Harlem Renaissance Uncovered: How A Cultural Movement Changed America

Literary Movements: The Harlem Renaissance

Introduction

What comes to mind when you hear the words “Jazz, poetry, and art”? There may be many things, but one thing that comes to my mind is the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a movement in the 1920s that was a creative explosion of art, music, and literature in the African American community. This movement not only impacted African American culture but American culture as a whole. Join me as we explore the origins, key figures, and impact of the Harlem Renaissance.

Origins

The Harlem Renaissance was a 20th-century movement where Black Americans celebrated Black culture and folklore. They also expressed the hardships of slavery and Jim Crow. This movement not only encompassed literature but also a variety of arts, including music, fashion, and visual art. Musicians like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Bessie Smith reinvented jazz, while painters like Aaron Douglas incorporated African imagery into new art styles.

During the Harlem Renaissance, African Americans from all over the United States participated, but the movement most notably took place in Harlem, New York. The movement started during World War I when Black Americans moved from the South to the West and Northeast. This movement was called the Great Migration. It increased the literacy rate of African Americans and also expanded work opportunities. The South did not have many career opportunities besides farming and agricultural work, while the North offered factory jobs and higher wages. The Harlem Renaissance paved the way for other movements, such as the Civil Rights Movement in the 1940s and 1950s. It also led to the creation of national organizations such as the NAACP and the National Urban League, as well as magazines and newspapers that uplifted the community and provided economic opportunities.

Key Figures

There were many key figures during the Harlem Renaissance, but we will only discuss a few of them. The first notable writer, Langston Hughes, was thought to be born in 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. However, research later concluded that he was born in 1901. He wrote a variety of works, including plays, poetry, newspaper columns, short stories, and essays. He was raised by his grandmother due to his parents’ separation, and they moved around often until they settled in Cleveland. After graduating high school, he wrote the poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.” He gained a lot of recognition from the poem, and it was published in “The Crisis” in 1921. He then attended Columbia University in New York City. He later explored Harlem and became attached to the city, calling it the “Great Dark City.” Some of his other notable poems include “Harlem (A Dream Deferred),” “I Too,” and “Let America Be America Again.” He also wrote the novels Not Without Laughter and Tambourines to Glory. He wrote the play Mulatto and the essay “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain.” Langston Hughes’ impact during the Harlem Renaissance can still be seen today.

Another impactful writer during the Harlem Renaissance was Countee Cullen. Cullen was thought to be born on May 30, 1903, in Louisville, Kentucky. He was raised by his grandmother, and after her death, he was unofficially adopted by minister Frederick Asbury Cullen, who had one of the largest congregations. When he was in school, he won a citywide poetry contest, gaining much attention. His poem was widely reprinted. He later attended New York University, where he won the Witter Bynner Poetry Prize. His first collection, Color, was critically acclaimed in 1925. After earning his bachelor’s, he earned his master’s degree from Harvard in 1926. During this time, he was the assistant editor at Opportunity magazine. In 1928, he married Yolande Du Bois, the daughter of W.E.B. Du Bois, another influential writer and scholar of the time. Despite Cullen’s early success, his recognition as a poet decreased. During his career, he was often criticized for using classical verse forms rather than a rhyming style that reflected his African American culture. He later taught at New York City public schools from 1932 until the end of his life.

The last influential writer I’m going to discuss is Zora Neale Hurston. Zora was born on January 7, 1891, in Notasulga, Alabama. However, she claimed to be born in 1901 in order to receive a high school education. She grew up in Eatonville, Florida, the first all-Black town in the United States. She went to school until the age of 13. When her mother died in 1904, she faced difficulties and joined a traveling theatrical company, eventually ending up in Harlem. She attended Howard University from 1921 to 1924. In 1925, she earned a scholarship to Barnard College, where she studied anthropology. Two years later, she attended Columbia University and pursued graduate studies in anthropology, conducting field studies in folklore among African Americans in the South. For a short period, Hurston was also an assistant to the writer Fannie Hurst. In 1930, she worked with Langston Hughes on a play titled Mule Bone: A Comedy of Negro Life in Three Acts. Unfortunately, the play was never completed. In 1934, she published her first novel, Jonah’s Gourd Vine, which was well-received for its portrayal of African Americans. Her novel Moses, Man of the Mountain also garnered attention and established her as a notable author. She was a member of the faculty at North Carolina College for Negroes for many years. She wrote her last book in 1948. Although she experienced major success and popularity during her career, her recognition declined after her death in 1960. However, in the 20th century, her work regained popularity.

Conclusion

The Harlem Renaissance was a pivotal moment not only in African American culture but in American culture as a whole. These artists and writers have inspired countless African American writers who followed in their footsteps.

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Source: "Harlem Renaissance," Encyclopædia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/event/Harlem-Renaissance-American-literature-and-art. Accessed August 16, 2024.