advancement for the black poets and writers of the 1920s and early ‘30s. I see the Harlem Renaissance as a time where people gather together and express their work throughout the world for everyone to see the brilliance and talent the black descendants harness.