Portrait of Langston Hughes, 1936. By Carl Van Vechten (Library of Congress)
By Jabria Ingram
The Harlem Renaissance was a movement that I was not taught in school. Growing up teachers didn’t emphasize the significance of the Harlem Renaissance and I believe that this is an important topic that needs to be taught. I remember when I didn’t understand the history behind the Harlem Renaissance, I just thought it was only for entertainment. I had no idea about the history it held and what it meant.
Their main goal was to build African Americans self esteem and to create a culture where blacks could freely express themselves. It was considered a rebirth of African-American arts, and Harlem became a cultural center, drawing writers, artists, musicians, photographers, poets, and scholars to a place where they could freely express their talents. This movement included literary, musical, theatrical, and visual arts. This was a new way for blacks to show off their talents. It took place in Harlem, New York in the 1920’s. After 1925, it was named “New Negro Movement”.
The Harlem Renaissance was a turning point in black cultural history. It helped African-American writers and artists gain control over the representation of black culture and experience. From the 1910s through the 1930s, this movement featured literature, music, drama and art. The Harlem Renaissance made African Americans feel comfortable and closer to culture. The Harlem Renaissance gave African Americans across the country a new spirit of self-determination and pride, a new social consciousness.
According to History.com, from 1910 to 1920, African-American populations migrated in large numbers from the South to the North in what became known as the Great Migration. By 1920 there were 300,000 African Americans moving to the North and migrating to the New York City neighborhood Harlem. The two major causes that started the Great Migration were the Jim Crow segregation laws of the South and the start of World War I. Jim Crow Laws were made to enforce racial segregation in the South.
Langston Hughes had a major impact on this movement as a poet and author. His career began in Harlem when he moved out there as a young man. I enjoyed learning about him because his writing styles and creative thinking helped shape American literature and politics. He always promoted equality through his writings. He celebrated African-American culture, humor, and spirituality. I was informed about Hughes my freshman year of college in another African-American studies class, and I learned so much about my culture.
The Harlem Renaissance is the reason for our different genres of music that we listen to. Harlem Renaissance was about giving a voice to the experiences of African Americans, and nothing gave expression to the African-American experience better than jazz did. Jazz was born out of the black experience in America, basically fusing African and European musical traditions. The civil rights movement, popular music in the sense of wanting complete freedom because it all contributes to modern black society. The Harlem Renaissance is the source of black culture that we see from the past to this day.
Claude McKay was a Jamaican writer who was influential in the Harlem Renaissance. He wrote to black individuals about coping in a racist society. He never hid his hate for racism in his writings. He published two poems in the periodical Seven Arts. After publishing his first books of poetry, McKay moved to Harlem, New York. He even protested as a black man about anti-black racism. His inspiring empathy in his readers helped inspire the political tone of the movement.
Alain Leroy Locke was an American writer who is acknowledged as the “Dean” of the Harlem Renaissance. He exposed the issue into The New Negro (1925), a collection of writing by African Americans during the Harlem Renaissance. His works promoted self-expression for all African Americans and his mentorship inspired the younger artists to do just this.
The central focus of this movement was to focus on creating a cultural movement for African-American success. They accomplished their goals because this movement is the reason why there are many successful black businesses and the elevation of music. Overall, the Harlem Renaissance played a significant role in black communities, changed the culture as well as, allowing talented African Americans to elevate themselves. Now, African American aren’t afraid to express themselves and their talents, which can be credited to this impactful moment in American history.
Work Cited
“A New African American Identity: The Harlem Renaissance” https://nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/new-african-american-identity-harlem-renaissance
“Harlem Renaissance: American Literature and Art” https://www.britannica.com/event/Harlem-Renaissance-American-literature-and-art
“Harlem Renaissance” https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/harlem-renaissance
“Langston Hughes” http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/hughes/aa_hughes_subj.html
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