The Harlem Renaissance: Civil Rights Movement

The Harlem Renaissance was a burst on African American’s expression of culture, arts, and writings throughout the 1920’s. It was in Harlem, New York, the movement allowed many African American poets, painters, musicians, authors and philosophers to express the beliefs in their people's culture. They wanted to be equal to white people so they showed that through their talents. Louis Armstrong was a key asset to the Harlem Renaissance due to his inspiring music and playing his instruments for African Americans people during this period.

To a certain extent, Harlem authors, artists and musicians of the Harlem Renaissance contributed in shaping the later 1960s civil rights movement. For instance, the artists of the Harlem Renaissance created works that would change the thoughts of Americans and inspire artists and later artists to use art to protest racism. Moreover, the Harlem Renaissance helped in changing political mindsets, which made the policy reforms in the 1960s easier to execute for the civil rights movement. However, the critics of the Harlem Renaissance have claimed that artists turned to mimicking white, middle class culture, in contrast to the attitude of the civil rights movement where African Americans focused on forging their own unique identity. Furthermore,

The Harlem Renaissance is a term that encompasses an intellectual and literary movement of the 1920s and 1930s. A renowned scholar, Alain Locke, argued that “Negro life is seizing its first chances for group expression and self determination” (1926). Moreover, The Harlem Renaissance refers to the re-birth of African Americans who needed “an affirmation of their dignity and humanity in the face of poverty and racism” (Gates, 1997: 929). In their research, Shukla and Banerji state the the Harlem Renaissance “can be considered as the spring of Afro-American voice” that previously remained unheard and unnoticed (2012). For the first time black musicians and artists came to the fore of attention and started to be praised for their work. The Harlem

The Harlem Renaissance was an important event for the life of an African American. During this time, other people decided to give the African Americans a chance because they saw what talent the African American race had with music, art and sports. By giving them a voice, they finally had a chance to get the rights they deserved. After the Civil war, African Americans were free by law, but they still had to fight for almost everything they wanted.

The purpose of this essay is to provide a thorough yet concise explanation on the ways in which The Harlem Renaissance helped shaped the culture and perceptions of the “New Negro” in modern era of the 1920s and early 1930s. I will analyze the socioeconomic forces that led to the Harlem Renaissance and describe the motivation behind the outburst of Black American creativity, and the ideas that continue to have a lasting impact on American culture. In addition, I will discuss the effects as well as the failures of the movement in its relationship to power and resistance, highlighting key figures and events that are linked to the renaissance movement.

During the 1920s and 1920s, African-American culture came to the forefront of the American art industry. The interest was not limited to literature but included music and movies as well. Jazz music gained traction during the Prohibition Era from underground speakeasies in the city and African-American actors and actresses such as Josephine Baker and Caterina Jarboro rose to popularity. However, the Renaissance typically refers to the rise of African-American literature during this period. Although African-American authors around the world rose to popularity, the center of the movement was in the namesake neighborhood of Harlem, a predominantly black neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Langston Hughes describes the influx of outsiders into the neighborhood in his autobiography “When the Negro Was in Vogue.” He tells us that “white people began to come to Harlem in droves” (1126).

For African Americans during the early 1900’s was a scary place. . People were filled with racism and hate towards those who are black. Ever thought of how much power a group of people have if they all unite for a similar purpose? The Harlem Renaissance shows exactly that. The African Americans of this time came together with the purpose of social change. Digging back into their roots to show the world just how beautiful it is. They chose to express their culture in writing, music, and art.

The Harlem Renaissance was a black literary and art movement that began in Harlem, New York. Migrants from the South came to Harlem with new ideas and a new type of music called Jazz. Harlem welcomed many African Americans who were talented. Writers in the Harlem Renaissance had separated themselves from the isolated white writers which made up the “lost generation” The formation of a new African American cultural identity is what made the Harlem Renaissance and the Lost Generation unique in American culture because it influenced white literacy and it was a sense of freedom for African Americans.

