The Harlem The Harlem RenaissanceRenaissance

““Harlem was not so much a place Harlem was not so much a place as a state of mind, the cultural as a state of mind, the cultural

metaphor for black America itself.”metaphor for black America itself.”

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Harlem RenaissanceHarlem Renaissance

Lasted from 1919-1937.Lasted from 1919-1937.Goals of the Goals of the Harlem Renaissance::– To respond to the social conditions of African- To respond to the social conditions of African-

Americans;Americans;– To break with the 19To break with the 19thth century minstrel stereotypes of century minstrel stereotypes of

African-Americans;African-Americans;– To place greater emphasis on black folk culture;To place greater emphasis on black folk culture;– To provide political and social uplift for African-To provide political and social uplift for African-

Americans through social programs such as the Americans through social programs such as the NAACP.NAACP.

What is it?What is it?The Harlem Renaissance was a The Harlem Renaissance was a flowering of African American social flowering of African American social thought which was expressed through thought which was expressed through – PaintingsPaintings– Music Music – Dance Dance – TheaterTheater– Literature Literature

Where is Harlem?

The island of Manhattan

New York City is on Manhattan island

Neighborhoods

1930

1911

1920

CausesWhat events and movements do you think may have helped lead

to the Renaissance?

Great Migration: the movement of hundreds of thousands of African Americans from rural areas in the South to urban areas in both he North and South.

How does the Harlem How does the Harlem Renaissance connect to Renaissance connect to

the Great Migration?the Great Migration?The economic opportunities of the era triggered a The economic opportunities of the era triggered a widespread migration of black Americans from widespread migration of black Americans from the rural south to the industrial centers of the the rural south to the industrial centers of the north - and especially to New York City. north - and especially to New York City.

In New York and other cities, black Americans In New York and other cities, black Americans explored new opportunities for intellectual and explored new opportunities for intellectual and social freedom.social freedom.

Black American artists, writers, and musicians Black American artists, writers, and musicians began to use their talents to work for civil rights began to use their talents to work for civil rights

and obtain equality.and obtain equality.

CausesGrowing African American Middle Class: developed as a result of improved educational and employment opportunities for African Americans.

The Harlem section of New York became the center of this new African American class.

CausesPolitical Agenda For Civil Rights by African Americans: leaders such as W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey and the NAACP helped to inspire racial pride in the middle and working class.

Marcus Garvey pushed for the Back to Africa movement

Du Bois, author of The Souls of Black Folks, was instrumental in the foundation of the NAACP.

CausesRed Summer of 1919

There were 25 major race riots and at least 83 African Americans were lynched.

The Ku Klux Klan held over 200 meeting to increase enrollment.

In response to the gains by African Americans,

many whites

fought back during the summer of

1919.

ImpactThe Harlem section of New York City was transformed from a

deteriorating area into a thriving middle class community.

Before After

How did it impact history?How did it impact history?

The Harlem Renaissance helped to redefine how The Harlem Renaissance helped to redefine how Americans and the world understood African American Americans and the world understood African American culture. It integrated black and white cultures, and marked culture. It integrated black and white cultures, and marked the beginning of a black urban society. the beginning of a black urban society. Pride in AA culture and history.Pride in AA culture and history.A cultural awakening to reclaim black history and culture A cultural awakening to reclaim black history and culture and to look past slaveryand to look past slaveryProve intellectual equality with whites through art, Prove intellectual equality with whites through art, literature, music, cultureliterature, music, cultureThe Harlem Renaissance set the stage for the Civil Rights The Harlem Renaissance set the stage for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s.Movement of the 1950s and 60s.

Modernism & the Harlem RenaissanceModernism & the Harlem RenaissanceBlacks view surge in art, music and literature as the Blacks view surge in art, music and literature as the creation of a new cultural identity.creation of a new cultural identity.Whites see it as another new, exotic, and trendy form Whites see it as another new, exotic, and trendy form of entertainment.of entertainment.

The Harlem The Harlem Renaissance Renaissance incorporated all incorporated all aspects of African aspects of African American culture in its American culture in its literature and several literature and several themes emerged.themes emerged.

Themes in Art, Music and Themes in Art, Music and Literature:Literature:

A strong sense of racial pride and desire for A strong sense of racial pride and desire for social and political equalitysocial and political equalityJazz introduced African-inspired rhythms Jazz introduced African-inspired rhythms

and themes in compositionsand themes in compositionsRural Southern Roots:Rural Southern Roots:

- reflected in novels by Jean Toomer and Zora - reflected in novels by Jean Toomer and Zora Neale Hurston’s Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching Their Eyes Were Watching

GodGod - Jacob Lawrence’s art: Harriet Tubman series - Jacob Lawrence’s art: Harriet Tubman series

and black migrationand black migration

Themes Continued…Themes Continued…

African-American Urban Experience and African-American Urban Experience and RacismRacism

Use of Black Music & Folklore as an Use of Black Music & Folklore as an Inspiration for Poetry, Short Stories, and Inspiration for Poetry, Short Stories, and NovelsNovels

Through all these Through all these themes Harlem themes Harlem Renaissance writers Renaissance writers were determined to were determined to express the African-express the African-American experience American experience in all its variety and in all its variety and complexity as complexity as realisticallyrealistically as as possible.possible.

