good titles for a harlem renaissance essay

Eng 102 - The Argumentative Essay: Harlem Renaissance

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Harlem Renaissance

Issues and Controversies in American History  is an excellent source for information on the Harlem Renaissance . 

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The issue:  Should Harlem Renaissance writers and artists primarily seek to integrate with mainstream culture and advance the political goals of the civil rights establishment through their works? Or should Renaissance artists be free to express authentic and distinctly African American themes?

• Arguments for cultural integration:  In order to counter more than a century of racist stereotypes of blacks in American pop culture, Renaissance artists have an obligation to convey "respectable" images of African Americans to white society. In other words, art should be used as a political means, not for its own sake. Once black culture is accepted and integrated into mainstream culture, then political, social and economic equality will follow. Furthermore, the whole notion of "black art" is stereotypical in its own right; artists should express a wide array of themes and subject matter that aims to transcend racial identity.
• Arguments against cultural integration:  Countering racist portrayals in popular culture is crucial to achieving equality for African Americans, but not at the cost of sacrificing authentic and realistic forms of black artistry. A Renaissance artist should capture the unique voice of the black masses, not the whitewashed, "proper" portrayals that cater to the elite tastes of the black bourgeoisie and white society. The melting pot of cultural integration should be rejected in favor of the mosaic of cultural harmony, in which many cultures coexist apart from one another. Only when African Americans are accepted and respected for their own unique culture can genuine equality follow.

Harlem 1900-1940 . The website for the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture contains an online exhibition on black life in Harlem during the era of the Harlem Renaissance. Includes timeline of events, images, text, bibliography, and resources for teachers.

Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia . A project Ferris State University, the Jim Crow Museum website houses an exhaustive collection of artifacts documenting the Jim Crow era.

Rhapsodies in Black . The Institute of International Visual Arts presents an online exhibition of text and images highlighting the history and culture of the Harlem Renaissance. 

The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow . The website for the PBS series includes brief summary text and images exploring the Harlem Renaissance. Links to related topics and larger themes provided.  

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The Gale In Context: U.S. History database provides access to Academic Journals, Magazines, Primary Sources, Reference Books, and Biographies related to the Harlem Renaissance . 

The Harlem Renaissance (c. 1918- c. 1937) was an important period in the development of African American culture. During this era, a group of influential figures in the creative arts helped to turn the New York City neighborhood of Harlem into a major center of African American music, literature, politics, and culture. It was less a movement than an attempt by artists to support each other in a cultural environment during a period in American history when there was not broad support for African American creative expression.

Also called the “New Negro Movement,” the Harlem Renaissance was merely the most famous of several urban clusters of African American expression. Cities such as Chicago, Kansas City, Memphis, and Cleveland were also...

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"Harlem Renaissance."  Gale U.S. History Online Collection , Gale, 2020.  Gale In Context: U.S. History , https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.tmcc.edu/apps/doc/CSVSGR697740729/UHIC?u=tmcc_main&sid=UHIC&xid=5f9a33e3. Accessed 9 Apr. 2020.

The EBSCO ebook collection provides access to dozens of books dedicated to the Harlem Renaissance.

Use the Table of Contents to identify specific aspects of the Harlem Renaissance. 

Subjects:  SOCIAL SCIENCE / Ethnic Studies / American / African American Studies; American literature--African American authors--History and criticism; African American arts--New York (State)--New York--20th century; African American arts--20th century; African Americans--Intellectual life--20th century;  Harlem Renaissance ; African Americans--New York (State)--New York--Intellectual life--20th century

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MLA Citations are provided:

Huggins, Nathan Irvin.  Harlem Renaissance . Vol. Updated ed, Oxford University Press, 2007.  EBSCOhost , search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=362479&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

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Harlem Renaissance

By: History.com Editors

Updated: February 14, 2024 | Original: October 29, 2009

The Harlem Renaissance was the development of the Harlem neighborhood in New York City as a Black cultural mecca in the early 20th Century and the subsequent social and artistic explosion that resulted. Lasting roughly from the 1910s through the mid-1930s, the period is considered a golden age in African American culture, manifesting in literature, music, stage performance and art.

Great Migration

The northern Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem was meant to be an upper-class white neighborhood in the 1880s, but rapid overdevelopment led to empty buildings and desperate landlords seeking to fill them.

In the early 1900s, a few middle-class Black families from another neighborhood known as Black Bohemia moved to Harlem, and other Black families followed. Some white residents initially fought to keep African Americans out of the area, but failing that many whites eventually fled.

How Did the Harlem Renaissance Start?

Outside factors led to a population boom: From 1910 to 1920, African American populations migrated in large numbers from the South to the North, with prominent figures like W.E.B. Du Bois leading what became known as the Great Migration .

In 1915 and 1916, natural disasters in the south put Black workers and sharecroppers out of work. Additionally, during and after World War I , immigration to the United States fell, and northern recruiters headed south to entice Black workers to their companies.

By 1920, some 300,000 African Americans from the South had moved north, and Harlem was one of the most popular destinations for these families.

Langston Hughes

This considerable population shift resulted in a Black Pride movement with leaders like Du Bois working to ensure that Black Americans got the credit they deserved for cultural areas of life. Two of the earliest breakthroughs were in poetry, with Claude McKay’s collection Harlem Shadows in 1922 and Jean Toomer’s Cane in 1923. Civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson’s The Autobiography of An Ex-Colored Man in 1912 , followed b y God’s Trombones in 1927, left their mark on the world of fiction.

Novelist and du Bois protege Jessie Redmon Fauset's 1924 novel There Is Confusion explored the idea of Black Americans finding a cultural identity in a white-dominated Manhattan. Fauset was the literary editor of the NAACP magazine The Crisis and developed a magazine for Black children with Du Bois.

Sociologist Charles Spurgeon Johnson, who was integral in shaping the Harlem literary scene, used the debut party for There Is Confusion to organize resources to create Opportunity , the National Urban League magazine he founded and edited, a success that bolstered writers like Langston Hughes .

Hughes was at that party along with other promising Black writers and editors, as well as powerful white New York publishing figures. Soon many writers found their work appearing in mainstream magazines like Harper’s .

Zora Neale Hurston

Anthropologist and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston courted controversy through her involvement with a publication called FIRE!!

Helmed by white author and Harlem writers’ patron Carl Van Vechten and filled with works from prolific Black writers including Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston and Aaron Douglas, the magazine exoticized the lives of Harlem residents. Van Vechten’s previous fiction stirred up interest among whites to visit Harlem and take advantage of the culture and nightlife there.

Though Van Vechten’s work was condemned by older luminaries like DuBois, it was embraced by Hurston, Hughes and others.

Countee Cullen

Poetry, too, flourished during the Harlem Renaissance. Countee Cullen was 15 when he moved into the Harlem home of Reverend Frederick A. Cullen, the pastor of Harlem’s largest congregation, in 1918.

