High School READ! Modules

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MODULE 1: The A Train to Harlem Module 1: The A Train to Harlem

Table of Contents

ABOUT THIS MODULE 3

ACADEMIC VOCABULARY 4

REQUIRED MATERIALS 5

EVENT PLANNER 6

MONDAY: UNSUNG: THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE ARTISTS 7

TUESDAY: POETRY FOR THE PEOPLE 12

WEDNESDAY: EXPRESSION THROUGH VISUAL ARTS 17

THURSDAY: SOCIAL AWARENESS AND ALL THAT JAZZ 23

FRIDAY: CULMINATING ACTIVITY: SHOWTIME AT THE APOLLO 28

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About This Module

By the end of this module members will be able to:

 Identify the key contributors to the Harlem Renaissance Objective  Analyze literature, artwork, and music completed during the period  Create and present original, Harlem Renaissance inspired, artwork, poetry, and music.

1. Who were the key contributors to the Harlem Renaissance?

Driving Questions 2. What events, during this period, inspired art, literature, and music? 3. How did artists use their talents to address social/political inequality? 1. Posters displaying the photographs and biographies of the major Products of the contributors to the Harlem Renaissance. Week 2. Member authored poems, songs, and artwork that will be performed/displayed at the Community Sharing Event Showtime at the Apollo: The Harlem Renaissance, Community Journey through “The New Negro Movement” Gallery Walk and Poetry Sharing Event Slam.

The Harlem Renaissance was a significant social and cultural movement, which took place in the 1920s and 1930s following the Great Migration Introduction during which thousands of Africa-Americans left the south and moved north and west.

The result was the flourishing of art, music and literature that reflected the history and experience of the African-American. The artistic, literary Special Notes and musical contributions of Harlem Renaissance artists continue to serve as an inspiration for today’s artists.

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Academic Vocabulary

Word Definition

The activity, spirit, or time of the great revival of art, literature, and Renaissance learning

Enfranchisement To set free; liberate, as from slavery.

Showing contempt for accepted standards of honesty or morality by one's Cynicism actions, especially by actions that exploit the scruples of others.

Atrocity Extremely or shockingly wicked, cruel, or brutal

Execration To curse; imprecate evil upon; denounce

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Required Materials

Note: Facilitator Resource materials and handouts are included on identified websites and should be printed in advance.

LCD projector Computer with Internet Access Facilitator Chart Paper

Blank poster (for Monday) Photographs of Harlem Renaissance Artists Markers; Colored Pencils Scissors Construction Paper Pens; highlighters; Notebook paper; Lineless paper

1 per Team Rulers Tape Audio sound system (for Culminating Activity) Microphone (for Culminating Activity) Chairs (for spectators at Culminating Activity)

Blank poster 1 per Member Poem: Harlem by Walter Dean Myers The Negro Question Article

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Event Planner

Note: Complete the following table early during the week to prepare for the Community Sharing event. Share the answers with the CPO for approval.

Type of Event on Friday Poetry Slam/Gallery Walk Showtime at the Apollo: The Harlem Renaissance. Event Name Journey through “The New Negro Movement” Who’s Invited Club Personnel, Members, Community Supporters

Fliers Website Publicity to Use (Circle all that apply, use blank Invitations spaces for additional items) Ads Event Location Gym or Multipurpose Room

Display Area for Projects Walls, Tables Chairs Scissors Supplies Needed Tables Markers (Circle all that apply, use blank Signs CD Player spaces for additional items) Tape Video Equipment Cups Napkins Refreshments (Try to select items that tie into the theme)

Assigned to:

Task Due Date:

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Monday: Dear Ole’ Harlem

Monday Warm-up

Location Multipurpose Room Estimated Time 10 minutes

Discuss the social, political and economic climate of America in the 1 1920s and 1930s.

Ask students to compare and contrast the circumstances of African- 2 Americans and whites at this time.

Focus on what accounted for the differences in people’s experiences 3 based on their race. Steps to Follow Ask students to consider what factors influenced the Great 4 Migration of African Americans from the South to the North and Midwest. Ask students why they think the arts are an effective means through which individuals and groups can express their history, their 5 frustrations and their hopes for the future. Ask them to give contemporary examples.

