The Renaissance And The Impact Of The Harlem Renaissance

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In Harlem, New York the “New Negro” was born by various intellectuals, artists, musicians, and writers who celebrated cultural creativity and nobility throughout the African-American community. A span of ideas on what it meant to be African-American influenced many people to partake in art, music, and writing. During the 1920’s, the endless innovation made Harlem the “Mecca” for African-American civilization. Contributors and leaders recognized this as a resurrection of identity and spirituality which created, the “Harlem Renaissance.” Although the Harlem Renaissance shaped the African-American community substantially, there was still dispute. White Americans weren’t educated about African-American culture, segregation kept both races from coming together, and discrimination within the black community made light-skinned people suppose they were superior to dark-skinned people. When daylight transformed to nightlife, white people wanted to partake in the fun which usually brought along immense opportunities for writers and musicians.
Harlem night’s intrigued white people to come to the part of town they would never consider visiting. Flashing lights, admirable music, and alluring experiences gave white people an opportunity to seek a different world from what they were used to. In abundance, African-Americans were not fond of white people intruding their neighborhood. They believed white people thought the renaissance was created for their amusement. Noticing the issue, New York native Langston Hughes wrote in his autobiography entitled, “The Big Sea” a passage expressing his animosity, “Nor did ordinary Negroes like the growing influx of whites toward Harlem after sundown, flooding the little cabarets and bars where formerly onl...

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...tunities, the Harlem Renaissance spanned a cultural movement which flourished art, music, and literature within the African-American community. When World War I ended, many African-American soldiers struggled with respect from white Americans when they returned home from days of battling and hard work they served developing an identity of the “New Negro.” The “New Negro” attitude challenged the intrusiveness and racism African-Americans encountered from the stereotypes white people shamed upon them. By rejecting and refusing to imitate the styles of Europeans and white Americans, the Harlem Renaissance was a movement to celebrate creativity and nobility throughout African-Americans. Without the powerful influences and creativity of the Harlem Renaissance, we wouldn’t have the films, music, fashion, excitement, and entertainment we see throughout the world every day.

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