The neighborhood and its culture informed his poetry, and as a college student at New York University, he obtained prizes in a number of poetry contests before going on to Harvard’s master's program and publishing his first volume of poetry: Color. He followed it up with Copper Sun and The Ballad of the Brown Girl and went on to write plays as well as children’s books.

Cullen received a Guggenheim fellowship for his poetry and married Nina Yolande, the daughter of W.E.B. DuBois. Their wedding was a major social event in Harlem. Cullen’s reviews for Opportunity magazine, which ran under the column "Dark Tower," focused on works from the African-American literati and covered some of the biggest names of the age.

Harlem Renaissance Musicians

The music that percolated in and then boomed out of Harlem in the 1920s was jazz, often played at speakeasies offering illegal liquor. Jazz became a great draw for not only Harlem residents but outside white audiences also.

Some of the most celebrated names in American music regularly performed in Harlem— Louis Armstrong , Duke Ellington , Bessie Smith , Fats Waller and Cab Calloway , often accompanied by elaborate floor shows. Tap dancers like John Bubbles and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson were also popular.

Cotton Club

With the groundbreaking new music came vibrant nightlife. The Savoy opened in 1927, an integrated ballroom with two bandstands that featured continuous jazz and dancing well past midnight, sometimes in the form of battling bands helmed by Fletcher Henderson, Jimmie Lunceford and King Oliver.

While it was fashionable to frequent Harlem nightlife, entrepreneurs realized that some white people wanted to experience Black culture without having to socialize with African Americans and created clubs to cater to them.

The most successful of these was the Cotton Club, which featured frequent performances by Ellington and Calloway. Some in the community derided the existence of such clubs, while others believed they were a sign that Black culture was moving toward greater acceptance.

Paul Robeson

The cultural boom in Harlem gave Black actors opportunities for stage work that had previously been withheld. Traditionally, if Black actors appeared onstage, it was in a minstrel show musical and rarely in a serious drama with non-stereotypical roles.

At the center of this stage revolution was the versatile Paul Robeson , an actor, singer, writer, activist and more. Robeson first moved to Harlem in 1919 while studying law at Columbia University and continually maintained a social presence in the area, where he was considered an inspirational but approachable figure.

Robeson believed that arts and culture were the best paths forward for Black Americans to overcome racism and make advances in a white-dominated culture.

Josephine Baker

Black musical revues were staples in Harlem, and by the mid-1920s had moved south to Broadway, expanding into the white world. One of the earliest of these was Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle’s Shuffle Along , which launched the career of Josephine Baker .

White patron Van Vechten helped bring a more serious lack of stage work to Broadway, though largely the work of white authors. It wasn’t until 1929 that a Black-authored play about Black lives, Wallace Thurman and William Rapp’s Harlem , played Broadway.

Playwright Willis Richardson offered more serious opportunities for Black actors with several one-act plays written in the 1920s, as well as articles in Opportunity magazine outlining his goals. Stock companies like the Krigwa Players and the Harlem Experimental Theater also gave Black actors serious roles.

Aaron Douglas

The visual arts were never welcoming to Black artists, with art schools, galleries and museums shutting them out. Sculptor Meta Warrick Fuller, a protégé of Auguste Rodin , explored African American themes in her work and influenced Du Bois to champion Black visual artists.

The most celebrated Harlem Renaissance artist is Aaron Douglas , often called “the Father of Black American Art,” who adapted African techniques to realize paintings and murals, as well as book illustrations.

Sculptor Augusta Savage ’s 1923 bust of Du Bois garnered considerable attention. She followed that up with small, clay portraits of everyday African Americans, and would later be pivotal to enlisting black artists into the Federal Art Project, a division of the Work Progress Administration (WPA) .

James VanDerZee ’s photography captured Harlem's daily life, as well as commissioned portraits in his studio that he worked to fill with optimism and separate philosophically from the horrors of the past.

Marcus Garvey

Black nationalist and leader of the Pan-Africanism movement Marcus Garvey was born in Jamaica but moved to Harlem in 1916 and began publishing the influential newspaper Negro World in 1918. His shipping company, Black Star Line, established trade between Africans in America, the Caribbean, South and Central America, Canada and Africa.

Garvey is perhaps best known for founding the Universal Negro Improvement Association, or UNIA, which advocated for “separate but equal” status for persons of African ancestry with the goal of establishing Black states around the world. Garvey was famously at odds with W.E.B. DuBois, who called him "the most dangerous enemy of the Negro race in America." His outspoken views also made him a target of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI .

Harlem Renaissance Ends

The end of Harlem’s creative boom began with the stock market crash of 1929 and The Great Depression . It wavered until Prohibition ended in 1933, which meant white patrons no longer sought out illegal alcohol in uptown clubs.

By 1935, many pivotal Harlem residents had moved on to seek work. They were replaced by the continuous flow of refugees from the South, many requiring public assistance.

The Harlem Race Riot of 1935 broke out following the arrest of a young shoplifter, resulting in three dead, hundreds injured and millions of dollars in property damage. The riot was a death knell for the Harlem Renaissance.

Why Was the Harlem Renaissance Important?

The Harlem Renaissance was a golden age for African American artists, writers and musicians. It gave these artists pride in and control over how the Black experience was represented in American culture and set the stage for the civil rights movement .

Harlem Stomp! A Cultural History of the Harlem Renaissance . Laban Carrick Hill . The Harlem Renaissance: Hub of African-American Culture, 1920-1930 . Steven Watson. The Harlem Renaissance: A Historical Dictionary For The Era . Bruce Kellner, Editor.

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Harlem Renaissance - List of Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural, social, and artistic movement that emerged in the early 20th century within the African American community in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Essays could explore the literary, musical, and artistic works of this period, the historical and social context in which the Harlem Renaissance occurred, or the impact of the movement on subsequent generations of African American artists and intellectuals. We’ve gathered an extensive assortment of free essay samples on the topic of Harlem Renaissance you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Cultural Movement – the Harlem Renaissance

During the 1920s, The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that provided a new way of life for African Americans. The Renaissance, also known as the New Negro Movement, was also a time of intellectual, social, and artistic awakening that was centered in, but not limited to, Harlem, New York. In addition to serving as the movements spiritual home, Harlem also provided the setting and material for literary works of the Renaissance. The literary creations such as poetry, short stories, […]

The Harlem Renaissance in Connection to Duke Ellington

Jazz music was the vital element of this Harlem Renaissance. Two of these most common musicians were Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. The Cotton Club in Harlem was a common hot place for whites trying to love living jazz. The Harlem Renaissance was a vibrant change that affected many areas of social life. This new era was characterized by a sense of pride and a desire to be a part of the American dream. My paper will touch the jazz […]

Unethical Uber

Introduction/Background Uber, what once was just a German adjective, is now internationally known as the world’s leading ride-sharing service. Similar to a taxicab, Uber actually went by the name Ubercab until October of 2010, when it decided to drop the “cab” from its name. Not only did this company compete with its yellow and black counterparts, but Uber took the industry by storm and has nearly wiped-out the traditional taxi cab service. Along the way the company has had many […]

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The Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a renewal and flourishing of black culture, art, music and social activism during the years after World War I which started approximately around 1917 and ended around 1935, in the Harlem section of New York City. The period was originally called the “New Negro Movement.” African-Americans used the arts to display their humanity and push for equality. Many famous figures began publishing novels, magazines, and newspapers during this era. Even mainstream publishing houses provided more opportunities […]

What was the Harlem Renaissance?

