In this era the African Americans rose above all the negativity pushing them down. The "New Negro" movement or the Harlem Renaissance freed them from the mental cages that had been build by all the hate directed towards them. They ended their insecurities that they were not good enough, in this era black was beautiful. This explosion of culture entirely altered the way America viewed African Americans. They overcame racism and came out of it with self-determination and a folk culture entirely original. This new identity they made for themselves made them appreciate more their variety of culture and Black life. Racial consciousness and and racial pride were dramatically heightened by this movement.
Cause and Effect
Developments during World War 1 certainly helped to give rise to the Harlem Renaissance. The migration of African Americans from southern areas to northern areas held a great impact. by 1930 almost 20% of African Americans lived in the north. Although they still faced discrimination, they gained improvement in standards of living and earnings. The racial climate the African Americans endured also helped cause the Harlem Renaissance as they developed a self-determined identity and culture. The trends in the 20's of change and experimentation also helped cause this effect. In addition there was a rise of radical African American intellects who held influence over their peers.
Marcus Garvey
Marcus Garvey is an ample example of the emergence of African Americans asserting themselves in the 20's. He developed political ideas of black nationalism and advocated individual as well as racial pride. He even went on to establish an organization for black economic self-sufficiency as well as separatism. He also started a back-to-Africa movement. Although his movement collapsed due to his conviction of fraud, he inspired his later generation to embrace racial pride and nationalism.
Change and Continuity
This was clearly an era of change as it brought about heightened black pride, a new blend of American culture as well as an expansion of the arts and music. This was an era of improvement for African Americans and helped them to develop their own folk culture. African American certainly began to further assert themselves in this age and certainly gained benefits for doing so. After the 20's nothing was ever quite the same!!
The Arts
Harlem became extremely famous during this time for its large concentration of musicians, artists, actors, and poets. They made great contributions in the fields of literature, arts, and music. Some influential poets of the Renaissance are Countee Cullen, Langston Hughs, James Weldon Jorden as well as Claude McKay who published the famous poem "If I Must Die". They expressed wide ranges of emotion through their work and were very relative to many African Americans lives. "Three Plays for a Negro Theater" was another great contribution of this time. It was written by Ridgely Torrence and was referred to as "the most important single event in the entire history of the Negro in American theater. One of the greatest contribution form the Harlem Renaissance came in the category of music. A new way of playing piano was developed called the Harlem Stride style and of coarse with the roaring 20's came the age of jazz. Artists such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong helped make this style popular and unforgettable.
Effect of Media and Jazz on American Culture
The mass media, the birth and evolution of jazz as well as the Harlem Renaissance helped alter the culture in the United States and Make a new blend of American culture. Thanks to the help of mass media such as radios, jazz music spread across the United States as the music style of Blacks was becoming more and more attractive to whites. This music style essentially began to bring the two groups together as black artists were commonly performing for integrated audiences. Also, white composers began to mimic the musical tendencies Of African Americans and white writers used their themes in their work. This helped to create a new blend of culture as these two races were integrating more and becoming more sympathetic and understanding towards each other. These two groups were also able to share their common interests such as music and the arts.
Vocabulary
Renaissance: a revival of art, architecture, literature and learning
Jazz: A type of music of black American origin characterized by improvisation, syncopation, and usually a regular or forceful rhythm
Jazz: A type of music of black American origin characterized by improvisation, syncopation, and usually a regular or forceful rhythm
AP Parts
Author: Carl Van Vechten
Place and Time: 1936
Prior Knowledge: Langston Hughes was a writer and a major literary figure in the Harlem Ren. Many of his works live on today.
Audience: Those who are interested and take part of the Harlem Movement in art and progress.
Reason: The reason of this piece is to show the face of the mind behind many famous literary pieces.
The Main Idea: To present Hughes in a professional manner, as he was a professional in his works.
Summarize: Langston Hughes was a major figure in black arts and Independence.
Place and Time: 1936
Prior Knowledge: Langston Hughes was a writer and a major literary figure in the Harlem Ren. Many of his works live on today.
Audience: Those who are interested and take part of the Harlem Movement in art and progress.
Reason: The reason of this piece is to show the face of the mind behind many famous literary pieces.
The Main Idea: To present Hughes in a professional manner, as he was a professional in his works.
Summarize: Langston Hughes was a major figure in black arts and Independence.