What Was The Harlem Renaissance? The Definitive Guide [With Examples & Artists]

The Harlem Renaissance, or simply the Renaissance, was a cultural and artistic movement that began in Harlem between 1926 and 1935. The Harlem Renaissance is usually considered to have ended in 1939 with the onset of the Great Depression.

The Harlem Renaissance was a period of intense activity where African Americans studied literature, music and art, wrote poetry and plays and created new forms of visual art.

It was a time when jazz music became popular with African Americans who lived in New York City’s black community.

The Harlem Renaissance had its roots in several earlier movements, such as the “New Negro Movement” (also known as the “New Negro Movement” or simply “The Movement”) in the mid-1920s.

Writers associated with this movement included Countee Cullen, Claude McKay (who later became known as George Schuyler), Richard Wright (who later wrote Native Son), Langston Hughes (who wrote Mule Bone) and Zora Neale Hurston (who wrote Their Eyes Were Watching God).
 

Beginnings Of The Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a period in American history that spanned the 1920s and 1930s. It was the first time since the 19th century, when African Americans were free to pursue their own interests, that they were able to do so.

The Harlem Renaissance was a time where artists of color came together in order to create their own culture. They created art, music and literature that was separate from mainstream norms.

This included poetry as well as visual arts such as paintings and sculptures. The movement also spawned many social organizations such as literary societies and women’s clubs, which provided support for black people who wanted to improve their lives through education or employment opportunities.

The movement began with W.E.B Dubois, who was one of its most influential figures during its early years. Dubois wrote many books about the struggles faced by black people during the early 20th century.

He also founded many publications including The Crisis magazine and The Messenger newspaper, which published poems written by black writers from across the country who gathered at Harlem Renaissance events or parties hosted by artists such as Countee Cullen and Ham

Elements Of The Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural and artistic movement that flourished from 1917 to 1935 in the African-American community of Harlem in New York City. The period was characterized by a conscious and creative black self-assertion, as blacks turned away from racial segregation and toward racial pride.

It was also an era of increased political activism, with a focus on social justice for blacks. The Harlem Renaissance is generally considered to have ended by 1932.

The Harlem Renaissance has been called the “International Decade” because it was during this time that African Americans began to move out of rural areas and into cities across the country. Many African Americans moved to Northern cities in search of jobs, education and better opportunities than they had in the South.

1] In 1913, there were only about 1 million blacks living in urban areas; by 1930 there were more than 2 million.[2]

Elements Of The Harlem Renaissance

What Was The Harlem Renaissance?

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural and artistic explosion that took place in the African-American community of Harlem, New York City, from the early to mid-1920s. It is generally considered to have begun in 1921, when painter and writer Langston Hughes published his poem “Harlem,” and ended with the Great Depression in 1932.

The Renaissance was a time of change for African Americans. For the first time, they had jobs and were able to earn money (and some even rose to positions of power). They were writing stories and poems about their lives, like those by Langston Hughes and Wallace Thurman, as well as producing plays such as The Emperor Jones by American playwright Eugene O’Neill.

There was also a rise in their ability to buy books and other forms of literature — which helped make them feel more connected to their white counterparts who were also experiencing an intellectual awakening at this time.

Leaders Of The Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a period of cultural and artistic creativity in the New York City borough of Harlem in the United States. From 1910 through 1920, it is considered a “golden age” for African Americans.

The Harlem Renaissance was characterized by a conscious effort to reclaim African American identity from white supremacist standards and to express pride in black heritage.

The Harlem Renaissance is still celebrated today, although not with the same fervor as during its height. Scholars have noted that there were several distinct periods within the phase, including the early 20th century, the 1920s and 1930s, and later decades after World War II.

The first period had roots in the antebellum period of American history when freed slaves settled into what became known as “Harlem”.

The second period was characterized by a more urban focus on art and culture as well as political activism. During this time period, many influential works were produced by both black and white authors such as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Jean Toomer, Claude McKay and James Weldon Johnson.