Where did it begin? How did it change the lives of many African-Americans? In this paper, these questions along with a few other questions that will be answered. You will also be informed of what is known as the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance movement occurred during post-war America at the end of World war 1 to the Great Depression in the 1930s. This movement was made up of a group of African-American writers who produced large quantities of fiction, […]

Exploring the Life and Impact of Langston Hughes

"Do you know who Langston Hughes really is? Well if you read these fun facts you can get to know him. Langston Hughes was a very important writer of the Harlem Renaissance. He was raised by his mother, grandmother, and the childless reeds until his grandmother died. Then, he and his mother moved around alot until finally reaching Cleveland where they stayed. Langston Hughes went to Columbia University. He worked as a busboy as well, as a steward. Langston Hughes […]

The Harlem Renaissance: Modern Art and Music

The Great Migration is given a lot of the credit for bringing 1.6 million African Americans from the South to the North to seek a better life. The Great Migration also increased the population of Harlem. The Harlem Renaissance was a time where African Americans migrated from the Rural South to Northern cities during World War I, taking advantage of inexpensive living.. During this time in the early 19th century, both social and intellectual growth took place here for African […]

The Harlem Renaissance and the African American Experience

The campaign established important problems influencing the experiences of African Americans within a mixture of protests, movies, painting, drama, music, art, sculpture, and literature. The creativity explosion between black authors of the time was the outcome of the various conditions and situations of the past. Consequently, the Harlem Renaissance was stronger than a movement of literature; it was an impressive social interpretation of the experience of racism which reached within each section of the black experience. The importance of the […]

The Legacy of Langston Hughes

African American poet, Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902 in Joplin Missouri. Hughes was not only a poet he was also a social activists, novelists, and columnist. Hughes struggled with abandonment and loneliness from his parents growing up. He was later raised by his grandmother in Kansas and later moved to New York City to start his career. Later, Hughes graduated from High School and attended Columbia University. He studied briefly for a year and soon became apart of […]

Injustice during the Harlem Renaissance Movement

There appear to be plentiful literary movements that describe the 1920s in the United States; however, the Harlem Renaissance movement defines the period of the roaring twenties. The Great Migration allowed for the African American culture to flourish in the northern United States. Most of the African American population settled in New York, in a community after the name of Harlem (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia). All southern blacks brought their talent to the north and expressed it, which existed to be […]

Writers and Artists who Influenced the Harlem Renaissance

Langston Hughes was born to James Hughes and Carrie Langston on February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. His parents split up soon after his birth and was mainly raised by his grandmother Mary. His grandmother died in his early teens when he returned to being raised by his mother. Hughes graduated high school in 1920 and traveled to Mexico for the following year to see his father who had moved there when his parents split up. In 1921 Hughes returned […]

Biography of Langston Hughes

"In honor of black history month, I decided to write a biography on Langston Hughes, a black writer and poet who lived during the Harlem Renaissance, a prosperous time for African Americans in the segregated United States. Born on February 1, 1902 in Joplin Missouri, James Mercer Langston Hughes was born to two parents that would soon separate. He grew up with his grandmother and moved throughout the Midwest until he settled in Cleveland following his grandmother’s death. In Cleveland, […]

The Harlem Renaissance: Cultural Revolution Born from the Struggle for Equality

After the American Civil War finished in 1865 more employment and instruction got to be accessible for black. Blacks had at long last made a center lesson in America. Those blacks were anticipating to be treated decently and have the same life as white Americans. In 1896 equal rights for all races came to a stop when the Plessy v. Ferguson Preeminent Court ruled racial isolation satisfactory. Isolated, but ‘equal’ was the proverb. African-Americans, within the south, were met with […]

The Harlem Renaissance: a New African American Identity

The Harlem Renaissance was a period full of African American literary excellence. The world was overcome by intellectuals who “desired to establish and re-present African-American cultural authenticity to a predominantly white audience.” Zora Neale Hurston was compelled by this time and contributed by writing multiple stories and novels. Her most known work, Their Eyes Were Watching God, published in 1937, has received mixed reviews over the years but is now being taught in scholarly classrooms to illustrate the life of […]

The Harlem Renaissance Essay

The Harlem Renaissance was an era of massive growth in art, music, poetry, and dancing during the 1920s. Many started to enjoy this upbeat music and empowering literature. This is what is well known about the Harlem Renaissance. This all originated after The Great Migration. These forms were very influential, even the white Americans started to use them. They used them even though they usually discriminated them. This art form lasted from The Great War to The Great Depression. This period of […]

Artistic Contributions of the Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was caused by the migration of African Americans, their search for identity, and talent. After the abolition of slavery many blacks moved toward industrialized cities. There, they hoped to find success and be identified as common people. After World War I, people began to recognize the African American identity and saw their work as more than an object but rather a piece of art. The art works blacks created were due to their progression in literature and […]

What is the Significance of the Placement of Langston Hughes Ashes?

Many people would consider Mr. Langston Hughes one of the greatest poets of his era. Hughes had so much love and passion for African American literature and music; he dedicated his life writing many inspiring poems for his generation and most importantly for younger generations. He devoted his life and career believing that African American poems and music were a very powerful tool to use for Blacks when it came to experiencing themselves and speaking up against the injustice society. […]

Langston Hughes & the Harlem Renaissance

Langston Hughes is and will forever be a prolific play write but that did not come without struggle from his own people his strong ability to work well with others and his strong story telling skills that articulated black life. Langston Hughes was a spokesman at a time where very few black people had a voice very much not so in the public eye and the other black writers disliked Langston because they thought he had a stereotypical view of […]

Harlem Renaissance – Langston Hughes

The Harlem Renaissance was a revolutionary time of changes to be equal and standing up for the rights of African-Americans. Many literature leaders like writers, artists, poets, and others rose to show their rights and freedom in the nation, including Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes was an African-American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He became one of the most recognized figures and grew to be a leader among the other artists during the Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes’s life was […]

Resonating Reverberations: Harlem Renaissance Poetry’s Unfolding Melody

In the crucible of 1920s Harlem, a cultural resurgence ignited, heralding the efflorescence of the Harlem Renaissance—a radiant epoch that ushered forth a symphony of African American expression, with poetry as its melodious centerpiece. Amidst the urban landscape, poets crafted verses that transcended ink and paper, pulsating with the heartbeat of a resilient community striving for recognition, liberation, and cultural reclamation. The poetry of this renaissance, akin to a brush dipped in vibrant hues, encapsulated the aspirations, complexities, and desires […]

The Syncopated Rhythms of the Harlem Renaissance: a Melodic and Cultural Revolution

In the fervent expanse of the 1920s, an epochal movement blossomed in the heart of Harlem, New York. The Harlem Renaissance, a term coined to embody the explosion of African American culture across the disciplines of art, literature, and, most indelibly, music, was not merely a historical footnote but a seismic shift in the cultural bedrock of the United States. This artistic revolution sang a new tune of racial pride, cultural identity, and intellectual sophistication. At the center of this […]

How does Life Influence Literature?

