The Harlem Renaissance

What was the Harlem Renaissance?

African American cultural movement of the African American cultural movement of the 1920’s and early 30’s1920’s and early 30’s

Centered in Centered in Harlem Consisted of African American literature, Consisted of African American literature,

art, and musicart, and music 11stst time in American history that black time in American history that black

artists could earn their livings and be artists could earn their livings and be critically acclaimed in these fieldscritically acclaimed in these fields

The Beginnings

A. Developmentof aBlack

Middle Class

B. TheGreat

Migration

C. Political AgendaPromotingEqualRights

I. Factors Leadingto

the HarlemRenaissance

A. The Black Middle Class

Developed by 1900Developed by 1900 Increased Increased

Education of Education of African AmericansAfrican Americans

Increased Increased Employment Employment OpportunitiesOpportunities

B. The Great Migration

Movement of African Movement of African Americans from the Americans from the South to the NorthSouth to the North

1900-1930 One 1900-1930 One Million African Million African Americans moved Americans moved NorthNorth

1900-1920 Black 1900-1920 Black population of Harlem population of Harlem DoubledDoubled

                                     

Why Move?

Depression in the Depression in the Agricultural SouthAgricultural South

WWI Industrial Boom WWI Industrial Boom in the Northin the North

Growing Oppression Growing Oppression and Racism in the and Racism in the SouthSouth

Better Quality of LifeBetter Quality of Life

Why Harlem?

Available housingAvailable housing New York was the cultural center of New York was the cultural center of

AmericaAmerica The black population in Harlem was large-The black population in Harlem was large-

200,000 by 1930200,000 by 1930 National headquarters for recently founded National headquarters for recently founded

protest and political groups-NAACP and protest and political groups-NAACP and the Urban Leaguethe Urban League

C. Political Agenda Promoting Equal Rights

CharacteristicsCharacteristics No common style or No common style or

political ideologypolitical ideology Common themes: Africa, Common themes: Africa,

American South, Racial American South, Racial Pride, Social & Political Pride, Social & Political EqualityEquality

Appealed to a mixed Appealed to a mixed audienceaudience

Founders of the Harlem Renaissance

Alain Leroy LockeAlain Leroy LockeW.E.B. DuBoisW.E.B. DuBois

Alain Leroy Locke

Born in PhiladelphiaBorn in Philadelphia September 13, 1886September 13, 1886 Ph.D. in philosophy-Ph.D. in philosophy-

HarvardHarvard Professor Howard Professor Howard

UniversityUniversity Cultural Pluralism: each Cultural Pluralism: each

culture group has its own culture group has its own identity and it is entitled identity and it is entitled to protect and promote itto protect and promote it

W.E.B. DuBois William Edward Burghardt William Edward Burghardt

DuBoisDuBois Ph.D HarvardPh.D Harvard Helped form NAACPHelped form NAACP Editor of Editor of The CrisisThe Crisis Extremely influential in the Extremely influential in the

literary world of the Harlem literary world of the Harlem RenaissanceRenaissance

““The problem of the The problem of the twentieth century is the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line.”problem of the color-line.”

-DuBois-DuBois

W.E.B. Du Bois’ The Souls of Black Folk

““Leaving, then, the world of the white man, Leaving, then, the world of the white man, I have stepped within the Veil, raising it I have stepped within the Veil, raising it that you may view faintly its deeper that you may view faintly its deeper recesses,-the meaning of its religion, the recesses,-the meaning of its religion, the passion of its human sorrow, and the passion of its human sorrow, and the struggle of its greater souls.”struggle of its greater souls.”

From: “The From: “The Forethought”Forethought”

“Of Our Spiritual Strivings” W.E.B.DuBois

““Between me and the other world there is ever an unasked Between me and the other world there is ever an unasked question: unasked by some through feelings of delicacy; by question: unasked by some through feelings of delicacy; by others through the difficulty of rightly framing it. All, others through the difficulty of rightly framing it. All, nevertheless, flutter round it. They approach me in a half-nevertheless, flutter round it. They approach me in a half-hesitant sort of way, eye me curiously or compassionately, and hesitant sort of way, eye me curiously or compassionately, and then, instead of saying directly, How does it feel to be a then, instead of saying directly, How does it feel to be a problem? They say, I know an excellent colored man in my problem? They say, I know an excellent colored man in my town; or, I fought at Mechanicsville; or, Do not these Southern town; or, I fought at Mechanicsville; or, Do not these Southern outrages make your blood boil? At these I smile, or am outrages make your blood boil? At these I smile, or am interested, or reduce the boiling to a simmer, as the occasion interested, or reduce the boiling to a simmer, as the occasion may require. To the real question, How does it feel to be a may require. To the real question, How does it feel to be a problem? I answer seldom a word.”problem? I answer seldom a word.”

