The Harlem Renaissance was an important cultural movement in the 1920s-1930s that allowed African American art, music, and literature to flourish. It gave black artists and intellectuals an opportunity to express themselves and be heard by both black and white audiences. Key figures like W.E.B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey helped establish organizations that advocated for civil rights and black empowerment. The Harlem Renaissance inspired pride in African American culture and helped legitimize black artistic expression through mediums such as jazz, poetry, novels, and visual art.

1. Essay about The Harlem Renaissance
Occurring in the 1920's and into the 1930's, the Harlem Renaissance was an important movement for
African–Americans all across America. This movement allowed the black culture to be heard and
accepted by white citizens. The movement was expressed through art, music, and literature. These
things were also the most known, and remembered things of the renaissance. Also this movement,
because of some very strong, moving and inspiring people changed political views for
African–Americans. Compared to before, The Harlem Renaissance had major effects on America
during and after its time. After the end of the civil war African Americans had more opportunity and
freedom since the men were soldiers of the civil war. Most African Americans had the...show more
content...
During the 1900's the population of African Americans in Harlem doubled plus many well–known
and brightest black entrepreneurs, intellectuals and artists moved there as well. Eventually the
city was known as the capital of black America and also known as "The Black Mecca." In the
Early 1900's the African Americans who were working and living in middle class began speaking
out for a revolutionized political agenda that would push for equality between races. One of the
most famous civil right activists that lead the movement was W.E.B Du Bois. Du Bois was a
Harvard scholar and a sociologist. He collaborated with other African American activists and even
some white workers who also wanted civil rights. After meeting in New York and discussing with
other black people in the city, the activists formed and found the group National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People or NAACP. Also during the time of the finding of NAACP a man
named Marcus Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African
Communities League (UNIA–ACL). Marcus Garvey was a political leader from Jamaica and was
also an entrepreneur. He strongly believed in change for the African American culture and proved his
support in the movement by finding the UNIA–ACL. The goal of this movement was to reunite all
people that have African ancestry to create one community with one powerful government. With the
help of the National Urban
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2. Essay on The Harlem Renaissance
During the 20th century a unique awakening of mind and spirit, of race consciousness, and artistic
advancement emerged within the African American community in New York City. This emergence
has brought about the greatest artistic movement in African American history. After the failure of the
Reconstruction period the Negro was not considered either a person or an America. The idea that a
Negro was an American was totally unacceptable to the white ruling class. The acceptance of
lynching and denied voting rights and equal protection under the law, and equal education and
housing in Southern states affirmed their non– personhood in America. During the 20th century a
new generation...show more content...
African Americans throughout the United States and abroad became part of the movement in
Harlem. . New forms of blues, jazz, and ragtime flourished during this time. The development of
the phonograph, radio, and works by Scott Joplin, and Eubie Blake became the most popular
music in Harlem and in America. This new sound influenced the more conservative sounds of
European and folk music. It also brought forth black Broadway musicals beginning with Eubie
Blake and Noble Sissle's musical "Shuffle Along" in 1921.By 1930, this music brought forth such
musical legends as Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong, from New Orleans, and the voice of
Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald made the music more well known. Poets, playwrights, novelists
and artists came from all over the United States to Harlem , to share their thoughts, their stories of
the past, and art that expressed Negro life and the beauty seen through their eyes even though racism
existed. Sometimes it was difficult to get recognition or exposure in the literary community. But
W.E.B. Du Bois presented many works in his magazine the Crisis. Also Mr. Spurgeon Johnson, a
member of the National Urban League, hosted parties for newcomers
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3. The Harlem Renaissance Essay
HARLEM RENAISSANCE
Throughout the history of African Americans, there have been important historical figures as well
as times. Revered and inspirational leaders and eras like, Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights
Movement, Nat Turner and the slave revolt, or Huey Newton and the Black Panther Party. One such
period that will always remain a significant part of black art and culture is the Harlem Renaissance. It
changed the meaning of art and poetry, as it was known then. Furthermore, the Harlem Renaissance
forever left a mark on the evolution of the black culture.
The Harlem Renaissance found its birth in the early 1920's, in Harlem, New York. The period has
been thought of as one of African Americans greatest times in...show more content...
Hurston later went on to publish "Their Eyes were Watching God," in 1937, still keeping with the
themes of strong black characters.