"Everyday the life and emotions around us influence our perception of the things we write about in literature. Things such as an author’s emotions, experiences, and the environment they are in influence their writing. A major example of life influencing literature would be the Harlem Renaissance. Literature wouldn’t be enjoyable if life did not influence it in some type of way. To start, every action we make is influenced by our emotions whether that are good or bad. Well, the same […]

The United States – the American Dream

The United States has long been known to people around the world as the land where dreams come true. Many people - immigrants and native U.S. citizens alike - have a great American dream. The idea of an American dream was especially popular during the 1920’s, a period of lavish parties thrown by the best of the best, flappers and bootleggers, as well as a movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a rush of social and […]

Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston

Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston literary works meaningfully apports a positive change and influencing the American literature and politics. Both writers are the most distinguished playwrights and theorists of the Harlem Renaissance. Their sturdy sense of racial complacency made them to lastingly promoting the civil rights of the African Americans, together with the right to fairness. Through their numerous accounts, poetries, dramas, and articles, they boosted the parity in American society. They significantly renowned and acknowledge the Black people […]

Langston Hughes Poetry Essay

Introduction Langston Hughes lived between the years 1902-1967 and was a prominent figure of the Harlem Renaissance and among the early innovators of jazz poetry. The essay will analyze and discuss three of Hughes poems and seek to identify if the poems focused on either the uniqueness of African Americans and their life experiences or the common bonds of humanity between African Americans and other members of other races. The poems discussed will be; 'Night Funeral in Harlem,' 'Let America […]

Harlem by Langston Hughes

James Mercer Langston Hughes was an American poet, novelist, columnist, social activist and playwright from Joplin, Missouri. He was one of the first innovators of new art called jazz poetry, poetry that had a jazz like rhythm to it. Poets that used this way of writing started something that is known as the Harlem Renaissance with this new genre of poetry. Hughes mostly wrote about life of the black community and the way they were treated because of the color […]

Poetry Analysis: Harlem by Langston Hughes

The literary history reveals a long list of significantly influential authors who had inspired a unique idea that effectively brought about a transformation in the society. These authors are known by their ideals which manifest through their thought provoking works. One of the best examples among them is Langston Hughes who had been a significant influence on what is presently known as the period of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes’ literary works have inspired the idea of social equality as he […]

Langston Hughes’s “Theme for English B”

Can a white person understand the black experience in America? Langston Hughes’s “Theme for English B” is a poem about his experience as the only African American male in his class. His assignment is to write a page about whatever comes to his mind as long as it’s true. Hughes, however, has the writer’s block and doubts about what to write. By the end of the poem, the student concludes that “it is true” that the instructor and Hughes are […]

Exploring Identity Conflicts in Langston Hughes’ Poem

In this essay we will analyze Langston Hughes’ poem “Theme for English B.” This poem was published in 1951 and forms part of Hughes’ poetry book Montage of a Dream Deferred. Most of Hughes’ poetry focuses on African-American people, their lives, their struggles, their fight for justice, and their culture. In this particular poem, the speaker is an African-American student in a prestigious university. The poem is a response from the student to his English professor’s assignment. Hughes uses rhyme, […]

“Miniver Cheevy,” by E.A. Robinson, “Harlem,” by Langston Hughes

“Miniver Cheevy,” by E.A. Robinson, “Harlem,” by Langston Hughes, and “In a Station of the Metro,” by Ezra Pound, are poems that have characteristics which are similar, while still having other characteristics which differ. The theme of the poems are similar --; they are about despondent people --, but they differ in plot, structure and writing style. The poets use specific techniques to interact with the reader’s emotions. Each poet also incorporates a confusing element that catches the reader by […]

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How To Write An Essay On The Harlem Renaissance

Introduction to the harlem renaissance.

When embarking on an essay about the Harlem Renaissance, it's crucial to establish an understanding of this significant cultural movement. The Harlem Renaissance, spanning the 1920s and 1930s, was a period of African American artistic creativity, primarily in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. It marked a profound transformation in Black cultural and intellectual life in America. Your introduction should set the scene for this vibrant era, highlighting its importance in African American history and its influence on broader American culture. Clarify your essay's focus, whether it’s on the literary, musical, artistic, or social aspects of the Harlem Renaissance.

Exploring the Cultural and Artistic Achievements

Dive into the heart of the Harlem Renaissance by exploring the array of cultural and artistic achievements that defined this period. Discuss the literary contributions of figures like Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Claude McKay, who used their writings to express the African American experience and challenge racial stereotypes. Delve into the world of jazz and blues, highlighting how musicians like Duke Ellington and Bessie Smith revolutionized the music scene. The Harlem Renaissance was also a time of significant achievement in the visual arts; artists like Aaron Douglas and Augusta Savage used their art to depict African American heritage and contemporary life. This section should capture the essence of the Harlem Renaissance’s artistic diversity and its impact on American culture.

Analyzing the Social and Historical Context

An essential aspect of your essay should be an analysis of the social and historical context of the Harlem Renaissance. Discuss the Great Migration, which saw hundreds of thousands of African Americans move from the rural South to the urban North, creating communities like Harlem. Examine how the Harlem Renaissance was both a response to the challenges faced by African Americans during this period and a celebration of black culture and identity. Explore the role of patrons and institutions, such as the NAACP and the Harlem YMCA, in supporting and promoting the work of African American artists and intellectuals. This analysis should provide a deeper understanding of the factors that fostered the Harlem Renaissance and its significance in the fight against racial discrimination.

Concluding with the Legacy of the Harlem Renaissance

In your conclusion, reflect on the lasting legacy of the Harlem Renaissance. Discuss how the movement reshaped African American identity and laid the groundwork for future civil rights activism. Consider its enduring impact on American literature, music, and art, as well as its role in shaping societal attitudes towards race and culture. Summarize how the Harlem Renaissance was not just a historical period but a moment of cultural reawakening that continues to inspire and influence. Your conclusion should not only tie together the key themes of your essay but also inspire further exploration and appreciation of this pivotal era in American history.