From: From: The Souls of Black FolkThe Souls of Black Folk

The NAACP National Association for National Association for

the Advancement of the Advancement of Colored PeopleColored People

Founded by 60 people-Founded by 60 people-black & white-on black & white-on Abraham Lincoln’s Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, 1909birthday, 1909

Purpose: improving the Purpose: improving the conditions under which conditions under which black Americans livedblack Americans lived

The Crisis Founded 1910 by Du BoisFounded 1910 by Du Bois Published by the NAACPPublished by the NAACP Became the most Became the most

influential and prestigious influential and prestigious black periodical in black periodical in American historyAmerican history

Circulation: 1910-1,750 Circulation: 1910-1,750 per issue; 1919-94,908 per per issue; 1919-94,908 per issue, some topping issue, some topping 100,000100,000

Literature and the Harlem Renaissance

C la ud e M cK ay C ou n te e C u llen L a ng s to n H u gh es Z o ra N ea le H u rs ton

W r ite rso f the

H ar lemR e na issa n ce

Claude McKay September 15, 1890September 15, 1890 Born in JamaicaBorn in Jamaica Immigrated in 1912Immigrated in 1912 Socialist editor of Socialist editor of The LiberatorThe Liberator 11stst two poems published in 1917 two poems published in 1917

under a pseudonymunder a pseudonym Red Summer of 1919 led to his Red Summer of 1919 led to his

best known poem “If We Must best known poem “If We Must Die”Die”

1922-1922-Harlem ShadowsHarlem Shadows one of one of the first works by a black writer the first works by a black writer to be published by a to be published by a mainstream, national publishermainstream, national publisher

Countee Cullen

March 30, 1903March 30, 1903 AdoptedAdopted Masters in English and Masters in English and

French from HarvardFrench from Harvard Won more major literary Won more major literary

awards than any other awards than any other black writer in the 1920sblack writer in the 1920s

““Crossover” artist in that Crossover” artist in that he was known for his he was known for his ability to write “white” ability to write “white” verse-ballads, quatrains, verse-ballads, quatrains, and sonnetsand sonnets

Langston Hughes

Born 1902, Joplin, MissouriBorn 1902, Joplin, Missouri June 1921-“The Negro June 1921-“The Negro

Speaks of Rivers” published Speaks of Rivers” published in in The CrisisThe Crisis

Sept. 1921-Moved to New Sept. 1921-Moved to New York to attend Columbia York to attend Columbia University, and participate University, and participate in Harlem lifein Harlem life

1922-1924 traveled abroad1922-1924 traveled abroad By 1926 considered a major By 1926 considered a major

force in the Harlem force in the Harlem RenaissanceRenaissance

Popular Works by Hughes

PoemsPoems ““The Negro Speaks of The Negro Speaks of

Rivers”Rivers” ““Harlem” renamed Harlem” renamed

“Dream Deferred”“Dream Deferred” ““I, Too”I, Too” ““The Weary Blues”The Weary Blues” ““Dream Variations”Dream Variations” ““Mother to Son”Mother to Son”

Books and EssaysBooks and Essays The Weary BluesThe Weary Blues Fine Clothes to the JewFine Clothes to the Jew The Ways of White The Ways of White

FolksFolks Simple Speaks His Simple Speaks His

MindMind ““The Negro Artist and The Negro Artist and

the Racial Mountain”the Racial Mountain”

Zora Neale Hurston January 7, 1891January 7, 1891 Eatonville, FL-1Eatonville, FL-1stst incorporated incorporated

black community in Americablack community in America Novelist, folklorist, Novelist, folklorist,

anthropologistanthropologist Columbia UniversityColumbia University Authority on Black Culture Authority on Black Culture

during the Harlem Renaissanceduring the Harlem Renaissance A UtopianA Utopian 1934-Jonah’s Gourd Vine1934-Jonah’s Gourd Vine 1937-Their Eyes Were Watching 1937-Their Eyes Were Watching

GodGod Died 1960 in poverty and Died 1960 in poverty and

obscurityobscurity

Literary Events of the Harlem Renaissance

March 21, 1924-Charles S. Johnson (March 21, 1924-Charles S. Johnson (National National Urban LeagueUrban League) held a dinner to recognize black ) held a dinner to recognize black writers and to introduce them to the white literary writers and to introduce them to the white literary establishmentestablishment

1926-White novelist Carl Van Vechten publishes 1926-White novelist Carl Van Vechten publishes a novel that portrayed life in Harlem, creating a a novel that portrayed life in Harlem, creating a “Negro vogue”“Negro vogue”

1926-The magazine 1926-The magazine Fire!!Fire!! was published by a was published by a group of young black writers including Hughes group of young black writers including Hughes and Hurstonand Hurston

The End of the Harlem Renaissance

Ended in the 1930sEnded in the 1930s The Great DepressionThe Great Depression Organizations such as NAACP & NUL Organizations such as NAACP & NUL

shifted focus to economic and social issuesshifted focus to economic and social issues Many writers and promoters left NYC Many writers and promoters left NYC

including Du Bois and Hughesincluding Du Bois and Hughes Riot in Harlem in 1935 Riot in Harlem in 1935

Lasting Effects

Changed the face of African American arts Changed the face of African American arts in the United Statesin the United States

Opened the door for future writers, as Opened the door for future writers, as publishers and the public were more open to publishers and the public were more open to African American literatureAfrican American literature

Acted as inspiration to future writers, Acted as inspiration to future writers, painters, and musicianspainters, and musicians