Harlem Harlem Renaissance Renaissance Guiding Question: How can we Guiding Question: How can we stake a claim in our own identity?stake a claim in our own identity?

The Time Period The Time Period

1920’s-1930’s 1920’s-1930’s Centered in the Harlem Neighborhood of Centered in the Harlem Neighborhood of

New York CityNew York City The first time that publishers and The first time that publishers and

producers took seriously African producers took seriously African American Literature, music and other art American Literature, music and other art formsforms

BeginningsBeginnings

After the civil war, African Americans were After the civil war, African Americans were allowed to obtain an education and thus a allowed to obtain an education and thus a larger African American middle class was born. larger African American middle class was born.

Hundreds of thousands of African Americans Hundreds of thousands of African Americans moved from the agricultural south to the moved from the agricultural south to the industrial cities of the north.industrial cities of the north.

Proximity to each other allowed culture to Proximity to each other allowed culture to flourishflourish

They developed a political and social agendaThey developed a political and social agenda

DebatesDebates

The Harlem Renaissance allowed African The Harlem Renaissance allowed African Americans to celebrate their culture and Americans to celebrate their culture and to work for advancement but there were to work for advancement but there were huge debates as to how to best huge debates as to how to best accomplish this. accomplish this.

W.E.B. Dubois vs. Booker W.E.B. Dubois vs. Booker T. WashingtonT. Washington

W.E.B. Dubois, a famous sociologist from NY, W.E.B. Dubois, a famous sociologist from NY, NY argued that African Americans should NY argued that African Americans should celebrate the uniqueness of their culture, art and celebrate the uniqueness of their culture, art and thought in his work thought in his work The Souls of Black Folk The Souls of Black Folk

Booker T. Washington, on the other hand, Booker T. Washington, on the other hand, believed that full assimilation would be key to believed that full assimilation would be key to advancement. Meaning, that African Americans advancement. Meaning, that African Americans should try to become part of white culture. He should try to become part of white culture. He founded Tulane University.founded Tulane University.

What do you think?What do you think?

In order to gain advancement should In order to gain advancement should minorities celebrate their uniqueness or minorities celebrate their uniqueness or should they try to be more like the should they try to be more like the dominant group? dominant group?

Same Debate, Different Same Debate, Different EraEra

Malcolm X vs. MLK Malcolm X vs. MLK

Famous Members of the Famous Members of the Harlem RenaissanceHarlem Renaissance

Langston HughesLangston Hughes Zora Neale HurstonZora Neale Hurston W.E.B. DuboisW.E.B. Dubois Marcus Gavey (Back to Africa Movement)Marcus Gavey (Back to Africa Movement) Claude McKayClaude McKay Louis ArmstrongLouis Armstrong Bessie SmithBessie Smith Richard WrightRichard Wright Countee Cullen (artist)Countee Cullen (artist)

Harlem Renaissance Harlem Renaissance

Watch Clip from VideoWatch Clip from Video

Langston HughesLangston Hughes

(February 1, 1902 - May 22, 1967)(February 1, 1902 - May 22, 1967) Born in Joplin, Missouri, Hughes began writing poetry in Born in Joplin, Missouri, Hughes began writing poetry in the eighth grade, and was selected as Class Poet. His the eighth grade, and was selected as Class Poet. His father didn't think he would be able to make a living at father didn't think he would be able to make a living at writing, and encouraged him to pursue a more practical writing, and encouraged him to pursue a more practical career. He paid his son's tuition to Columbia University on career. He paid his son's tuition to Columbia University on the grounds he study engineering. After a short time, the grounds he study engineering. After a short time, Langston dropped out of the program with a B+ average; Langston dropped out of the program with a B+ average; all the while he continued writing poetry. His first all the while he continued writing poetry. His first published poem was also one of his most famous, "The published poem was also one of his most famous, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers.” Later, his poems, short plays, Negro Speaks of Rivers.” Later, his poems, short plays, essays and short stories appeared in the NAACP essays and short stories appeared in the NAACP publication publication Crisis MagazineCrisis Magazine and in and in Opportunity MagazineOpportunity Magazine and other publications.and other publications.

