Harlem Renaissance Lecture Notes

Overview

• Iconic cultural period in African-American history.
• Occurred during the 1920s.
• Flourishing of black writing, art, and music.
• Cultural revolution in the United States.

Key Factors:

Great Migration

• Migration of black people from the South to urban centers like Harlem.
• Driven by the oppressive Jim Crow laws post-Reconstruction.
• Southern African Americans faced a dilemma: "Should we go or should we stay?"
  • Decision was often a matter of life and death.

Cultural and Artistic Evolution

• In times of repression, extraordinary art is often created.
• New forms of black music emerged during this period.
• Blues and jazz became central to Harlem's life.
  • Notable artists: Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Mamie Smith.

Literary Contributions

• Significant literary works by and about African-Americans emerged.
• Alain Locke compiled these works into an anthology called "The New Negro."
• The term "New Negro" defined the movement.

Larger Movement: The New Negro Movement

• New generation of Black people, two generations post-slavery.
• Used art to pursue broader civil and political rights.
• Artistic worth was emphasized as a testament to cultural and historical value.
  • Important for a historically marginalized group defined as lacking culture or history.

Impact and Legacy

• The Harlem Renaissance represented the flowering of long-repressed creativity.
• Provided a space for African-Americans to redefine their cultural identity.
• Empowered Black people to become the individuals they aspired to be.