The Harlem Renaissance was a period in American history, which occurred in the 1920s in Harlem, New York. The cultural movement was an opportunity for African Americans to celebrate their heritage through intellectual and artistic works. Langston Hughes, a famous poet, was a product of the Harlem Renaissance. One notable piece of literature by Hughes is “Dream Deferred”. However, the discussion of African American culture isn’t limited to the 1920s. Paul Laurence Dunbar showed the potential struggles of being African American in his poem “We Wear the Mask”, written fifty-five years prior to “Dream Deferred”. Both poems share similar tones and themes. “Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes can serve as a sequel to “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar through displaying a cause and effect relationship which highlights the strength of neglect and disguises.

African Americans lived in a world of racial injustices and cultural restrictions until the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a time where there is an African American literary and art movement in the uptown Manhattan neighborhood. It is the turning point in African American culture, as well as their place in America. The African Americans were starting to become equal in American society. While the Renaissance built on earlier traditions of African American culture, it was greatly affected by the trends of the Europeans and white Americans. The Harlem Renaissance left a great cultural impact on modern society by its literary works, music, and visual arts.

The Harlem Renaissance was a period of great cultural growth in the black community. It is accepted that it started in 1918 and lasted throughout the 1930s. Though named the ‘Harlem’ Renaissance, it was a country-wide phenomenon of pride and development among black Americans, the likes of which had never existed in such grand scale. Among the varying political actions and movements for equality, a surge of new art appeared: musical, visual, and even theatre. With said surge, many of the most well-known black authors, poets, musicians and actors rose to prevalence including Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Louis Armstrong, and Eulalie Spence. The development of many unique styles of such art was also started due to the Harlem Renaissance, much

Harlem Renaissance has changed not only cultural but social and political position of African-Americans in American society. The mass migration to the North changed the image of the African-American person, he was not an ignorant and illiterate peasant anymore, he turned into a smart and educated representative of the Middle class. Thanks to this changes, African-Americans became the part of the American and then the world cultural and intellectual elite.

In life, there are few things as organic as jazz music. With its raw sound and scrappy roots, one cannot help but feel life head-on whilst witnessing players produce such a sound right before their eyes. Its origins and arch are a product of the United States’ national culture and identity. Jazz exists not only as a deeply rooted form of art but as a cultural marker, particularly during its commercial peak in the first half of the 20th century. Its impact transcends borders, and it is one of the most beloved musical genres worldwide. The history, popularity and influence of jazz on human culture make it the seminal American art form.

Racism is a prominent issue or a serious problem in the American society since the beginning and the Americans are still struggling to eradicate this problem from their land. American soil has witnessed civil rights movements concerning this issue in the past. However in 1920, a movement got initiated to promote black identity known as Harlem Renaissance. It was also a fine arts movement that led to an increase in black confidence, literacy rate, and black culture. Writers wrote about their roots and the current society. Most of the movement took place near Harlem and was led by the middle class educated blacks. Civil rights movement began in somewhere near the 1960’s. Both these movements involved the black community however through different approaches. Though not totally free from critics, Harlem Renaissance was the first time that a considerable number of mainstream publishers and critics took African American literature seriously, and it was the first time that African American literature and the arts attracted significant attention from the nation at large.

Racism, killing of African Americans, evolution of music.These are all reasons why the Civil Rights Movement and the Harlem Renaissance has similar purposes. The Civil Rights Movement was lead by many activists such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, plus other leaders. The Harlem Renaissance had poets such as Langston Hughes and blues singers such as Louis Armstrong. Together these leaders made a difference in the way of African Americans. First came the Harlem Renaissance, then came the unforgettable Civil Rights Movement. Both historical events were reflected upon each other. As already known, the Harlem Renaissance used many tactics to voice black rights. They used strategies such as blues music, poetry, artwork, and non- violent protests. The Civil Rights Movement paved the way for African American through riots, speeches, and unnecessary arrests. The people who lived during the Civil Rights Movement used both violent and non- violent protests , marches and speeches. No matter how anyone look at the past, it carved a better future for many African Americans.