Another famous figure of the Harlem Renaissance was Langston Hughes. Hughes was a poet/playwright/novelist, who defined the era of the Harlem Renaissance with his essay, “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain” (Hughes 6). A prominent female figure of the Harlem Renaissance was Zora Neale Hurston. Hurston was a writer and poet who was most known for her famous novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. During the Harlem Renaissance, the famous jazz musician, Duke Ellington was able to find his place in the era.
The Harlem Renaissance and Pop Art: Is it Possible That They Are Related? The Harlem Renaissance refers to the period in the early 1900s when African American art, writing and drama began to take hold in the cultural hotbed that was Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. Due to the anti-black legislation that was being passed in the South and the general culture of hatred and fear in the former slave states, African Americans flocked north and west in the Great Migration; they hoped to find a place where there was more social and economic freedom for African Americans. This grouping of black people from all walks of life, from poor former sharecroppers, to the black middle class, to recent immigrants from the Caribbean and other areas, lead to a blossoming of ideas and artistic styles that created a new black culture. This Harlem Renaissance period began when a white playwright put complex and thoroughly human African-American characters into his plays.
Harlem Renaissance: Outburst of Creativity The Harlem Renaissance was an artistic movement in American history wherein the uniqueness and creativity of African American culture was celebrated. Situated in the black community in uptown New York, the Harlem Renaissance developed a body of artistic talent which had never been seen in America (Ferguson, 24). Instead of wallowing in self-pity, African Americans ignited an explosion of culturist pride. They asserted themselves by embracing their racial identity, appreciating their heritage. Harlem became home to black people, many of whom had dreams and aspirations of expressing their individual artistic talents.
Rachael Darrabie Professor Doku Freshman Composition 26 October 2011 “The South” “The South”, a poem written by Langston Hughes, represents the mindset that many migrants held during this time; an attitude that was the sole inspiration and motivation for the powerful racial pride that initiated the Harlem Renaissance. It was a demeanor developed from the social constructions in the South fused with the hopes and dreams of life in the North. The years between World War I and the Great Depression were good economic times for the United States, and jobs were plentiful in cities, especially in the North. Many southern blacks took advantage of this economic period which led to the start of the Great Migration; this gave Harlem its geographical importance. The Harlem Renaissance, also known as the New Negro Movement, was direct product of the Great Migration through location, racial pride, and social construction.
Bontemps moved to New York City shortly after his first poem “Hope” was published in THE CRISIS: A RECORD OF THE DARKER RACES (August 1924). Bontemps was an influential and significant member of the Harlem Renaissance. Many of the themes of his work had an integrative approach to African American writings; his attitude toward folk material and Africa, and his racial protest, reflect the primary concerns of Harlem Renaissance literature.
Many noted that “the jazz of The Jazz Age was black Americans’ most powerful influence on Americans” (Baughman). Musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Martin, Bessie Smith, and Duke Ellington used their extraordinary to talent to travel the world with their music in order to show the world their pride in their African American culture. Prominent authors such as Langston Hughes, W.E.B. Debuois, Countee Cullen, and Zora Neale used this era as an advantage to publish novels, short stories, and poems about their history. In addition to being a brilliant author, he was also the founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Before Jazz, music was enjoyed in fancy balls and theaters by the rich. Due to the great migration and freedom of slavery, a new form of music spreads through the US. In the roaring Twenties Jazz affected society by increasing the African American Culture, allowing women to rebel social standards, helping form a new genera of literature, and formed a new Dance. Jazz was a largely African American music, an early American made music, and was born during the Harlem Renaissance. One of the first American made music was Jazz it generated from Ragtime and Blues.
The invention of specific instruments, especially ones used in Jazz, Swing, and other band types help create a new sound and an ultimately new type of music. The development and evolution of the early twentieth century music genre, Jazz, holds a much more prestigious importance than just a genre of music. This African American style of music created during a time of severe hatred and oppression influenced an entire nation and its idea of popular music forever. The installment of Jazz in whites’ only entertainment lounges helped the progression and ultimately adaptation what was once an only African American style of music into a National style adopted by all races. Popular artists from New Orleans who helped create Jazz such as Louis Armstrong, Joe oliver, and Fletcher Henderson were some of the major influences of Jazz on music and its transformation into swing music during the 1920s and 1930s.
The Harlem Renaissance was a time period where culture became a big issue in the African American community. More writers, poets, play wrights and other artistic figures came into place. Through this time (early 20th century) the term New Negro became more developed. The term originated from the 19th century as a sort of nick name for newly arrived slaves. The New Negro term included “violent resistance to oppression and the conservative anti-protest orientation of Booker T. Washington.” (Ferguson, 3) Writers had a big influence on the community throughout newspapers, magazines, etc; and most writers believe d that the New Negro should exemplify creativity, independence, strength, power, equality, and improvement.
One of my all-time favorites is jazz music; but where did it all start? “Jazz is one of America’s greatest cultural achievements and exports to the world community giving powerful voice to the American experience. Born of multi-colored society, it unites people across the divides of race, region, and national boundaries and has always made powerful statements about freedom, creativity and American identity at home and aboard” according to Jazz Literature. Jazz music originated in the 1700s and can be traced back to the times of slavery. This type of music played a major part of the African American culture because they used to communicate, express, and uplift.