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Harlem Renaissance in English Literature

The Harlem Renaissance, an imaginative and cultural movement that took place in the 1920s and early 1930s, marked a significant period in American history. It originated mostly among African Americans in the bustling Harlem district of New York City and was characterized by an influx of creative expression in the forms of art, music, literature, and intellectual thought. This time period came after the Great Migration during which a large number of African Americans relocated from the rural South to urban centers in the North in search of better prospects and escaping discrimination based on race.

 A cornerstone of African American literary history and a testament to the ability of art to effect social change, the Harlem Renaissance is enormously significant in English literature because it gave voice to the African American experience, dispelling prevalent stereotypes and prejudices and generating an extensive number of iconic literary works that still have an impact on writers and scholars today.

Table of Contents

Themes and characteristics of Harlem Renaissance

Identity and racial consciousness.

The literature of the Harlem Renaissance extensively examines identity and racial consciousness. In a culture characterized by institutionalized racism and discrimination, writers of this era struggled with issues of self-identity and cultural belonging. Defining one’s identity as an African American in a largely white culture was a common theme in their writings. Langston Hughes’ “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and Countee Cullen’s “Heritage,” which explore the nuanced interplay between racial heritage and human identity, are two examples of poems that explore this issue.

Read More: Modern Period in English Literature

The exploration of African American heritage and folklore:

The writers of the Harlem Renaissance showed a keen interest in examining and honoring African American folklore and legacy. They looked to African customs, folktales, and spirituals for inspiration as they attempted to reestablish a connection with their cultural heritage. The literature of the time was significantly impacted by the resurgence of interest in African and African American folklore that resulted from this investigation. For example, Zora Neale Hurston gained notoriety for compiling African American folktales in “Mules and Men,” and Claude McKay frequently included elements of African and Jamaican culture in his poetry.

Social and political commentary:

Many Harlem Renaissance authors made social and political commentary using their literary platforms. They talked about things like the fight for civil rights, segregation, and racial inequity. They criticized the inequality and injustices African Americans endured in the US through their writings. A well-known person of the time, W.E.B. Du Bois aided the movement with his essays and as editor of “The Crisis,” the NAACP magazine, which offered a forum for political engagement and discussion.

Jazz and music as inspiration

The social and cultural context of the Harlem Renaissance was heavily influenced by jazz and music. Jazz music’s rhythms, improvisation, and rich emotional range greatly influenced writers. Many of the era’s poems and prose pieces have syncopated rhythms and lyrical elements, which are clear indications of this influence. Particularly Langston Hughes was well-known for his jazz-influenced poetry that encapsulated the spirit and vigor of the Harlem nightlife. 

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The portrayal of urban life in Harlem:

The literature of the Harlem Renaissance frequently portrayed the colorful and dynamic urban life of Harlem, which provided inspiration for a great deal of the artistic production of the time. The neighborhood’s distinct atmosphere was depicted vividly by writers, who created vivid images of the busy streets, jazz clubs, and cultural events. Works that encapsulate the essence of urban life in Harlem and reflect the cultural energy of the time include the prose poem “Cane” by Jean Toomer and the poem “Harlem Shadows” by Claude McKay.

Literary forms and styles of the Harlem Renaissance:

Langston Hughes’ poetic style: One of the most well-known poets of the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes is praised for his unique style, which struck a deep chord with the African American experience. His poetry frequently used simple, approachable language to portray African Americans’ hopes and daily struggles. Hughes’ poetry resonated with a wide audience because of its honesty and simplicity. In his verses, he encapsulated the cadence and rhythm of African American speech, giving voice to the common man while tackling issues of social justice and racial pride. 

Novels and Short Stories

Zora neale hurston’s storytelling techniques:.

Known for her vivid and genuine storytelling, Zora Neale Hurston was a prolific novelist and short story writer during the Harlem Renaissance. Her writing frequently portrayed strong, multifaceted African American individuals with unique voices and dialects, giving a vivid and realistic picture of Southern African American society. Folklore, accent, and oral traditions were all skillfully woven into Hurston’s stories, making her storytelling distinctive. Her masterful tale of African American culture, “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” is a shining example of her storytelling ability.

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Exploration of the African American experience in fiction: The early 20th century African American experience was depicted in a variety of ways in novels and short stories written during the Harlem Renaissance. The Great Migration, the pursuit of identity, family dynamics, and the difficulties of surviving in a segregated society were among the subjects covered by writers. These stories frequently offered a glimpse into the challenges and lives of African Americans, illuminating their tenacity and aspirations. The works of authors like Jean Toomer ( “Cane” ) and Nella Larsen ( “Passing” ) provided nuanced viewpoints on race, identity, and the difficulties associated with racial passing.

W.E.B. Du Bois and his influence on Harlem Renaissance thought: W.E.B. Du Bois, a well-known scholar and thinker, edited “The Crisis” magazine and wrote pieces that greatly influenced the Harlem Renaissance’s intellectual debate. In his writings, Du Bois highlighted the value of political activism, civil rights, and education as vital instruments for furthering African American advancement. His well-known essay “The Souls of Black Folk” advocated for a dual consciousness that acknowledged one’s multiple identities as an American and an African. Many writers were inspired to participate in social and political criticism through their works by Du Bois’s views and advocacy, which served as a solid intellectual foundation for the Harlem Renaissance.

The role of literary magazines and newspapers in the movement:

W.E.B. Du Bois, a well-known scholar and thinker, edited “The Crisis” magazine and wrote writings that greatly influenced the Harlem Renaissance’s intellectual debate. In his writings, Du Bois highlighted the value of political activism, civil rights, and education as vital instruments for promoting African American advancement. His well-known essay “The Souls of Black Folk” advocated for a dual consciousness that acknowledged one’s multiple identities as an American and an African. Many writers were inspired to participate in social and political criticism through their works by Du Bois’s views and advocacy, which served as a solid intellectual foundation for the Harlem Renaissance.

Key Figures of the Harlem Renaissance

Langston hughes.

One of the key figures in the Harlem Renaissance was Langston Hughes, who was born in 1902. He was born and raised in the Midwest and moved to Harlem in the early 1920s, where he was fully absorbed in the neighborhood’s vibrant arts and culture. The challenges, goals, and day-to-day experiences of African Americans were depicted in Hughes’ poetry and prose, which encapsulated the spirit of African American life at the time. His works, which often incorporate inspiration from jazz and blues, are praised for their approachable language and melodies. Examples of these include “The Negro Talks of Rivers,” “The Weary Blues,” and “Montage of a Dream Deferred.” Hughes fought against racial stereotypes, promoted social and political change, and celebrated black culture and heritage through his writing. In addition to his literary accomplishments, he is recognized for having represented the African American community at a critical period in American history.

Zora Neale Hurston

Born in 1891, Zora Neale Hurston was a prolific author and anthropologist who had a big impact on the Harlem Renaissance. Raised in the rural South, she brought a distinct viewpoint to her writings, which frequently examined African Americans’ experiences in the rural South and the complexity of their cultural heritage. Hurston’s masterpiece “Their Eyes Were Watching God” explores the life and self-discovery of a black woman named Janie Crawford. In addition to her literary accomplishments, Hurston also carried out insightful anthropological studies, documenting African American rituals and folklore during her fieldwork.