The Great DebatersThe Great Debaters

Watch a Langston Hughes’ Poem read Watch a Langston Hughes’ Poem read by Denzel Washington.by Denzel Washington.

Richard WrightRichard Wright

In 1927, after years of family movements through the American In 1927, after years of family movements through the American South, Wright moved from Memphis to Chicago, where he would South, Wright moved from Memphis to Chicago, where he would soon go to work in the soon go to work in the post officepost office, an experience he used in his , an experience he used in his novel novel Lawd Today!Lawd Today!. In the early thirties, he began his literary . In the early thirties, he began his literary career publishing poetry and short stories in such magazines as career publishing poetry and short stories in such magazines as Left FrontLeft Front, , AnvilAnvil, and , and New MassesNew Masses. The success of . The success of Uncle Tom's Uncle Tom's ChildrenChildren in 1938 and in 1938 and Native SonNative Son in 1940 propelled Wright to in 1940 propelled Wright to international fame. In 1947, in reaction to the continued racism he international fame. In 1947, in reaction to the continued racism he encountered in America, Wright decided to move to France for an encountered in America, Wright decided to move to France for an indefinite period. indefinite period.

Louis ArmstrongLouis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong was the greatest of all Jazz musicians. Louis Armstrong was the greatest of all Jazz musicians. His amazing technical abilities, the joy and spontaneity, His amazing technical abilities, the joy and spontaneity, and amazingly quick, inventive musical mind still and amazingly quick, inventive musical mind still dominate Jazz to this day. Like almost all early Jazz dominate Jazz to this day. Like almost all early Jazz musicians, Louis was from New Orleans. He was from a musicians, Louis was from New Orleans. He was from a very poor family and was sent to reform school when he very poor family and was sent to reform school when he was twelve after firing a gun in the air on New Year's was twelve after firing a gun in the air on New Year's Eve. At the school he learned to play cornet. After being Eve. At the school he learned to play cornet. After being released at age fourteen, he worked selling papers, released at age fourteen, he worked selling papers, unloading boats, and selling coal from a cart. He didn't unloading boats, and selling coal from a cart. He didn't own an instrument at this time, but continued to listen to own an instrument at this time, but continued to listen to bands at clubs like the Funky Butt Hall!bands at clubs like the Funky Butt Hall!

Jelly Roll MortonJelly Roll Morton

Jelly Roll Morton was the first great composer and piano Jelly Roll Morton was the first great composer and piano player of Jazz. He was a talented arranger who wrote player of Jazz. He was a talented arranger who wrote special scores that took advantage of the three-minute special scores that took advantage of the three-minute limitations of the 78 rpm records. But more than all these limitations of the 78 rpm records. But more than all these things, he was a real character whose spirit shines brightly things, he was a real character whose spirit shines brightly through history, like his diamond studded smile. As a through history, like his diamond studded smile. As a teenager Jelly Roll Morton worked in the whorehouses of teenager Jelly Roll Morton worked in the whorehouses of Storyville as a piano player. From 1904 to 1917 Jelly Roll Storyville as a piano player. From 1904 to 1917 Jelly Roll rambled around the South. He worked as a gambler, pool rambled around the South. He worked as a gambler, pool shark, pimp, vaudeville comedian and as a pianist. He was shark, pimp, vaudeville comedian and as a pianist. He was an important transitional figure between ragtime and jazz an important transitional figure between ragtime and jazz piano styles.piano styles.

Bessie SmithBessie Smith

Bessie Smith was a rough, crude, violent woman. She was Bessie Smith was a rough, crude, violent woman. She was also the greatest of the classic Blues singers of the 1920s. also the greatest of the classic Blues singers of the 1920s. Bessie started out as a street musician in Chattanooga. In Bessie started out as a street musician in Chattanooga. In 1912 Bessie joined a traveling show as a dancer and 1912 Bessie joined a traveling show as a dancer and singer. The show featured Pa and Ma Rainey, and Smith singer. The show featured Pa and Ma Rainey, and Smith developed a friendship with Ma. Ma Rainey was Bessie's developed a friendship with Ma. Ma Rainey was Bessie's mentor and she stayed with her show until 1915. Bessie mentor and she stayed with her show until 1915. Bessie then joined the T.O.B.A. vaudeville circuit and gradually then joined the T.O.B.A. vaudeville circuit and gradually built up her own following in the south and along the built up her own following in the south and along the eastern seaboard. By the early 1920s she was one of the eastern seaboard. By the early 1920s she was one of the most popular Blues singers in vaudeville.most popular Blues singers in vaudeville.