Major Literary Figures• Claude McKay– If We Must Die

• Langston Hughes– I Too

• Contee Cullen– Incident

• Zora Neale Hurston– Their Eyes Were Watching God

• Wallace Thurman– The Blacker the Berry

Music in the Harlem Renaissance

Jazz and the Blues emerged as powerfulforms of American music in 1920s

Harlem Nightclubs attracted white patronsto hear leading black musicians – Duke Ellington – Cab Calloway – Louis Armstrong - Bessie Smith

Music in the Harlem Renaissance

The Cotton ClubThe Cotton Club

The Duke Ellington Orchestra The Duke Ellington Orchestra was the "house" orchestra for a was the "house" orchestra for a number of years at the Cotton number of years at the Cotton Club. The revues featured Club. The revues featured glamorous dancing girls, glamorous dancing girls, acclaimed tap dancers, acclaimed tap dancers, vaudeville performers, and vaudeville performers, and comics. All the white world comics. All the white world came to Harlem to see the came to Harlem to see the show. show. The first Cotton Club revue was The first Cotton Club revue was in 1923. There were two new in 1923. There were two new fast paced revues produced a fast paced revues produced a year for at least 16 years.year for at least 16 years.

Other Important Places Within Other Important Places Within Harlem & Nightlife:Harlem & Nightlife:

In addition to the Cotton In addition to the Cotton Club, at Lennox and 140Club, at Lennox and 140thth Street the Savoy Street the Savoy Ballroom hosted most of Ballroom hosted most of Harlem’s major social Harlem’s major social events and parties, where events and parties, where blacks and whites blacks and whites mingles on the dance mingles on the dance floor and where the Lindy floor and where the Lindy Hop was invented. Hop was invented.

Art of the Harlem Renaissance

Before 1920s, Black artists had generally

reflected European aesthetics, because most had been trained by white artists

With the rise of the Harlem Renaissance,

black artists began to portray black subjects, and African and Caribbean styles

Powerful Images:Powerful Images:

The White Influence on the Harlem The White Influence on the Harlem RenaissanceRenaissance::

The Harlem Renaissance appealed to a mixed The Harlem Renaissance appealed to a mixed audience—the African American middle class audience—the African American middle class and white consumers of the arts.and white consumers of the arts.

Urban whites suddenly took up New York’s Urban whites suddenly took up New York’s African-American community, bestowing their African-American community, bestowing their patronage on young artists, opening up patronage on young artists, opening up publishing opportunities, and pumping cash into publishing opportunities, and pumping cash into Harlem’s “exotic” nightlife in a complex Harlem’s “exotic” nightlife in a complex relationship that scholars continue to probe.relationship that scholars continue to probe.

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Background Information on Background Information on AuthorAuthor

Zora Neale Hurston was born in was born in Eatonville, Florida in 1891.Eatonville, Florida in 1891.She lived in an all African-American She lived in an all African-American community for her childhood years.community for her childhood years.She wrote several novels and short She wrote several novels and short stories.stories.Her life’s motto was “Jump at the Her life’s motto was “Jump at the sun!” given to her by her mother. sun!” given to her by her mother. Her writing helped shape future Her writing helped shape future female African-American writers’ female African-American writers’ approach to authorship and approach to authorship and development of identity.development of identity.She was a writer, anthropologist and She was a writer, anthropologist and political activist.political activist.

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Zora Neale Hurston’s Influence Zora Neale Hurston’s Influence on the Harlem Renaissanceon the Harlem Renaissance

Their Eyes Were Watching Their Eyes Were Watching GodGod is considered the last text is considered the last text of the Harlem Renaissance.of the Harlem Renaissance.Her portrayal of an African-Her portrayal of an African-American female able to American female able to define herself outside of social define herself outside of social conventions and stereotypes conventions and stereotypes has provided a model for has provided a model for modern African Americans modern African Americans seeking their identities in seeking their identities in unconventional roles.unconventional roles.

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Hurston’s Views of the SouthHurston’s Views of the South

Zora Neale Hurston believed that authentic black Zora Neale Hurston believed that authentic black culture can only be found in the south.culture can only be found in the south.

Hurston opposed the integrationist measures Hurston opposed the integrationist measures implemented in the Brown vs. Board of implemented in the Brown vs. Board of Education decision, seeing integration as a way Education decision, seeing integration as a way for cultural values to become tainted.for cultural values to become tainted.

Hurston became a spokeswoman for the first Hurston became a spokeswoman for the first integrated all-black community, Eatonville, integrated all-black community, Eatonville, Florida.Florida.