One of the most significant and enduring literary movements in English history, the Harlem Renaissance paved the way for African American authors to take charge of their voices and experiences. It is significant because it sparked an emerging body of writing that tackled important social issues, questioned racial stereotypes, and celebrated African American culture. It was this movement that not only cleared the path for a new wave of African American writers but also permanently altered the literary landscape of the United States and changed the story of its cultural identity. These works offer priceless insights into the complex relationships between race, identity, and creative expression. They also serve as a reminder of the ability of literature to affect social change and promote understanding.

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Voices of the Harlem Renaissance within the Schomburg Center: Conducting Research

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Search the following keywords in the  NYPL Catalog ,  Digital Collections,  and  Archives Portal  to locate relevant material discussing the Harlem Renaissance:

Harlem Renaissance

Harlem Renaissance --Influence

Harlem Renaissance -- Periodicals

Harlem Renaissance -- Pictorial Works

Harlem Renaissance -- Poetry

Harlem Renaissance --Social aspects

Harlem Renaissance --Sources

Harlem Renaissance --Study and teaching

New York (N.Y.) --Intellectual life -- 20th century

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The Harlem Renaissance and the Struggle for a Black Identity Essay

The failure of Reconstruction and the implementation of the racial segregation threw the Afro-Americans into a difficult dilemma. The majority of them lived in the Southern States and they faced open hostility and even violence. There were strong doubts that attempts of the Afro-Americans to assert their civil rights would be successful. Booker Washington was a prominent figure of the Post-Reconstruction Era and the leader of the Afro-American community. He was an adherent of the economic development of the Black American population. Another outstanding representative of the African-American civil rights movement was William DuBois who insisted on an uncompromising struggle for electoral and civil rights, which were codified in the Constitution and its Amendments.

Booker T. Washington was born in slavery. At the age of nine, his family gained freedom due to the Emancipation Proclamation. Later on, he entered the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virginia and succeeded in studying here. He worked as a teacher at the same institute when he was proposed to head a new specialized educational establishment for the Afro-Americans in Alabama.

According to Washington’s opinion, the main factors of a wellbeing of the Afro-Americans are skills in craft and economic independence. As a basis of an educational program in the Tuskegee Institute headed by him, he saw the industrial training. Men learned such trades as blacksmithing or carpentry, while women were taught sewing or nursing. The Tuskegee Institute prepared teachers for Afro-American schools for the Southern states. Such an approach permitted to train skilled specialists and reliable taxpayers. At the same time, there was no need for the government to deal directly with the problem of the civil rights. This educational establishment had a very good reputation.

In his famous speech, which is also known as Atlanta Compromise, Washington states that the greatest dander “is that in the great leap from slavery to freedom we may overlook the fact that the masses of us are to live by the productions of our hands” (Washington 112).

It is no wonder that the representatives of the White population were satisfied with the idea that Afro-Americans would acquire knowledge in the spheres of real property and industrial arts and they would not engage in politics. In addition, the so-called laws of Jim Crow, according to which there were segregated community schools, rail wagons and public libraries, were preserved. In his speech, Washington states, “the opportunity to earn a dollar in a factory just now is worth infinitely more than the opportunity to spend a dollar in an opera–house” (Washington 114).

At the same time the careful examination of the Washingtons speech suggests that he is not about to bear with the permanent racial inequality. Instead, he proposes for Afro-Americans to cumulate social capital. The fact that workspaces are more important than a right to visit opera is a temporary measure for him. He believes in the future success of the Afro-Americans. However, in order to attain this success it is necessary to achieve the economic independence. As Washington puts it, “no race that has anything to contribute to the markets of the world is long in any degree ostracized” (Washington 114).

For many years, Washington was the prominent Afro-American leader in the country, though more and more Black people began to reject his views. The problem was that the Southern states were poorer in comparison with the Northern ones. The opportunities of the southerners were not as high as Washington hoped. His appeals for the slow development were unacceptable for those Afro-Americans who did not want to adjourn their demands for equal rights (Bauerlein 107).

Many black people preferred the views of the prominent historian and social scientist William DuBois. DuBois graduated from Harvard and he was a professor in Atlanta University. It was a specialized educational establishment training Afro-American teachers, librarians and other specialists. Dubois was the author of many scientific researches revealing the life of Black people in America. He was convinced that social sciences were a powerful method of struggle with the race discrimination.

However, in the Southern states there existed the official segregation often realized by means of the Lynch Law. The cases of violence became more frequent and DuBois came to conclusion that the only possible way to protect the civil rights of the Afro-Americans was a direct political agitation and protest. This position led to the confrontation with Washington, who was trying to establish the political connections with the Republicans. Washington considered the economic development of the Afro-Americans to be the most important factor.

Describing his contradictions with Washington, DuBois states that “his doctrine has tended to make the whites, North and South, shift the burden of the Negro problem to the Negro’s shoulders and stand aside as critical and rather pessimistic spectators” (Dubois 33).

DuBois was not agree with Washington s views concerning the prevailing importance of the industrial arts acquisition. He stated that only the most prominent representatives of the Afro-American nation would be able to change the situation. He was convinced that it was necessary to give Afro-Americans good education and not only those practical craft skills proposed by The Tuskegee Institute.

He says that “Mr. Washington’s program practically accepts the alleged inferiority of the Negro races” (Dubois 29). Criticizing Washington, DuBois states that there is a great danger in teaching people just how to earn money without additional disciplines. In such a way, they just bring up craftsmen, but not people. It is necessary to promote the development of such qualities as intelligence and world knowledge. On this basis, it is possible to teach the ability to earn for living.

In spite of the differences in their approaches both these political figures were eager to improve the living conditions of the Afro-Americans and to assert their civil rights. Nevertheless, their views varied greatly. It seems to me that Washington has had a pragmatic view of life. He realized that in spite of the recent Civil War and the Amendments to the Constitution, the existing prejudices in society concerning the race discrimination were too strong. He was convinced that several generations should change in order to make this race gap weaker.

As a basis for the further struggle, he saw the financial and economic independence of the Afro-Americans. DuBois, on the contrary, believed that only decisive actions were able to change the situation. He was one of the establishers of the organization defending the rights of the Afro-Americans known as the Niagara Movement. He was also one of the originators of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. It is rather difficult to judge the rightness of these two approaches, though it must be admitted that DuBoiss methods have been more effective.

Works Cited

Bauerlein, Mark. “Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois: The Origins of a Bitter Intellectual Battle.” The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. 46(2005):106- 114. The JBHE Foundation . Web.

Dubois, Williams, The Souls of the Black Folk. 1903. Web.