ArtArt

What the Art History What the Art History Textbooks say:Textbooks say:

It is certainly an era that African-It is certainly an era that African-Americans can be proud of and a time Americans can be proud of and a time when a once severely oppressed people, when a once severely oppressed people, began to expect more from life. They began to expect more from life. They became more vocal and expressive became more vocal and expressive about the state of their affairs. They took about the state of their affairs. They took charge of adding flair and joviality to their charge of adding flair and joviality to their lifestyle. lifestyle.

Their Eyes Were Their Eyes Were Watching GodWatching God

Look at pages 34-45 in the book. Look at pages 34-45 in the book. What do you notice about the way that What do you notice about the way that

the book is written? the book is written?

DialectDialect

is a is a varietyvariety of a of a languagelanguage that is characteristic that is characteristic of a particular group of the language's of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors, such as social also be defined by other factors, such as social class. Sometimes in stories authors use class. Sometimes in stories authors use dialects to make a character stand out. An dialects to make a character stand out. An adjective which can be used is VERNACULAR.adjective which can be used is VERNACULAR.

Why use dialect?Why use dialect?

Why would Zora Neale Hurston, a Why would Zora Neale Hurston, a member of the Harlem Renaissance, use member of the Harlem Renaissance, use original dialect in her dialogue of African original dialect in her dialogue of African American characters? American characters?

Why wouldn’t she just write it out in plain Why wouldn’t she just write it out in plain English language? English language?

What is your Dialect?What is your Dialect?

IDK, my BFF needs to call me back. IDK, my BFF needs to call me back. We were LOL when were chill-axing. We were LOL when were chill-axing. Write your own:Write your own:

ValueValue

What is “proper” English? What is “proper” English? What is the value of knowing “proper” What is the value of knowing “proper”

English?English? What is the value of using “proper” What is the value of using “proper”

English? English? Why don’t we value slang? Should we Why don’t we value slang? Should we

value slang?value slang?

Who is Zora Neale Who is Zora Neale Hurston?Hurston?

Zora Neale Hurston wrote Zora Neale Hurston wrote Their Eyes Were Watching Their Eyes Were Watching GodGod over seven weeks in Haiti. The novel was over seven weeks in Haiti. The novel was published in 1937. Though the novel was written while published in 1937. Though the novel was written while abroad, Hurston’s home base was actually New York, abroad, Hurston’s home base was actually New York, where she played a prominent role in what we now call where she played a prominent role in what we now call the Harlem Renaissance the Harlem Renaissance

AnthropologistAnthropologist FolkloristFolklorist WriterWriter

Autobiographical? Autobiographical?

People argue (as with most women’s literature) that the People argue (as with most women’s literature) that the story is autobiographical—it uses aspects of Zora’s life story is autobiographical—it uses aspects of Zora’s life in Janie’s life. in Janie’s life.

Possible, but remember that her whole intention was to Possible, but remember that her whole intention was to depict African American life in a positive light (to depict African American life in a positive light (to celebrate the culture and people).celebrate the culture and people).

Hurston married and divorced three husbands and, at Hurston married and divorced three husbands and, at age forty-four, fell in love with twenty-three-year-old age forty-four, fell in love with twenty-three-year-old Percy Punter. When he asked her to forsake her career Percy Punter. When he asked her to forsake her career to marry him, she refused because she "had things to marry him, she refused because she "had things clawing inside [her] that must be said." She wrote clawing inside [her] that must be said." She wrote Their Their Eyes Were Watching God, Eyes Were Watching God, trying in its pages "to trying in its pages "to embalm all the tenderness of [her] passion for him." embalm all the tenderness of [her] passion for him."