The Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance Devanee Matcham

As the 1920's were booming, so was the culture for African Americans. From the Great Migration, many African Americans fled to the rural North to vanish from the white supremacy in the South. Black culture was reborn as the Harlem Renaissance, (The Negro Movement) and empowered Black individuals through their lively writing, music, dancing, and intellect, making history.

Negro life is seizing its first chances for group expression and self determination

Literature and Writing: The Harlem Renassiance was a literary movement for black culture. From a world of being enslaved, blacks were able to be free in their writing, expressing their own black culture and their pain and sorrows.

Langston Hughes: Hughes is an important poet and writer in the 1920's. Hughes is still studied today in English for his portrayal of African Americans lives in the 1920s and his jazz poetry.

Zora Neale Hurston was a famous black author during the Harlem Renaissance. She worked with Langston Hughes in unity to share and celebrate African American culture.

Music: Harlem Renaissance wasn't just about the intellectual writing, but it was the soul for jazz. In nightclubs, performers would perform embracing their culture and their race. Music during the Harlem portrayed soul, pain, hurt, and above all life.

Louis Armstrong was one of the most famous musician in the Harlem Renaissance. He came to the top in the 1920's influencing black individuals with his bold trumpet style, and unique voice. His jazz music was considered legendary in jazz history.

Bille Holiday was an influential jazz and blues singer in the 1920s. Holiday sung about the struggles of black Americans, and embraced their thrive. Holiday's most shocking and popular song, "Strange Fruit," was about the lynchings of the blacks and how it affected their culture.

Art: Surrealism, Impressionism and Art Deco were the new art in the Harlem. Artists used these modern art styles to express the 'New Negro' philosophy, and express their new find of cultural appreciation.

The Harlem Renaissance Importance:

From Years of oppression and discrimination, the Harlem Renaissance gave black individuals a voice. The Harlem was a place for black culture to thrive, and unite into embracing and loving who they are, and what they do. Black individuals put their embracement into creative matters, giving America today some of the most important black culture there is.

The Harlem Renaissance now proves how important black literature, art, and music is to the United States. Although black culture is still unappreciated , without the Harlem Renaissance, black culture might have not been as known as it is today.

Facts on the Harlem Renaissance:

- The Cotton Club was one of the most popular nightclubs for black musicians to go perform and express themselves, to create a style known as jazz.

- Other significant individuals part of the Harlem Renaissance movement include: Duke Ellington, Claude McKay, Zora Neale Hurston, Bessie Smith, and Paul Robeson. All figures helped inspire and advocate for the black culture movement.

- The Harlem Renaissance was centered in New York. It was were most black communities went to migrate.

- Some popular songs during the Harlem Renissance, "St. Louis Blues" by Louis Armstrong with Bessie Smith, "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" by Duke Ellington, "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday and "Sweet Georgia Brown" by Ella Fitzgerald and Cab Calloway.

- Zoot Suit: The Zoot Suit was a popular men's suit for African Americans of Harlem. The Zoot Suit was trousers that were high-waisted, wide-legged with pegged bottoms The long jackets were tight-cuffed with wide lapels and wide padded shoulders.

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Created with images by AgnieszkaMonk - "book bible text" • the3cats - "flute musical instrument silver plated"

The Harlem Renaissance Devanee Matcham

Facts on the Harlem Renaissance:

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