Washington, Booker, Up from slavery . 1901. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2020, June 25). The Harlem Renaissance and the Struggle for a Black Identity. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-harlem-renaissance-and-the-struggle-for-a-black-identity/

"The Harlem Renaissance and the Struggle for a Black Identity." IvyPanda , 25 June 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-harlem-renaissance-and-the-struggle-for-a-black-identity/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'The Harlem Renaissance and the Struggle for a Black Identity'. 25 June.

IvyPanda . 2020. "The Harlem Renaissance and the Struggle for a Black Identity." June 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-harlem-renaissance-and-the-struggle-for-a-black-identity/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Harlem Renaissance and the Struggle for a Black Identity." June 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-harlem-renaissance-and-the-struggle-for-a-black-identity/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Harlem Renaissance and the Struggle for a Black Identity." June 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-harlem-renaissance-and-the-struggle-for-a-black-identity/.

• Compare and Contrast: W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington
• Key Differences Between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois Essay
• Washington's and Dubois' Views on Black Advancement Movement
• Harlem Renaissance Influence on Afro-American Culture
• Harlem Renaissance Movement Analysis
• Harlem Renaissance and Its Role for Afro-Americans
• DuBois's Ideologies and Their Effects on Americans
• Masters and Slaves: ”Up From Slavery” by Washington Booker
• Marcus Garvey: Afro-American Political Leader
• Ideas of W.E.B. Dubois and Booker T. Washington
• The Constitution and the African Slave Trade (1787)
• African and Modern Cultural Perspectives
• Ralph Bunche and James Meredith
• Life of Slaves and Their Owners
• The Transatlantic Slave Trade

Afro American Studies

• Theses & Dissertations
• Afro Am 117: Survey of African American Literature I
• Afro Am 118: Survey of African American Literature II
• Afro Am 170/171: The Multicultural Experience in American Life and Culture
• AFRO AM 222 Black Church In America
• Afro Am 236: History of the Civil Rights Movement
• Afro Am 254 Introduction to African Studies
• Afro Am 290c/753: The Blues
• Afro Am 293B: THE AFRICAN DIASPORA AND THE WAR ON DRUGS (Afro American Studies 293B
• Afro Am 297A: Black Springfield Matters
• Afro Am 326: Black Women in U.S. History
• Afro Am 331: The Life and Writings of W.E.B. Du Bois
• Afro Am 491C: Cuba: A Social History
• AFROAM 494DI: The W.E.B. Du Bois Senior Seminar
• Afro Am 365: Composition: Style and Organization (Junior Year Writing)
• Afro Am 605/History 797S: African Americans and the Movement to Abolish Slavery
• Afro Am 652/234: Literature of the Harlem Renaissance

Videos and CDs

Harlem renaissance resources.

• Afro Am 691C: Historiographical Methods in Afro-American Studies
• Afro Am 692G: African American Women's Narrative
• Afro Am 692U: Dynamics of Race and the Law
• Afro Am 701 & 702: Major Works in Afro American Studies
• English 891BB: African American Women Playwrights
• History 591FG: First Generation-Urbanism and Breaking Baseball's Color Barrier
• History 593K: African Americans in Antebellum New England
• History 594Z: Black Women’s Political Activism
• Black Women Suffragists
• Educ 218: Hip Hop Nation Language and Literacy Practices
• Journalism 395M: The African American Freedom Struggle and the Mass Media
• Librarian for Afro American Studies
• Database Searching / Research Log
• Reference sources
• How else are we going to do research when the library is closed?

Audio/Visual

• Against the Odds: the Artists of the Harlem Renaissance UM/Media DVD 2624
• From these roots: a review of the Harlem renaissance [Amherst College] AC/Media VHS NX511.N4 F7
• I Remember Harlem  (four-part video series) UM/Media V 1090, V 1091, V 1092, V 1093

CDs and Other Recordings

• The library has many blues and jazz CDs and other format recordings. You may search by the title of the album or by the performer (using an author search). When in doubt, try a keyword search.
• Many blues recordings are linked from the Research guide for The Blues .

Library Guide for Afro American Studies 652/234: Literature of the Harlem Renaissance

Reference Sources

Reference materials are a great way to start your research. Most of these sources are located in the Reference Department's collection on the Main floor of the Du Bois Library (one flight down from the entry level).

• Africana: the Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience Ref DT 14 .A37435 2005
• Afro-American Writers from the Harlem Renaissance to 1940 Ref PN451 .D5 v. 51
• Black American Poets and Dramatists of the Harlem Renaissance Ref PS153.N5 B5335 1995
• Black American Prose Writers of the Harlem Renaissance Ref PS366.A35 B58 1994
• Black American Writers: Bibliographical Essays Ref PS153 .N5 B55
• Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History Ref E185 .E54 1996
• Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance Ref NX512.3.A35 E53 2004 Table of Contents is online.
• The Harlem Renaissance: a Gale Critical Companion Ref PS153.N5 H245 2003
• The Harlem Renaissance: an Annotated Reference Guide for Student Research Ref Z5956.A47 R64 1998 Also available online .
• The Harlem Renaissance: an Historical Dictionary for the Era NX511.N4 H37 1984   (9th floor)  
• Harlem Renaissance and Beyond: Literary Biographies of 100 Black Women Writers, 1900-1945 Ref PS153.N5 R65 1990
• Who's Who in African-American History Ref E185.96 .W46 1994

Finding Books

• Search for books in the Library Catalog , linked at www.library.umass.edu
• Cullen, Countee
• Dunbar, Paul Laurence
• Ellington, Duke
• Fauset, Jessie Redmon
• Henderson, Fletcher
• Hughes, Langston
• Hurston, Zora Neale
• Larsen, Nella
• Locke, Alain Leroy
• McKay, Claude
• Toomer, Jean
• Harlem (New York, N.Y.)
• Harlem Renaissance
• The Harlem Renaissance: An Annotated Reference Guide for Student Research
• WorldCat and Other Library Catalogs for searching other catalogs

Journals (for browsing)

• African American Review (both in the Library and online .)
• Black Issues Book Review (both in the Library and online .)
• The Black Scholar (both in the Library and online .)
• Callaloo - A Journal of African American and African Arts and Letters (both in the Library and online .)
• The Crisis 1910-1996 Per E185.5 .C92 (some missing issues; 1996-2003 changed name to The New Crisis; 2003-present changed back to The Crisis; recent years are online )
• The Griot Per E185.5 .G75
• Journal of Black Studies (both in the Library and online .)
• Journal of Negro History (both in the Library and online .)
• The Langston Hughes Review: Official Publication of the Langston Hughes Society Per PS3515 .U274 Z673
• MELUS; Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States (both in the Library and online .)
• Messenger Per E185.5 .M4
• Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life Per E185.5 .O6
• See also Journals and Periodicals for Afro American Studies webpage

Internet Resources

• Harlem: 1900-1940 http://www.si.umich.edu/CHICO/Harlem/ Includes a photo exhibition, timeline, resources, and a searchable database of names associated with the Harlem Renaissance.
• Harlem History http://www.columbia.edu/cu/iraas/harlem/ Presents archival resources and scholarship from Columbia University about the history of Harlem. Includes video and musical material.
• Harlem: Mecca of the New Negro http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/harlem/ A Hypermedia Edition of the March 1925 Survey Graphic Harlem Number.
• The Harlem Renaissance http://www.tesd.k12.pa.us/stoga/dept/Barry/Barry4/lit/Harlem/hr_lit.html Includes general info, poetry of the Harlem Renaissance, prose of the Harlem Renaissance and links.
• PAL: Perspectives in American Literature - A Research and Reference Guide - An Ongoing Project © Paul P. Reuben Chapter 9: Harlem Renaissance - A Brief Introduction http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap9/9intro.html Includes important features, personalities, an assessment, a chronology of important events, novels of the Harlem Renaissance, research and study topics.
• See also Afro American Studies Internet Links and English Internet Links pages.