Music was another art form found in the Harlem Renaissance. It became the background,
inspiration, and the structure for the Harlem Renaissance literature. A style of music known as
jazz represented the new, urban, unpredictable lifestyle. One of the greatest jazz singers of this
time was Bessie Smith. She was a southerner and her recordings were rare for black performers
during her time. Duke Ellington, whose legendary band played at the Cotton Club, personifies jazz.
Charlie Parker and Billie Holiday would also record jazz music form the 1930's until the 1950's.
Langston Hughes was one of the few poets that would combine both blues and jazz to create an
original art form. Claude McKay used the jazz atmosphere in his novel "Home to Harlem." In this
novel, he presented Harlem as a beautiful, fantastic place. In the Harlem Renaissance somewhere
using words to create images, while others were using canvas and various mediums to produce a
visual art.
By 1926, another stage in the developmental history of African–American visual artists came about,
with the establishment of the Harmon Foundation. The Harmon Foundation became a tool for
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4. Essay on The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance refers to a prolific period of unique works of
African–American expression from about the end of World War I to the beginning of the Great
Depression. Although it is most commonly associated with the literary works produced during those
years, the Harlem Renaissance was much more than a literary movement; similarly, it was not simply
a reaction against and criticism of racism. The Harlem Renaissance inspired, cultivated, and, most
importantly, legitimated the very idea of an African–American cultural consciousness. Concerned
with a wide range of issues and possessing different interpretations and solutions of these issues
affecting the Black population, the writers, artists, performers and...show more content...
These migrations created the first urban Black communities in the North, which flourished in
Chicago, New York, Detroit, and Cleveland.[ii] In New York, in particular, a "sizeable chunk of
real estate in the heart of Manhattan" had been available, and, as it came to be occupied by Blacks,
had become the site of "a series of literary discussions in the lower Manhattan (Greenwich Village)
and upper Manhattan (Harlem) sections." These discussions were largely influenced by an increased
availability of African–American literature, one of the most important being the publication of The
New Negro, an anthology of works compiled by Alain Leroy Locke. Locke compared the northern
migration of Blacks to "something like a spiritual emancipation," and the anthology exposed people
to the works of Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Zora Neale Hurston, among many others. These
discussions became known as the New Negro Movement, and as they fueled other social activity,
specifically in a spirit of 'progressivism' that believed in "art and literature as agents of social
change," the Harlem Renaissance.[2] Although the works were about race and/or concerned about
race, it is important to note that there was not a single sociopolitical vision that dominated the works
of the Renaissance. In addition to Locke, there were two other extremely influential
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5. The Harlem Renaissance Essay
The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and literary period of growth promoting a new African
American cultural identity in the United States. The years of 1920 and 1990 and "were clear peak
periods of African American cultural production." During these years blacks were able to come
together and form a united group that expressed a desire for enlightenment. "It is difficult not to
recognize the signs that African Americans are in the midst of a cultural renaissance" (English 807).
This renaissance allowed Blacks to have a uniform voice in a society based upon intellectual growth.
The front–runners of this revival were extremely focused on cultural growth through means of
intellect, literature, art and music. By using these means...show more content...
Each part of the United States had their different standpoints towards blacks and the leaders of the
Harlem Renaissance were devoted to crushing the negative attitudes placed upon the
Afro–Americans. During this time race was a social construct. Everyday lives were affected by
skin color whether people were aware or not. For years African Americans were shunned into a
classification that viewed their society as less than human. Toomer's novel shows the ability race
has to affect and intersect different aspects and domains of society and life, as well as dismantle
it. Jean Toomer created this piece of art for a reason. Cane suggests that the social construct
created upon race should be avoided, for people of all different social classes have equal potential
for success. Jean Toomer was born Nathnan Eugene Pinchback Toomer, on December 26, 1894 in
Washington, D.C. His father was Nathan Toomer, a light skinned man who could pass for white,
and his mother, Nina Pinchback was of African descent, but was also light skinned. Her father was
the governor of Louisiana at the time and he was the first African American to assume the position
of governor. As a boy, wherever Jean moved to, he would live in all white neighborhoods. The
schools he attended varied with each move. For the majority of his childhood he was in all black
schools, but there is record that Toomer attended two all white schools also. Jean
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