HARLEM RENAISSANCE(Early 1920s-Early 1930s)

•The Great Migration and the end of WWI contributed to the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance•Renaissance means “rebirth,” but HR wasthe first opportunity AAs had to give birthto and celebrate the uniqueness of AAculture•Conservative AAs wanted the literature touplift the reader•Radical, younger AAs wanted the literatureto show a realistic view of our life

•Bulk of AA influence = “Talented 10th”(physicians, dentists, educators, preachers,business people, lawyers and morticians)

•In 1917 about 2,132 AAs were in colleges(approx.. 50 of whom attended whiteuniversities)

•Jean Toomer had experienced a lot and beganto share with other writers while still othersreturned to the South to see the problemsfor themselves

•Music was so much a part of our lives thatwhites had to accept some of us (DukeEllington, Cab Calloway)

•Some work was influenced by white artistsand writers (Bohemians and Revolutionarieswho were fascinated with the life of AAs

•Very little fiction and poetry was producedby AAs prior to HHR (esp.. with death ofPaul L. Dunbar)

•If the belief was true that the “everyday man”(poor workers) was dehumanized and caused to appear stupid, then the thought was what of the black man who in most cases was not part of the “everyday man?” How did he feel?

- For the Blacks - the art was a means to changesociety in order to be accepted into it

- For the Whites - the art was a means to changesociety before they would accept it

•Difference between the Whites who supported the Black movement and the Blacks themselves:

•New Negro Arts Movement led to NAACPand NUL and their respective publications(The Crisis and Opportunity)

•Whites began to flock to dramas by Blacksand blacks saw this as a way to begin tomainstream their work

•Literary works and drama showed the plightof Blacks

•HR also due to economic gains of AAs

•Civil rights leaders believed they could useall this attention to succeed in revamping ourimage and began to repackage the messagesent out about Blacks

•HR was during the time of the Civil Rights Movement, NUL and NAACP - a period oftime of interracial collaboration

•Harlem (known as the “Negro Capital ofthe World”) grew with all kinds of people(bootleggers, racketeers, politicians,religious leaders, cults, beauticians, tohardworking families) wanting a better lifefor themselves and their children•Not everything was “renaissance:”- The Black church was denigrated- Intellectual vs.. emotional- The Blues- Funky artists (not accepted, so they shut down one Black owned company)