THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE

1920S

THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE 1920s Harlem, a New York suburb Center of black culture for the time Influx of artists, musicians and writers All uniting in a common bond Some of the greatest art ever

seen/heard Jazz musicAmazing poetryPaintings and scultures

This is the first time in American history that black America is able to shine

MARCUS GARVEY Militant activists that used

defiance to push for equality Founded the UNIA

Universal Negro Improvement Association

Economic success the way to earn equality

Imprisoned and exiled for cause

ZORA NEALE HURSTON Playwright, short story writer, & novelist Wrote: Their Eyes Were Watching God Works were celebrated by Af-Ams and

Feminists Wrote in resistance to help gain equality

LANGSTON HUGHES Poet and writer Works centered

around defiance and hope

Recorded the distinctive culture of Harlem in the 1920s

AARON DOUGLAS Painter, muralist and

professor Called “Father of

African Art” Expressed Af-Am

heritage and culture in art in his black/white 2 dimensional paintings

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON Writer, educator, lawyer,

songwriter, professor and head of NAACP

Published: God’s Trombones

Renaissance man and a leader for black equality

LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND BESSIE SMITH Paved the way for the expression of

African Americans in music Leading personalities in music and

society Showed struggle for equality in their

music