How Did The Harlem Renaissance Influence Today?

The Harlem Renaissance was a period in American history when African-American artists, intellectuals and politicians rose to prominence. It started in the 1920s following the Harlem Riot of 1917, which left many black residents homeless and without jobs.

The Harlem Renaissance was a time of great social, cultural and political change in America. It began during the Great Depression and lasted until the mid-1940s.

During this time, African Americans were finally given equal rights through the Civil Rights Movement. But even though they had achieved many freedoms, they still faced discrimination from white Americans who believed that African Americans were not capable of being educated or intelligent enough to be successful.

The Harlem Renaissance influenced today’s society by showing people that intelligence can come from anyone regardless of race or gender. The movement also inspired people to create new ways of thinking about themselves as well as their world around them.

Why Did The Harlem Renaissance Happen?

The Harlem Renaissance was a period of great literary and artistic creativity in the African-American community of New York City, from about 1917 to the 1930s. It was a time when African Americans made significant contributions to American culture and politics, including literature, music, art, drama and dance.

The Harlem Renaissance began as a result of the migration of people from the rural South to northern cities such as New York during World War I. The migration brought many new immigrants to Harlem and provided increased opportunities for African Americans who had not been able to attend college or otherwise get good jobs before this time.

The Harlem Renaissance took place at a time when both blacks and whites were experiencing social changes brought on by industrialization and urbanization.

These changes included new technology like radio broadcasting and movies that attracted white audiences; greater opportunities for women outside the home; greater access to higher education for blacks; increased awareness about civil rights issues; improved transportation systems that helped black people move around more easily; and greater political awareness among blacks who were not just workers but voters as well also voters

How Did The Harlem Renaissance Influence Today?

The Harlem Renaissance was a time of great social change in America. The Harlem Renaissance was a time when African-Americans were able to gain more acceptance and equality, which helped spark the Civil Rights movement.

The Harlem Renaissance is important because it sparked a lot of social change and it led to a lot of new things happening in society.

   

The Harlem Renaissance influenced today by showing blacks how to rise above their past and be proud of who they are as people. They showed that blacks could be successful even in this day and age if they worked hard enough for it.

The African-American community gained so much from this era, which led to the Civil Rights Movement, which then lead to the Black Power movement, which then lead to the Black Pride movement, which then lead to the modern African American community that we see today.

Harlem Renaissance Poets And Pioneers

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural and social movement in Harlem, New York City, during the 1920s and 1930s. The period was characterized by a new emphasis on African American culture, arts and letters, and black advancement. The main themes of the Harlem Renaissance were freedom, integration, and black pride.

The Harlem Renaissance was a time when African Americans began to recognize their own culture and history. It also gave them pride in being black Americans. The period was an important moment in the history of African Americans because it gave them a chance to develop as artists and thinkers.

African American literature during this time is generally known as “New Negro” literature because it reflected on what it meant to be an African American during the early 20th century. Its authors included Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston and Countee Cullen among others.

The Harlem Renaissance started slowly but then grew quickly in popularity with its focus on race relations between blacks and whites living in America at that time.

Development Of The Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance is a cultural and artistic movement that occurred in the 1920s and 1930s in New York City. It was an interracial, multiethnic and racially mixed affair, although its most famous participants were African-American.

The Harlem Renaissance was a reaction to World War I and the economic depression that followed World War I. The majority of black Americans during this time lived in the South, where they were treated as second-class citizens.

They were not allowed to vote or participate in many aspects of life such as education, business or politics.

The Harlem Renaissance took place around 1920s when African Americans started to become more involved with their culture and heritage. It was at this point that they began to act out against the discrimination they received from whites who did not want them to be educated or participate in society as much as possible because they feared it would make them less likely to work for them later on down the road.

