How Did Hurston Influence The Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was an influential movement of African American culture throughout the 1920s that took place in a neighborhood, Harlem, in northern New York City. New styles came about and African American culture developed. There was a wide variety of African American musicians, authors, and artists throughout this time period, including the very well known female author, Zora Neale Hurston.

The arts began to flourish in the African American community throughout the Harlem Renaissance. There were many new and well known artists in this period. Famous musicians such as Billie Holiday, Chick Webb, and Louis Armstrong came about. They wrote many famous and still popular songs including “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. Artists

Her work to protect the rights of African Americans was her most important role in this time period. She was also a very well known novelist who took an interest in writing plays. Hurston became acquainted with Langston Hughes, another African American author of the Harlem Renaissance. Hurston and Hughes became good friends and Hurston later began to develop feeling for Hughes. They agreed to collaborate and write a play together. They hired Louis Thompson to do the typing. Zora became jealous of the time Thompson and Hughes spent together and took everything they had worked on and left. Hurston copyrighted the play and claimed to be the sole author. Hughes found out she was in the process of having the play sent to a Black Theater and became furious. He sent in a copyright with both of their names on it. The play was published, but because of the fact that it was never properly finished it never did well in theaters. Their five year friendship was never mended. Zora later became a forgotten author by the public. I find this interesting, considering how influential her novels were, and still are

Louis, Missouri. At the age of thirteen she dropped out of school and lived on the streets. She attracted attention by dancing on the street corner and was recruited to the St. Louis Chorus vaudeville show at the age of 15. During the Harlem Renaissance she traveled to New York City where she performed in many other shows. Baker was one of the highest-paid chorus girls in vaudeville. She traveled to Paris and became an instant success for her “erotic dancing”. Baker was the most successful American entertainer working in France. But upon traveling back to America she was rejected and criticized. American audiences didn't agree with the idea that an African American woman could be so sophisticated. Heartbroken, she returned to France and later married a Frenchman and became a French