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Prepared for Afro American Studies 652/234 Spring 2005 Professor Steve Tracy. Spring 2006 Professor A Yemisi Jimoh Library guide by Isabel Espinal, Afro American Studies Librarian

• Academic Search Premier (includes full-text journal articles ) -  Good for scholarly journal articles .
• African American Biographical Database
• African American Song - Audio database which documents African American music, including jazz, blues, gospel, ragtime, folk songs, and narratives. Browse by category of music, region, genre, instrument, artist, ensemble, and time period. A playlist option is available.
• America: History and Life
• Arts and Humanities Citation Index (in ISI Web of Science)
• Black Studies Center - combines several resources for research in Black Studies: Schomburg Studies on the Black Experience, International Index to Black Periodicals (IIBP), The Chicago Defender, and the Black Literature Index. IIBP provided indexing and abstracting of 150 African, American and Caribbean periodicals, with full text of forty core journals. The Chicago Defender was at one point the most widely-read black newspaper in the country, with more than two thirds of its readership based outside Chicago.
• Black Thought and Culture Contains 619 sources with 246 authors which includes the nonfiction published works of leading African Americans. Includes many writers of the Harlem Renaissance.
• Biography Resource Center
• Book Review Digest
• Ethnic Newswatch - Full-text articles from the newspapers, magazines and journals of ethnic communities in the United States.
• Expanded Academic Index (includes full text) -  Good for academic book reviews .
• International Index to Black Periodicals  - Indexing and abstracting of 150 African, American and Caribbean periodicals, with full text of forty core journals.
• JSTOR (full text) - Good for scholarly journal articles .
• MLA International Bibliography - For literature research.
• Project MUSE (full text)
• Sociological Abstracts
• Web of Science - Allows multidisciplinary searches combining arts, humanities, social science and science. Good for seeing who cited whom. Good for academic book reviews . (Go to "Full Search", then "General Search", then "Set Search Limits" to "Book Reviews".)
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Harlem Was No Longer the Same After This Dinner Party

Harlem was synonymous with the arts. But what I didn’t know was how that had come to be.

By Veronica Chambers

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As a kid growing up in Brooklyn, Harlem always seemed like a magical place. I learned about the Studio Museum in Harlem and artists like Alma Thomas and Romare Bearden. Langston Hughes’s poems were featured on posters in my local library, and everybody knew Duke Ellington because of his signature tune, “Take the A Train,” written by Billy Strayhorn. There were the Apollo Theater, where Ella Fitzgerald first sang, and dance troupes like the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Dance Theater of Harlem. Harlem was synonymous with the arts. But what I didn’t know was how that had come to be.

My senior thesis in college was on the dinner party that launched the Harlem Renaissance. It was amazing to me that a group of creative giants had prioritized art to serve as a case study in marrying talent to opportunity. The people I knew often said that art could make a difference, but the Harlem Renaissance showed me it was truly possible. In the early 1920s, Black Americans were excluded from many of the fields in which other Americans were building bases of power and generational wealth: from the unions to Wall Street and Congress. But as the historian David Levering Lewis noted, “no exclusionary rules had been laid down regarding a place in the arts. Here was a small crack in the wall of racism, a fissure that was worth trying to widen.”

So on March 21, 1924, two Black academics, Alain Locke and Charles S. Johnson, invited more than 100 guests to the Civic Club in Manhattan with a grand plan to give young Black artists a shot at the kinds of opportunities they’d rarely had before: book deals with major publishing houses, their artwork on display in museums, their songs on radio and Broadway rotation. The party was, as we wrote about it recently in the Times , a major success. In the decade afterward, more than 40 major works by Black Americans were published. Levering Lewis wrote in When Harlem was in Vogue that no more than five Black American writers published significant books between 1908 and 1923.

What we know now, and what we’ll keep exploring in this series about the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance , is how that kind of creativity and hope can take on an astonishing velocity. From the inimitable voice of the writer Zora Neale Hurston and the painted murals of Aaron Douglas to the song stylings of Louis Armstrong, Harlem was forever changed after the Civic Club dinner. Wallace Thurman, a poet who lived in Harlem during the Renaissance, noted that the neighborhood had become “almost a Negro Greenwich Village. Every other person you meet is writing a novel, a poem or a drama.”

It’s not too hard to draw a line between the work that was begun then to the work that exists now: the poetry of Mahogany L. Browne and Kwame Alexander, the Black superheroes imagined by Eve L. Ewing and Malcolm Spellman, or the novels by Colson Whitehead, Edwidge Danticat and James McBride. The Harlem Renaissance reshaped the landscape of American culture, and for Black artists around the globe the aperture of what was possible widened.

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Veronica Chambers is the editor of Narrative Projects, a team dedicated to starting up multi-layered series and packages at The Times. More about Veronica Chambers

A New Light on the Harlem Renaissance

A century after it burst on the scene in new york city, the first african american modernist movement continues to have an impact in the american cultural imagination..

The Dinner Party:  When Charles Johnson and Alain Locke thought that a celebration for Jessie Fauset’s book “There Is Confusion” could serve a larger  purpose, the Harlem Renaissance was born .

A Period of Survival:  During the Harlem Renaissance, some Black people hosted rent parties , celebrations with an undercurrent of desperation in the face of racism and discrimination.

An Ambitious Show:  A new MoMA exhibition, “The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism,” aims to shift our view  of the time when Harlem flourished as a creative capital. It gets it right, our critic writes .

An Enduring Legacy: We asked six artists to share their thoughts on the contributions  that the Harlem Renaissance artists made to history

Crafting a New Life: At the dawn of the Harlem Renaissance, Augusta Savage fought racism to earn acclaim as a sculptor. The path she forged is also her legacy .

Home — Essay Samples — History — Harlem Renaissance — The Harlem Renaissance: A New Beginning Of African American Culture

The Harlem Renaissance: a New Beginning of African American Culture

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Published: Oct 2, 2020

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