Harlem Renaissance Writers – W. E. B. Du Bois

1. E. B. Du Bois is a writer who has worked tirelessly to bring people together and promote equality in his career as an author and activist. His writings are marked by their powerful messages of racism, sexism, imperialism and classism.

Du Bois was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts on February 23, 1868 to parents John and Fannie Du Bois. He attended Harvard University from 1887-1892 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1895.

After graduation he moved to New York City where he worked for several months at the National Urban League before going on to study at the University of Berlin for two years between 1896-1898.

Du Bois returned to the United States in 1898 where he began working at the journal Crisis magazine under editor George Schuyler (1876-1935). In 1900 Du Bois became managing editor of The Crisis newspaper until his resignation in 1908 due to disagreements over editorial policy with Schuyler over issues such as race relations, lynching, discrimination against blacks in industry and politics, women’s suffrage and other issues related to black empowerment through education and employment opportunities.

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Langston Hughes And The Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural and social movement in Harlem, New York City, during the 1920s and 1930s. The period was characterized by a new emphasis on African American culture, arts and letters, and black advancement. The main themes of the Harlem Renaissance were freedom, integration, and black pride.

The Harlem Renaissance was a time when African Americans began to recognize their own culture and history. It also gave them pride in being black Americans. The period was an important moment in the history of African Americans because it gave them a chance to develop as artists and thinkers.

African American literature during this time is generally known as “New Negro” literature because it reflected on what it meant to be an African American during the early 20th century. Its authors included Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston and Countee Cullen among others.

The Harlem Renaissance started slowly but then grew quickly in popularity with its focus on race relations between blacks and whites living in America at that time.

Harlem Renaissance Literature – Their Eyes Were Watching God And Zora Neale Hurston

African American authors such as Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson and Zora Neale Hurston were part of a literary movement that flourished in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City during the 1920s and 1930s. This so-called “Harlem Renaissance” was characterized by a cultural renaissance that took place within black America during this period.

Zora Neale Hurston was born in Eatonville, Florida on January 7, 1891. She graduated from Barnard College with a degree in English literature. After her graduation, she lived in New York City where she worked at various jobs including as a housekeeper for a wealthy family. In 1926, she published her first novel, Mules and Men (1934), which focuses on the issues faced by African Americans in the rural south at that time.

The novel won Hurston national recognition and helped establish her reputation as an author whose works reflected African American life during the Depression era when many blacks were unemployed due to economic hardship caused by the Great Depression (Adams).

Harlem Renaissance Example – Drop Me Off At Harlem By Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington

Drop Me Off At Harlem is a jazz song by Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. It was written in 1928 and first recorded by the two musicians in 1929. It has been recorded many times, with each rendition being more successful than the last.

The song features Armstrong’s trumpet solo and Ellington’s piano solo within a 12-bar blues structure. The piece was originally written for saxophonist King Oliver, who did not record it with Ellington due to his dislike for the music of black musicians at that time in American history.

In 1931, it was recorded again by Oliver with his orchestra on Victor Records as “Drop Me Off At Jackson Park”, which became a hit record for them.[1] This version was later included on the album “The Great American Songbook”.

In 1934, Thelonious Monk recorded an instrumental version at Columbia Records studio in New York City.[2][3] The recording featured him playing alto saxophone, piano and organ; his exacting performance won him critical acclaim.[4] In 1937, the song earned its first gold disk[5] (100,000 copies sold).[6]

Harlem Renaissance Art And Culture

Harlem was the center of New York City’s black culture and political life during the 1920s and 1930s. The Harlem Renaissance was a time when African Americans began to feel proud of their heritage and take pride in their culture.

Harlem Renaissance Art And Culture

The Harlem Renaissance was a period in American art and literature that occurred between 1920 and 1929. It is named after the neighborhood of Harlem in New York City, where many artists lived at that time. This period brought with it new ideas about race relations and the social position of blacks in America.

During the Harlem Renaissance, many writers, painters, musicians, dancers, actors and other entertainers came together to create a new culture for African Americans. These artists were influenced by African Americans living in Harlem who had left slavery prior to the Civil War or who had been born after emancipation.

