Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was the rebirth of ‘black’ literature, music and arts. It was also described as ‘The New Negro Movement’ as coined by Alaine Locke. It emerged as a result of the Great Migration during which thousands of black slaves travelled from the southern states to Harlem, New York to avoid white supremacist domination and in search of better job facilities, educational opportunities and health care facilities.
In the field of literature, many notable poets and authors made their mark during this revolutionary period. Poets such as Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen used English to express their feelings through poems, some of which attained vast fame, eg: ‘The Weary Blues’, ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers’, ‘Heritage’, ‘Incident’ and so on. Another famous black poet was Claude McKay, who was known for his collection of poems titled, ‘Spring in new Hampshire and other poems’. W. E. B. Du Bois wrote a periodical named ‘The Crisis’ which spoke about the various issues faced by the African-American people. He referred to the dilemma faced by these people as ‘Double-Consciousness’, wherein they felt torn apart between having an African ancestry and living amongst white culture. There were a few female authors whose works grew in prominence at the time, one being Zora Neale Hurston, who is the author of a famous novel titled, ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ and another being Nella Larsen, author of another well known book called ‘Passing’.
The music produced during this renaissance was exceptional. Genres that weren’t as popular before such as Jazz, Ragtime (a mixture of blues and ‘slave’ music) and Blues achieved a major chunk of popularity and ingenuity. Singers and musicians such as Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong rose in prominence as their music spread to all ears, irrespective of colour. The suffering, inner struggles, conflict and financial instability experienced by the people were projected through their music. The revival and modification of some of the African culture and traditions influenced the literature, music and other fine arts of this period.
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