Vocabulary for the Harlem Renaissance DO NOW – 2/16 and 2/19 Vocabulary for the Harlem Renaissance www.vocabulary.com/lists/968339 10 minutes Work on it everyday!

The Birth of the Harlem Renaissance Using one of the methods you studied in Monday’s PPT, take notes of what’s important information in today’s PPT. For a grade, place your notes in the inbox before you the class.

What was the Harlem Renaissance? The Harlem Renaissance was a period of time in the early 20th century, particularly the 1920s and early 1930s, when African American thought and culture was redefined. African heritage and roots were embraced by the movement’s young writers, artists, and musicians, who found in Harlem a place to express themselves. The movement altered not only African American culture, but American culture as a whole.

THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE It was a time of great development of art, literature, music and culture in the African- American Community. It is also known as the New Negro Movement.

Where was the Harlem Renaissance centered? Centered in the Harlem district of New York City (in the borough of Manhattan), the New Negro Movement had a major influence across the Unites States and even the world.

What were two of the historical influences?

Migration African Americans moved in large numbers north from mostly rural locations to urban centers (i.e. New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland) to: 1. Find better education for their children 2. Look for better employment opportunities 3. Escape the institutionalized racism of the South

How does the Harlem Renaissance connect to the Great Migration? The economic opportunities of the era triggered a widespread migration of black Americans from the rural south to the industrial centers of the north - and especially to New York City. In New York and other cities, black Americans explored new opportunities for intellectual and social freedom. Black American artists, writers, and musicians began to use their talents to work for civil rights and obtain equality.

World War I Ends Optimism that African- American contributions at home and abroad during the war would lead to more equality Return to focus on issues at home New emphasis on community building among African- Americans in the North

How is it important to the American Experience? Validated and gave voice to the 20th century African- American experience Helped to shape and reshape black identity Source of racial pride Rejection of the “minstrel tradition” in American literature of the caricatured, stereotypical black “characters” Vital and creative period in American arts—literature, music, visual and performing arts.

How did it impact history? The Harlem Renaissance helped to redefine how Americans and the world understood African American culture. It integrated black and white cultures, and marked the beginning of a black urban society. The Harlem Renaissance set the stage for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s.

Influences Novelists Visual Artists Zora Neale Hurston Aaron Douglas Alain Locke Palmer Hayden Poets James Vanderzee Musical Artists Countee Cullen Claude McKay Duke Ellington Langston Hughes Bessie Smith

Zora Neale Hurston Lived in first “incorporated” black community in Eatonville, Florida Moved to Harlem in 1925 Graduated from Columbia University in 1928 Most famous book, Their Eyes Were Watching God was published in 1937. Her work focused on blacks living in rural Southern communities in the early 1800s She never addressed white racism in her writing. She focused instead on her belief that black Americans could attain sovereignty from the racism that existed in American society.

Alain Locke In many ways, he was a sort of father figure of the Harlem Renaissance, because without his support many black artists during this era would not have been successful Was the first African American Rhodes Scholar He had a vision that young black artists and writers should use African roots as the basis of their art and culture He was editor of “The New Negro” a very popular anthology magazine Locke described the northward migration of blacks as "something like a spiritual emancipation." Black urban migration, combined with trends in American society as a whole toward experimentation during the 1920s…”

Countee Cullen Adopted by a pioneer black activist minister and his wife Well-educated (earned his Masters in English and French from Harvard) Wrote “white” poetry and often focused on racial concerns Won more major literary awards than any other black writer of the 1920s April 9, 1928, he married Yolande Du Bois

Claude McKay Was born in Jamaica on September 15, 1889 1920, published Spring in New Hampshire in England Many of the poems from Spring in New Hampshire were used in his Harlem Shadows (published 1922, in New York) Harlem Shadows showcased a new African American voice. It was bold and angry. It discussed the racial prejudices that McKay experienced when he arrived in America.

Langston Hughes Known as the “Poet Laureate of Harlem” One of the first African Americans to support himself solely as a writer Blended the sounds of jazz into his poetry Emphasized lower-class Black life Focused on the need for artistic independence and racial pride

Aaron Douglass Often called the “Father of African American Art,” Douglass used traditional African style in his art He was supported by W.E.B. DuBois and Alain Locke when he first arrived in Harlem from Kansas

Palmer Hayden Extremely talented painter Early in his career he focused mostly on landscapes In 1927, he moved to Paris and grew greatly as an artist In 1932, he returned to the U.S., and changed his focus to small town African Americans He has been criticized for perpetuating stereotypes of African American physical features

James Vanderzee His photographs of the people and places of Harlem are his most famous works. His pictures reflected pride, dignity, and idealism. He photographed many famous Harlem Renaissance artists.

Duke Ellington One of the most famous names in Jazz Altered the sound of jazz by blending the genre with African and Latin musical elements During the Harlem Renaissance, he and his band played at the hip Cotton Club, which only allowed white patrons. During the late 1920s, he was everywhere: touring, on Broadway, and in the movies

Bessie Smith The most successful black performing artist of her time Recorded with the biggest names in music at the time. Starred in St. Louis Blues (1929) Smith was popular with both blacks and whites

And the lists goes on and on and on and… The influences from the Harlem Renaissance are not limited to those that we just covered today. There are many other writers, poets, artists, and musical artists that helped shaped this movement. The words, paintings, photographs, and music of these visionaries continue to influence today’s writers, poets, artists, singers, and musicians.

Why did it end? Great Depression Harlem Riot of 1935 End of Prohibition “I was there. I had a swell time while it lasted. But I thought it wouldn’t last long . . . For how could a large and enthusiastic number of people be crazy about Negroes forever?”—Langston Hughes in his autobiography

Great Depression European-Americans became less accepting of African-American art and culture Economic problems for all Americans but especially African-Americans Changes in optimism for African-Americans

Legacy and Influences It brought African-American arts to the foreground. Left an artistic foundation for later writers, painters, and musicians The themes and ideas expressed inspired future African American authors: Ralph Ellison Richard Wright Toni Morrison Alice Walker

Individual Assignment (via turnitin.com) Go to http://www.britannica.com/event/Harlem-Renaissance- American-literature-and-art. Write down all important notes (at least 15 things), and a sentence or 2 explaining why each note is important or how it can be used in a future paper.