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Monday Activity Unsung: The Harlem Renaissance Artists

Location Computer Lab/Multipurpose Room Estimated Time 1.5 hours

History speaks of key contributors to the Harlem Renaissance. In this activity, members Description will explore the lives of these contributors and create biography posters.

 Members will be able to explain the backgrounds of key contributors to the Harlem Renaissance. Objective  Members will be able to articulate the major works of Harlem Renaissance poets, artists, and musicians.

Blank posters; construction paper (various colors) Photographs of Harlem Renaissance artists: Claude McKay, Alan Locke, Aaron Douglas, Marcus Garvey, Zora Neale Hurston, Duke Ellington, W.E.B. Dubois, Louis Armstrong, and Langston Hughes What You Need Markers; colored pencils Scissors (1 pair per 2 members) Computers with internet access (1 per 2 members); if no computers are present members can use cellular phone internet for research Preprint 8.5X11 pictures of Harlem Renaissance Artists Divide members in groups of 2

How to Prepare Provide markers, colored pencils, scissors, and construction paper to each member pair

Show the Harlem Renaissance BrainPOP video from 1 https://youtu.be/LjOhNUFlI4Y Explain that African Americans in this era contributed greatly to art, 2 music and literature. Explain that political movements, integration of sports teams, and 3 Steps to Follow the push toward civil rights took place during this time. Assign team one Harlem Renaissance artist and give them the 4 preprinted photograph. Have members research their assigned artist and record the 5 following information: Name, date of birth/death, birthplace, major literary/art/music works, any honors receive for their assigned

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artists. Instruct them to create and decorate a poster that includes the 6 biographical information and photograph of their artist. 7 Have members present their poster to the group. 8 Facilitate discussion/questions as it presents itself.

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Tuesday: Poetry for the People

Tuesday Activity Poetry for the People

Location Multipurpose Room Estimated Time 1.5 hours

The literary works created during the Harlem Renaissance spoke of racial oppression Description and economic struggles in the United States that caused the great migration of African Americans to northern and western states.  Members will be able to analyze works written by Harlem Renaissance poets. Objective  Members will create original poems inspired by Harlem Renaissance events.

Computer w/internet access LCD Projector What You Need Poem: Harlem by Walter Dean Myers Pens, highlighters and notebook paper for each member Chart paper for facilitator to record member responses Connect computer and LCD Projector Click the links in Step 1 and print Harlem (1 copy per member) How to Prepare Click the link in Step 2 and project the slideshow

Read “Harlem” by Walter Dean Myers to members and ask them 1 to visualize the story as you are reading. Show members a slideshow of Christopher Myers’ illustrations of 2 the poem. Give members a copy of the poem and ask them to underline all of Steps to Follow 3 the places and locations mentioned in it. Have members read the poem a third and final time and highlight or 4 circle all of the people mentioned. Ask members why they think Harlem became a social and cultural 5 center for African-Americans in the 1920s and 1930s. Record engage express evaluate exhibit10 10 of 16 Module 1: The A Train to Harlem

responses on chart paper. Have members work either individually or in small groups to answer the following questions about the document: Who is the 6 intended audience? What is the subject matter? How does this reflect the themes of the Harlem Renaissance? Once the analysis is complete, have members return to a large group 7 and share their findings. Focus on the common themes throughout the document. Have members write a poem in which they alternate phrases or lines 8 from Harlem Renaissance poems with original lines of their own.

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Wednesday: Expression Through Visual Arts

Wednesday Activity Expression Through Visual Arts

Location Multipurpose Room Estimated Time 1.5 hours

Visual art was inspired by the racial inequality experienced by African Americans Description during the Harlem Renaissance Era. Much of what was experienced was depicted in the paintings of this period.  Members will be able to articulate the names of famous artists from the Objective Harlem Renaissance Era.  Members will describe what inspired Harlem Renaissance artworks.

Computer with internet access and speakers Poster board for each member Markers/Colored Pencils/Rulers What You Need Lineless paper for artist statements

Preview the Harlem Renaissance Art History Montage Video at https://youtu.be/NQBK8lQ7sZ4 Connect computer, LCD projector and speakers. Test to be sure that all equipment is operational. How to Prepare Place posters, markers, colored pencils, and rules on tables for each member.

