The Harlem Renaissance was an immense development of African American culture from around 1919 to the early 1930s. The large growth in art, literature, and music marked the beginning of a cultural revolution.
The Harlem Movement was a smaller facet of The New Negro Movement. This marked a new generation of African Americans as they were two generations out of slavery and beginning to claim social and political rights.
The Great Migration
Large numbers of African Americans moved to the north and west during the great migration. Large urban cities, such as Harlem, New York, were common destinations.
Writers such as Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, and Zora Neale Hurston arose during the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes and Johnson’s poems are extremely popular to this day. Hurston’s famous novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, is a keen representation of life during the Harlem Renaissance. I read it just last year!
New styles of visual arts developed during this era as well. Aaron Douglas used simple lines and shapes to depict ordinary life. Another painter, Palmer Hayden focused more on emotion. This allowed him to express a struggle for freedom while also creating a sense of pride.
Midsummer Night In Harlem, Palmer C. Hayden, 1936
Aspiration, Aaron Douglas, 1963
Musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington created bold black music that was unheard of before their time. This paved the way for blues and jazz clubs for communities to gather.
This movement shattered stereotypes, increased visibility, and uplifted African Americans. Historically, blacks had been defined as without rights, without culture, and without a history of achievement. However, the Harlem Renaissance set the stage for racial equality as all races would come together to celebrate African American artists.
Further Videos to Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErzMrs0e8_c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moP6isEwDW8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gboEyrj02g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHsaxqcZ08k
Additional Sources:
https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/harlem-renaissance
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/james-weldon-johnson
https://deyoung.famsf.org/deyoung/announcements/see-aaron-douglass-aspiration-de-young-galleries
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