Harlem Renaissance American Literature

What is it? Part of Modernism Spans through the late 1910’s to the mid 1930’s Harlem boasted the largest population of black Americans from the Great Migration North due to lack of work, segregation and violence in the south Or part of the desire to be a part of the emerging art scene Large cities included: Chicago, Philadelphia, and Detroit

Ideas and Themes DuBois’s intellectual exploration of black identity usually marks the beginning of the movement. Issues Global Concerns Identity Fragmentation Social issues Black artists have a social and political responsibility to life up others in his or her work Alain Locke is considered the father of “The New Negro Movement” for his intellectual and philosophical writings on black identity Black artist only had to be responsible for expressing individuality Arthur Schomburg argues for importance of remembering the past

Big Issues White Patronage Disagreements about message and meaning

Authors of the Harlem Renaissance Zora Neale Hurston Langston Hughes Jean Toomer Claude McKay Jessie Fauset Nella Larson