The Harlem Renaissance 1900-1940

20

th

Century American Literature

Unit Target:

periods and literary movements and their impact on 20 th I will define American historical century American literature.

Location

New York State with New York City highlighted in red.

The five boroughs of New York City.

Location Neighborhoods of Manhattan.

What is it?

The Harlem Renaissance was an African American movement to promote political and social equality.

Although the Emancipation Proclamation had granted slaves freedom, African Americans were not given equal rights or treated fairly.

The Harlem Renaissance was originally called “The New Negro Movement” and was led by W.E.B. DuBois.

W.E.B. DuBois

The Harlem Renaissance was originally called “The New Negro Movement” and was led by W.E.B. DuBois.

•He believed that people of African descent should work together to battle prejudice and inequality.

•W.E.B DuBois (1868-1963) was the most important intellectual leader and political activist of the African-American community in the early 1900’s.

•DuBois helped to found the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) in 1909 to promote racial equality.

•Through his involvement in the NAACP, DuBois was able to promote his beliefs and support the movement of artists, writers, actors, and musicians that became the Harlem Renaissance.

Why Harlem?

After fighting in World War I, African-American soldiers returned with a new sense of pride.

The Harlem neighborhood became populated by many African-Americans and became the center of culture.

It was in this neighborhood that many artists, musicians, writers, and actors lived. Their art, music, and writing was not only entertaining, but expressed what it was like to be an African-American in America.

Themes during the Harlem Renaissance

Common

themes

presented in the Harlem Renaissance are Alienation: Emotional isolation or being separated from others.

Making blacks feel like less by unfair laws and the attempt to make them like white culture.

The use of African folk material

2 philosophies/perspectives

There were two different philosophies or perspectives on the writing and art created during the Harlem Renaissance.

Assimilation

This perspective believed that to be accepted by the white culture, you had to

be like the white culture.

•Used language and style like the white culture to be recognized by white writers and published

Celebration

This perspective believed that the white culture needs to respect the black culture for what it truly is, so you

celebrated black culture.

•Sounds like the rhythms of speech and music •Were usually educated in Ivy League schools (white education) •Has a pride that writing and characters can never pass for white •Were removed from their heritage •Message was there, but the common black could not relate to it—they were distanced from it •Easily understood and appreciated by the black culture

Philosophies/Perspective Examples

Assimilation Example: Countee Cullen “Yet Do I Marvel” I doubt not God is good, well-meaning, kind And did He stoop to quibble could tell why The little buried mole continues blind, Why flesh that mirrors Him must some day die, Make plain the reason tortured Tantalus Is baited by the fickle fruit, declare If merely brute caprice dooms Sisyphus To struggle up a never-ending stair.

Inscrutable His ways are, and immune To catechism by a mind too strewn With petty cares to slightly understand What awful brain compels His awful hand.

Yet do I marvel at this curious thing: To make a poet black, and bid him sing! Celebration Example: Langston Hughes “Dream Boogie” Good morning, daddy!

Ain't you heard The boogie-woogie rumble Of a dream deferred?

Listen closely: You'll hear their feet Beating out and beating out a You think It's a happy beat?

Listen to it closely: Ain't you heard something underneath like a What did I say?

Sure, I'm happy!

Take it away!

Hey, pop!

Re-bop!

Mop!

Y-e-a-h!

Renaissance Man!

Marcus Garvey,

Writer and political activist Marcus Garvey moved to America from Jamaica in 1916. He admired W.E.B. DuBois and had read all of his works. For Garvey, Africa was the ancestral home and spiritual base for all people of African descent. His political goal was to take Africa back from European control and build a free and United Back Africa. He advocated the Back-to-Africa Movement. He launched the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) which still exists today.

Artists of the Harlem Renaissance

William H. Johnson,

Painter

Artists of the Harlem Renaissance

Lois Mailou Jones,

Painter

Artists of the Harlem Renaissance

Sargent Claude Johnson,

Sculptor and drawer

Musicians of the Harlem Renaissance

Louis Armstrong

, Trumpeter, vocalist, band leader Saint Louis Blues Skokiaan (South African Song) What a Wonderful World

Musicians of the Harlem Renaissance

Chocolate Shake The Flaming Sword Mood Indigo

Duke Ellington

, Song writer, pianist, band leader

Hot Spots of the Harlem Renaissance

The Cotton Club

was originally owned by gangster Owney Madden. He and his gangster cohorts named it the Cotton Club to conjure up thoughts of a stylish plantation environment. All performers at the club were black; all of the patrons were white. This “white-only” policy made it a hot spot for New Yorkers and people around the world. Many celebrities graced the club and many black performers got their start performing for the white audiences.

Hot Spots of the Harlem Renaissance

The Apollo Theater

is one of the most famous clubs for popular music in the U.S. Many famous figures from the Harlem Renaissance found a place to perform and start their road to fame. The Apollo still exists today and draws about 1.3 million visitors each year. It is also home to the variety show “Showtime at the Apollo.”

Writers of the Harlem Renaissance

Langston Hughes,

Poet, novelist, playwright, short story writer, newspaper columnist Langston Hughes was the poster child of the Harlem Renaissance. He wrote many pieces of literature and is probably the best-known Harlem Renaissance writer today.

Writers of the Harlem Renaissance

Zora Neale Hurston,

Folklorist and novelist Zora Neale Hurston is best known for her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God Halle Berry.

, recently made into a movie starring

Writers of the Harlem Renaissance

Claude McKay,

Novelist, short story writer, autobiographical writer, poet Claude McKay was born in Jamaica and moved to the U.S. to go to college. He was highly involved in politics and was a humanist and communist.

Writers of the Harlem Renaissance

Countee Cullen,

Poet Countee Cullen differed from other Harlem Renaissance authors because he was educated primarily in a white community, so his perspective differed from other authors.

Writers of the Harlem Renaissance

Gwendolyn Brooks,

Poet Although Gwendolyn Brooks was born right at the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance, she was highly influenced by it and her works reflect many of the same ideas and themes.

Writers of the Harlem Renaissance

Arna Bontemps,

Poet, novelist, and playwright Arna Bontemps was educated in Harlem for college and it was then that he began writing pieces of literature that contributed to the movement. His most famous piece is title The Story of the Negro .

Writers of the Harlem Renaissance

James Weldon Johnson,

Poet, novelist, folklore writer, and civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson was not only a writer, but was also highly involved in the NAACP. He composed the lyrics for “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” commonly known as the “Negro National Anthem.”

Writers of the Harlem Renaissance

Jesse Fauset,

Novelist, critic, poet, and editor Jesse Fauset served as the literary editor of The Crisis , the official publication of the NAACP. It was she who published works by Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Countee Cullen in the journal. Jesse is credited with discovering and encouraging many Harlem Renaissance writers.