The Harlem Renaissance

United States History Unit

Definitions

• Renaissance:– rebirth/renewal

• 1920’s black cultural movement• Harlem– New York City– Originally a white neighborhood

• Renaissance:– rebirth/renewal

• 1920’s black cultural movement• Harlem– New York City– Originally a white neighborhood

The Great Migration

• End of Civil War- 1865• Plessy v. Ferguson• Bad southern economy• Great Migration– Migration of African Americans north• 7 million+

• End of Civil War- 1865• Plessy v. Ferguson• Bad southern economy• Great Migration– Migration of African Americans north• 7 million+

Harlem, NY

• Originally a white neighborhood• 1900-1920 population shift• Black real estate agents• White Flight• “The Black Mecca”

• Originally a white neighborhood• 1900-1920 population shift• Black real estate agents• White Flight• “The Black Mecca”

Headquarters in Harlem…

• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People– NAACP– W. E. B. Du Bois– Voting Rights

• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People– NAACP– W. E. B. Du Bois– Voting Rights

…Continued…

• “Back to Africa Movement”– Marcus Garvey– Come together– Pride in race and heritage

• “Back to Africa Movement”– Marcus Garvey– Come together– Pride in race and heritage

…Continued

• National Urban League– NUL– George Edmund Haynes– Helped black migrants– Trained workers– Found jobs

• National Urban League– NUL– George Edmund Haynes– Helped black migrants– Trained workers– Found jobs

Literature

• “Uplift” the race• Modernism• Jazz Poetry• Langston Hughes

• Poetry, novels, playwright, columnist

• “Uplift” the race• Modernism• Jazz Poetry• Langston Hughes

• Poetry, novels, playwright, columnist

Music

• Jazz– Combined brass with piano– Duke Ellington

• Poetry Conversion– Blues, spirituals, jazz

• Jazz– Combined brass with piano– Duke Ellington

• Poetry Conversion– Blues, spirituals, jazz

Art

• “Uplift” the race• Wide variety– Pan-Africanism– Influences of slavery/racism– Depiction of life

• Aaron Douglas- Abstract

• “Uplift” the race• Wide variety– Pan-Africanism– Influences of slavery/racism– Depiction of life

• Aaron Douglas- Abstract

“Harlem was in Vogue”

• Langston Hughes• Source of community for black Americans• White Americans– Also entertained

• Speakeasies, • Cotton Club, etc.

• Langston Hughes• Source of community for black Americans• White Americans– Also entertained

• Speakeasies, • Cotton Club, etc.

Class/Race

• Upper middle class African Americans• All black neighborhood• Integration– Temporarily for entertainment• Still separate spheres

• Races influenced each other

• Upper middle class African Americans• All black neighborhood• Integration– Temporarily for entertainment• Still separate spheres

• Races influenced each other

Controversy/Criticism

• Art- poor depiction of race?• White entertainment– Exotic

• Segregation– Cotton Club• Duke Ellington

• Art- poor depiction of race?• White entertainment– Exotic

• Segregation– Cotton Club• Duke Ellington

1920s Overall

• “Roaring Twenties”– Break with tradition– Outpouring of culture in U.S.

• End of WWI– “Lost Generation”

• Women

• “Roaring Twenties”– Break with tradition– Outpouring of culture in U.S.

• End of WWI– “Lost Generation”

• Women

Conclusion

• End of the 1920s– End of white fascination

• Great Depression• Race Riots• Long term influence– Black cultural center

• End of the 1920s– End of white fascination

• Great Depression• Race Riots• Long term influence– Black cultural center

Picture Sources

Black History Album, "The Cotton Club | Harlem, New York" August 17, 2008 via Flr, Creative Commons Attribution Non-

Commercial No-Derivative.

hyperion327, "Aspiration by Douglas" July 9, 2011 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike.

The Library of Congress, "Portrait of Duke Ellington and Sonny Greer, Aquarium, New York, N.Y., ca. Nov. 1946" 1946 via Flickr, Public Domain.

wornlimtv, "harlem 1930's on Vimeo by jon obsworth" August 25, 2010 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution No-Derivative.