Station #1: the Harlem Renaissance

Name: THE JAZZ AGE & HARLEM RENAISSANCE

Station #1: The Harlem Renaissance Langston Hughes was the most famous writer in the Harlem Renaissance. His poems symbolized discrimination and racial tensions facing African Americans in the 1920’s. At this station, you are going to read and analyze his two most famous poems: I, Too and Dream Deferred. Answer the questions on this worksheet; please do not write on the actual poems.

I, Too:

1. What is the overall tone of this poem? Explain.

2. Why is the “darker brother” sent in the kitchen to eat?

3. How does Hughes respond to this treatment?

4. Why does Hughes repeatedly use “I?” What point does this reiterate?

Dream Deferred

1. What does deferred mean?

2. What was happening in society that disabled Hughes from reaching his goal?

3. What is the dream Hughes is referring to?

4. Why might this dream explode rather than dry up?

5. Have you ever had a dream that was put off? What effect did it have on you?

Closure Questions

1. What topic/theme did Harlem Renaissance writers focus on?

2. Do you think expressing controversial opinions through literature was effective at the time? (Were they able to actually get their word out?)

3. What does Renaissance mean? Why do you think this period is referred to as the “Harlem Renaissance?”

Station #2: 1920’s Slang In the “roaring 20’s” a lot of people used slang to express themselves. At this station, you are going to translate the following sentences from 1920’s slang to modern day meaning. Then, you are going to create your own sentence using 1920’s slang. How divine!

1. I went out with my keen bim to a flick, and our blind dragon caught us smooching. 2. Horsefethers! My sheba is no ham-and-egger, she is the bee’s knees!

3. Friday night we took the tin Lizzie to the local jinny for some giggle-water and got blotto!

4. Let’s take that jalopy to a talkie and then get a white cow afterwards.

5. No governor, I had no part in the malarkey, I got out of there lickety-split!

6. My brother, the big cheese, breezed into my work the other day, and that high hat treated me like a pip- squeak.

7. That shiek is the cat’s meow. I go gaga every time I see him.

8. Get hot! This juice-joint has the best ricky tick in town!

Create your own sentence using 1920’s slang. You must have at least THREE slang words. ______.

Station #3: 1920’s Vocabulary and People In this decade, there are a lot of vocabulary words and people. In order to understand these a little better, you are going to solve a puzzle. Each word should match up to the definition, and all sides should correctly fit. As you create the puzzle, write down a description of the word. When the puzzle is completed, it should form a shape. You can find the information in chapters 11&12 in your history textbook.

1. National Origins Act of 1924:

2. Harlem Renaissance:

3. Marcus Garvey:

4. Materialism:

5. Mass Media

What shape did the puzzle create? (HINT: You may need to look at a map )

How does the puzzle shape relate to the 1920’s? Station #4: Jazz Music Can you guess how the “Jazz Age” got its name? By the popularization of Jazz!!! In station 4, you are going to sit at Ms. Bruggeman’s computer and listen/watch six clips from various Jazz musicians. After you watch all the clips, answer the following questions. Make sure you watch the ENTIRE clip and play them in the CORRECT order. Clip 1 – Louis Armstrong “What a Wonderful World” Clip 2 – Louis Armstrong “Hello Dolly” Clip 3 – Duke Ellington “It Don’t Mean a Thing” Clip 4 – Duke Ellington “Take the A Train” Clip 5 – Ella Fitzgerald: Scatting Clip 6 – The 1920’s Dance Craze

1. List three characteristics of Jazz music.

2. What instruments were commonly used to create Jazz music?

3. In your opinion, why do you think Jazz music was so popular in the 1920’s?

4. What is “scat” singing?

5. What was the 1920’s dance craze called? Why do you think this dance was seen as “improper” by traditionalist Americans?

6. What was your favorite clip? Why? Explain!

Station #5: Jazz Age Journalism This decade was also characterized by mass media and tabloids. Many newspapers focused on stories involving sex, crime, and celebrities. This was known as “jazz-age journalism.” At this station, you are going to see how the tabloid craze affected a popular celebrity of the time, Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle. After you read the handout, answer the following questions.

1. What methods made the tabloids different from traditional newspapers?

2. Who was Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle?

3. Which do you think is more trustworthy – evidence presented at a trial or news stories in a newspaper? Why?

4. What was the outcome of “Fatty’s” trial? How did this effect his career in motion pictures?

5. Do you think “Fatty” Arbuckle was treated fairly by the press? By the motion picture industry? Explain your answers.

6. What similarities do you see between press coverage of the “Fatty” Arbuckle trials in 1921-22 and coverage of celebrity trails today?

Station #6: Harlem Renaissance Art The Harlem Renaissance was also a characteristic of the 1920’s. At this station, you are going to read literature and look at art from the time period. It is your job to analyze the art and answer the following questions. To read background about the Harlem Renaissance, please refer to pages 391-392 in your textbook. Keep in mind that artwork and analysis differs from person to person; therefore, there is no right or wrong answer, but you do need to provide evidence to support your opinions.

1. What is the Harlem Renaissance?

2. What are the main themes/topics addressed in Harlem Renaissance art?

3. After looking at Aaron Douglas’ artwork, what is the message he is trying to convey? How do you know this? List two examples to support your point!

4. After looking at William Johnson’s artwork, what is the message he is trying to convey? How do you know this? List two examples to support your point!

5. Name two similarities and two differences between the works of Douglas and Johnson.

6. How do you think artwork of the Harlem Renaissance influenced African Americans? Do you think whites approved? Why or why not?

Station #7: Lynching Statistics As you know, lynching is a murder without a trial. In the 1920’s lynching was often performed by a mob and the victim was usually hung to death. Lynching numbers increased in the 1920’s due to the resurgence of the KKK and openly racist/discriminatory American citizens. In this station you are going to use the information to create ONE type of graph. Your options are as follows: 1. Bar graph on Lynching According to States 2. Pie graph on Lynching Methods of Torture 3. Line graph on Negroes Lynched by Years When making your graph, make sure you label the graph, the y axis, and the x axis. Also, your graph should be accurate; make sure you number in correct increments! Station #8: The Lost Generation Post-war America did not only focus on modernization, fashion, fun, dance and music. Some writers had different opinions on the changing American values. These controversial authors became known as “The Lost Generation.” At this station, you will read about “Lost Generation” authors and analyze an excerpt from one of the most famous stories from the 1920’s – The Great Gatsby. For the background information, use pages 390- 391 in your textbook and for the excerpt from The Great Gatsby, use pages 334-335 in your textbook.

1. Why is this era called the “Lost Generation?”

2. Who were some famous “Lost Generation” authors?

3. What were some themes/topics that “Lost Generation” authors focused on?

4. Who wrote the Great Gatsby? What do you know about this story? (summarize!)

5. Fitzgerald has been called the “chronicler of the Jazz Age.” Based on this excerpt, how would you define the era?

6. What is the narrator’s attitude toward the lifestyle and values of the wealthy? Explain!