They used many different styles from around the world to express themselves creatively but also spoke out against discrimination against blacks in society at large through their work.

Why Was The Harlem Renaissance Important?

The Harlem Renaissance was a time of great change, when African Americans were finally allowed to express themselves in art and literature. The artists who lived during this period were influenced by the ideas of their predecessors, but they also took their own steps toward new ways of thinking.

The Harlem Renaissance was important because it was a time when African Americans were able to express themselves in their own way. It was also a time where they were able to gain acceptance from society, even if not many people liked what they had to say or did.

These artists helped to shape America’s perception of race and how it should be viewed. They helped shape the way that people looked at African Americans, including how they thought of them as human beings and not just slaves or servants.

They also created new forms of art and literature that would become popular throughout the country for years to come. In some cases, these works became so popular that other writers and artists tried to imitate them without realizing that they were copying someone else’s work rather than creating something original themselves.

Development Of The Harlem Renaissance – The Savoy Ballroom

The Savoy Ballroom was a popular Harlem nightclub during the Harlem Renaissance. It was owned by Louis “Red” Morris, who also owned the Cotton Club, and booked many famous artists and performers of the era. The club was located at 55th & 6th Avenue in Harlem, New York City.

The Savoy Ballroom first opened as a roller skating rink in 1927. In 1929, it became a nightclub operated by Louis “Red” Morris who also owned the Cotton Club. The Savoy closed in 1932 when Morris died but reopened in 1934 with new owners. The club closed again in 1935 due to various problems including gang violence and lack of business due to the Great Depression.[1]

The Savoy reopened once again on March 1, 1936 at its current location at 55th Street & 7th Avenue (which is now known as the Apollo Theater). After opening for business once again, the club continued to operate until Louis “Red” Morris died suddenly from an apparent heart attack on December 9, 1941.[2]

Elements Of The Harlem Renaissance – The Cotton Club

The Cotton Club was one of the most famous nightclubs of the Harlem Renaissance. The club was located on Lenox Avenue in Harlem, New York City, where it opened in 1923. The Cotton Club was a major venue for jazz music and black entertainers during the 1920s and 1930s, when it attracted many famous performers to its stage.

The club was frequented by many African-American celebrities and celebrities from other ethnic groups such as white entertainers who performed there. It also featured jazz bands from all over the United States.

The Cotton Club had been a popular venue for African-American patrons since its opening in 1923, but it became even more popular after its management changed hands in 1932 and began hiring white musicians to perform at the club alongside black musicians.

The Cotton Club was considered to be one of the best places for jazz musicians to perform in New York City during this time period; some even considered it to be among the best clubs in America. Many musicians went on tour because they wanted their music heard by as many people as possible (such as Duke Ellington), while others wanted to get paid well (such as Louis Armstrong).

Many famous architects designed buildings around Harlem during this era; among them were LeRoy Neiman, Philip Johnson

Harlem Renaissance Era– Wrapping Up

The Harlem Renaissance was a period of time in American history between 1920 and 1930. It was an era where African-American writers, artists, musicians, and intellectuals flourished.

The Harlem Renaissance began when the African-American community became more self-aware and organized themselves into clubs, organizations, and social clubs. The Harlem Renaissance took place during the same time frame as the Jazz Age. This means that it was a time when jazz music became popular among African Americans.

The Harlem Renaissance Era started with the rise of African American literature in 1920s New York City. In particular, Langston Hughes’s poem “Harlem” published in 1925 helped define what he called “Harlem Renaissance” poetry which focused on black life in America during this time period.

Other authors such as Wallace Thurman wrote poetry that focused on race relations from a black perspective during this same period.

   

African American writers during this time period were challenging many stereotypes about what it meant to be black at the time by showing how ordinary people lived their lives rather than focusing solely on crime or other issues that were often thought of as more important by white Americans at the time.