 Most Americans who fought in WWI were heroes. Businesses were encouraged to hire war heroes.

 However, African- American veterans who returned to the south where there were “Jim Crow” laws were forced to live in a segregated world where they were not even allowed to vote.

 Having fought for the United States in WWI, many African- Americans demanded respect for their contributions to American society.  They were not willing to live in the segregated South where they could not vote, but were expected to fight for their country.  After World War I many African-Americans moved north to find work in America’s big cities such as New York.

 In New York City, African-Americans migrated or moved to a neighborhood called Harlem. Within Harlem a gathering of artists, musicians and writers inspired one another to create literature, art and music that expressed their pride in and frustration about being African-Americans in a segregated society.

 The word “renaissance” means “reborn”. In this case, it refers to a new interest in the arts, music and literature of African-Americans.  During the Harlem Renaissance artists and writers used folk tales and songs, African designs and everyday language to create art that would celebrate the African-American experience and heritage or history.  Famous writers of the Harlem Renaissance include Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Claude McKay and Zora Neal Huston.

Sometimes when I’m lonely, Don’t know why, Keep thinkin’ I won’t be lonely By and By.  What is hope?  What is hopeful about this poem?

Bring me all of your dreams, You dreamer, Bring me all your Heart melodies That I may wrap them In a blue cloud-cloth Away from the too rough fingers of the world  If dreams need to be wrapped up in a cloth, and protected from rough fingers, what does this say about how fragile they are?  Dreams can be ____________.  Do you think the speaker thinks dreams need to be taken care of?

To sit and dream, to sit and read, To sit and learn about the world Outside our world of here and now— Our problem world To dream of vast horizons of the soul Through dreams made whole Unfettered, free—help me! All you who are dreamers too, Help me to make Our world anew. I reach out my dreams to you.  Based on the short play you read about Langston Hughes, what is the problem with our “problem world”?  What will it take to make the world better?

I look at the world From awakening eyes in a black face— And this is what I see: This fenced-off narrow space Assigned to me. I look at the silly walls Through dark eyes in a dark face— And this is what I know: That all these walls oppression builds Will have to go

I look at my own body With eyes no longer blind— And I see that my own hands can make The world that’s in my mind. Then let us hurry, comrades, The road to find.  Does the speaker like the world he sees? Why not?  What does he want to do with the walls?  What can he do with his hands?

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over—like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags Like a heavy load. Or does it explode?  How does it feel when you can get something, no matter how hard you try?  Does the dream shrink or die?  Does it spread like a sickness?  Does it make you rotten?  Does it weigh you down?  Or, do you get so frustrated you just blow up?