Introduce members to the art of Harlem Renaissance painters. 1 Begin by viewing the Harlem Renaissance Art History Montage at Steps to Follow https://youtu.be/NQBK8lQ7sZ4 Highlight the work of Jacob Lawrence (especially his Migration 2 series), Aaron Douglas and Palmer Hayden.

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Ask members to analyze the artists’ respective styles and subject 3 matter. 4 Have members compare and contrast their work in terms of themes. Have members create an original collage or work of art that mimics the style of one of these Harlem Renaissance artists on the provided 5 poster. The subject matter should be based on a specific individual who was prominent during the era. Inform members that they will curate their own exhibit of Harlem 6 Renaissance inspired art Have the member artists and writers include a brief artist’s 7 statement explaining what inspired to create the piece and the meaning of their work.

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Thursday: Social Awareness and All that Jazz

Thursday Activity Social Awareness and All that Jazz

Location Multipurpose Room Estimated Time 1.5 hours

The members will listen to Billie Holiday singing “Strange Fruit” as an introduction to an examination of lynching in America. They will read an 1899 article from the The Description. Southern Argus. They will draw conclusions from statistics of lynching in Alabama and lynching in the United States.  Members will be able to recognize racial bias. Objective  Members will draw conclusions about the prevalence of lynching in the United States.

Computer with internet access and speakers “The Negro Question” article in The Southern Argus, Montgomery, Alabama, May 12, 1899 (1 per member) Chart Paper What You Need Notebook paper

Read background information on Lynching at http://law.jrank.org/pages/8375/Lynching.html Read a short biography about singer Billie Holiday at http://www.biography.com/people/billie-holiday-9341902 How to Prepare Make copies of “The Negro Question” Prewrite discussion questions (in Step 7) on chart paper

Say “Billie Holiday was a famous Jazz singer in the 1930s and 40s. Steps to Follow 1 You will listen to her singing a song entitled ‘Strange Fruit.’ As you watch and listen, note her demeanor.”

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Play the video of Billie Holiday singing “Strange Fruit” on 2 YouTube at https://youtu.be/h4ZyuULy9zs Pass out the lyrics to the song, and have members watch the video 3 again while reading the lyrics. After listening to the song the second time, students will share their reactions to the lyrics. Tell members that they are going to read an excerpt of an 1899 4 newspaper article about a mob action against an African American and that it originally appeared in the New York Journal. Tell members that Samuel Hose was accused of killing his employer and raping the employer’s wife. Have members read “The Negro 5 Question” article in The Southern Argus, Montgomery, Alabama, May 12, 1899 Ask the following questions after reading “The Negro Question” and record member responses on chart paper: 1. What does the author mean by “The Negro Question?” 2. Do you agree with the author’s justification of Samuel Hose’s punishment? Why or why not? 6 3. What are your thoughts on the author’s opinion of enfranchisement for African Americans? 4. How does the author justify the “violation the women” as being worse than murder? 5. Reflecting on the statistics given in the last paragraph, is there a similar argument concerning capital punishment today? Ask members to use their electronic device (cell phone) to find the instrumental version of their favorite song. Have them write song 7 lyrics that promote an Ant-lynching Campaign and perform it in the form of a song, rap, or spoken word to the beat of that favorite song.

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Friday: Showtime at the Apollo!

Culminating Activity: Showtime at the Apollo: Friday Activity The Harlem Renaissance. Journey through “The New Negro Movement”

Location Gymnasium Estimated Time 1.5 hours

Member created gallery walk of Harlem Renaissance biography posters; Member Description performances of poetry and music selections created during the course of the week. Members will be able to articulate details about major contributors to the Harlem Renaissance. Objective Members will be able to present original artwork and material inspired by the Harlem Renaissance.

Audio Sound System to play music Microphone for member performances Tape to hang biography poster/artwork What You Need Program outlining order of member performances Chairs for program attendees to watch performances

Hang biography posters and member artwork as to create a museum style gallery walk. Play jazz from the Harlem Renaissance as participates view posters/artwork. How to Prepare Station members next to their posters/artwork so that they can answer any participant questions.

Steps to Follow 1 Set Up “stage area” for member live performances.

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2 Perform a sound check to ensure equipment is working. 3 Introduce each member as they come up to perform. 4 Thank members and participants for coming!

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