Harlem Renaissance

Harlem Renaissance was an African American cultural movement of the 1920s and early 1930s that was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Also known as the New Negro movement, the New Negro Renaissance, and the Negro Renaissance, the movement emerged toward the end of World War I in 1918, blossomed in the mid- to late 1920s, and then faded in the mid-1930s. The Harlem Renaissance marked the first time that mainstream publishers and critics took African American literature seriously and that African American literature and arts attracted significant attention from the nation at large. Primarily music, theater, art, and politics. The Harlem Renaissance emerged amid social and intellectual upheaval in the African American community in the early 20th century.

Finally, different races noticed African Americans. Other cultures adopted many of the African Americans ideas of poetry art and music. African Americans had made an imprint in Harlem leaving culture over America. The Harlem renaissance had left a legacy and opened doors and inspired many generations of African American culture.

African American culture has different aspects to it. In different cities there could be various cultures that the African American race participates in. one of the biggest events that happened involving African American culture was the Harlem Renaissance that took place in Harlem, New York. This event was originally called The Negro Movement while African Americans “challenged racism and stereotypes” of the African American race (AAHP). The Harlem renaissance was an artistic, social, and culture explosion that brought up the different African American artist in the United States.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, founded by Du Bois, was the organization that launched The Crisis. The historic magazine published the best poetry and other literary works of African Americans from the North such as those of Langston Hughes. All in all, the Harlem Renaissance was a black cultural movement that took place in the North, particularly in Harlem. Many African Americans stood out including Langston Hughes, Marcus Garvey, and W.E.B. Du Bois.

The Harlem Renaissance was one of the most culturally important reformations in America. The Harlem Renaissance directly influenced many great civil rights leaders, and one could argue was the foundation for the battle of equality. Many great members of the Harlem Renaissance committed their whole life in order to improve race relations for themselves and for the future of the race. The strength African Americans achieved during the period after slavery through until the Harlem Renaissance provided them with enough strength to persevere. The atrocities African Americans went through during the early 20th century can only be matched by the years of enduring slavery.

Between 1910 and 1920, thousands of African-American moved to the north from the south. The slavery issues and discrimination towards black peoples were very intense in the south at that time. On account of that, they moved to the North and most of them moved to Harlem, a section of New York City. This great migration was the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance or also known as the Negro Renaissance or the New Negro Movement was literary and artistic movement by the African-American (Singh).

The Harlem Renaissance was named after the anthology The New Negro, edited by Alain Locke in 1925. Centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, the movement impacted urban centers throughout the United States. Across the cultural spectrum (literature, drama, music, visual art, dance) and also in the realm of social thought (sociology, historiography, philosophy), artists and intellectuals found new ways to explore the historical experiences of black America and the contemporary experiences of black life in the urban North. (Nathan Irvin Huggins, Voices From the Harlem Renaissance) Challenging white paternalism and racism, African-American artists and intellectuals rejected merely imitating the styles of Europeans and white Americans and instead celebrated black dignity and creativity. Asserting their freedom to express themselves on their own terms as artists and intellectuals, they explored their identities as black Americans, celebrating the black culture that had emerged out of slavery and their cultural relates to Africa.

Harlem Renaissance During the 1920's, the spiritual, social, and literary eagerness that raced through Harlem could be called the most important period of self-discovery in African-American history after the Civil War. Black literature went through a tremendous outbreak in Harlem, which is a district of New York City. In the middle of the changing atmosphere, a small group of black men and women began a public relations campaign to promote what they called the "New Negro" movement. While these men and women promoted art and literature, they were credited with starting much more than just and intellectual movement. This movement included poetry and writing, which forever changed the African-American lifestyle into a unique and more educated culture.

The front-runners of this revival were extremely focused on cultural growth through means of intellect, literature, art and music. By using these means of growth, they hoped to destroy the pervading racism and stereotypes suffocating the African American society and yearned for racial and social integration. Many black writers spoke out during this span of time with books proving their natural humanity and desire for equality. In 1923 Jean Toomer’s Cane was published by the Boni and Liveright publishing company and received favorable reviews. The book was released during the heart of the Harlem Renaissance and promoted the encouragement and interest in African American culture.

Also called the New Negro Renaissance, it was a period in history when talented African American writers produced volumes of literary works. This period was characterized by many important themes. The first theme was migration; many African Americans migrated to large cities such as Chicago, Philadelphia, and Harlem. The Harlem Renaissance, the literary movement we are discussing was named so because Harlem became heavily populated with African Americans thus becoming the epicenter for this literary and artistic movement (Gates Jr. and McKay). Another theme of this period was he regeneration of black culture, folk traditions, and character.