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Harlem Renaissance New York: 1920’S-1930’S History

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The Harlem Renaissance New York: 1920’s-1930’s History History • 5 Burrows of NY: • Bronx • Brooklyn • Manhattan • Queens • Staten Island • Harlem is the northern section of Manhattan History •Post-Civil War: blacks were free to live wherever they wanted. •The Great Migration: Early 1900’s. Many African-Americans were moving north to work in industrial cities •1915: About 50,000 African- Americans lived in Harlem •1930: Increased to 150,000 History • The Harlem Renaissance was originally called “The New Negro Movement” • “The New Negro” was a term used to refer to blacks who wanted to prove they were just as intelligent & creative as whites History • The purpose of the movement: • to prove that African- Americans could create great literature, music, & art History • After WWI, Americans did not have to be frugal. • Now it was ok to have excess • Economic boom • Extra money to spend on arts & entertainment • Would lead to the “Roaring 20’s” History • 1919: 18th Amendment Passed • Prohibition • Led to “Speakeasies” & other secret establishments to socialize, drink, rebel • (repealed in 1933) • 21st Amendment History • Whites could commit 2 taboos at once.... • Drink alcohol • Mingle with blacks • Led to famous whites enjoying & promoting black artists • They realized that black culture was fun. History • Summer 1919 • Called “Red Summer” • Hundreds of Race Riots across US. • Bloody & widely documented in press History • "The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People respectfully enquires how long the Federal Government under your administration intends to tolerate anarchy in the United States?” • telegram from NAACP to President Woodrow Wilson • 1919 Literature W.E.B. DuBois • 1868-1963 • Born in MA • Not much 1st-hand experience with racism until college • Would come to be at forefront of civil rights movement W.E.B. DuBois • 1888: BA from Fisk College • Nashville, TN • 1890: BA of History from Harvard (cum laude) • 1895: First African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard • (Sociology) W.E.B. DuBois • 1903: Souls of Black Folk • Best known work • Collection of essays about segregation & inequality (esp. in education) W.E.B. DuBois • 1909: Founding member of the NAACP • He suggested “colored” instead of “black” • 1910: Offered & accepted position of “Director of Publicity & Research” for NAACP Richard Wright • 1908-1960 • 1st African-American to appear on the National Bestseller list • Very controversial American figure Richard Wright • 1933: Formally joined the Communist Party • Caused tension in the C.Party • Had been threatened at knife point, physically assaulted by fellow Communists Richard Wright • 1942: Left the Communist Party • 1946: Left America • Lived remainder of his life in Paris • Too frustrated at American intolerance of all differences Richard Wright • 1940: Native Son published • Instant success; best-known work • 1945: Black Boy published • semi-autobiographical Zora Neale Hurston • 1891-1960 • 1902: (11 years old) her mother died • Lived remainder of childhood shuffled from relative to relative Zora Neale Hurston • Never finished high school • Was permitted to study at Howard University • Washington, D.C. • Assoc. Degree in 1920 • Very distinguished in anthropology Zora Neale Hurston • 1937: Their Eyes Were Watching God • best known work • In 1937, still only made less than $1,000 • Women’s movement of 1970’s would rediscover her talent Zora Neale Hurston • At the time of her death, she was the most prolific African American author • Now remembered as one of the most important black writers of 20th Century Zora Neale Hurston • “The sensory sweep of her novel carries no theme, no message, no thought. In the main, her novel is not addressed to the Negro, but to a white audience whose chauvinistic tastes she knows how to satisfy. She exploits that phase of Negro life which is "quaint," the phase which evokes a piteous smile on the lips of the "superior" race.” • - Richard Wright Langston Hughes • 1902-1967 • “The Bard of Harlem” • Most successful black writer in his day Langston Hughes • Born in Missouri • Graduated from Central High School • Cleveland, OH • Attended 1 year of college at Columbia University, NY Langston Hughes • COLLECTIONS: • 1926: The Weary Blues • 1932: The Dream Keeper • 1947: Fields of Wonder • 1951: Montage of a Dream Deferred Langston Hughes • Variety of form & technique in his poetry • Tried to recreate the rhythms of jazz • Also wrote poems of protest against racism Countee Cullen • 1903-1946 • “The Black Keats” • Unknown birthday & early years • Abandoned by parents • Adopted by Methodist minister & his wife • Happy childhood with them Countee Cullen • BA from New York University • MA from Harvard Countee Cullen • Married DuBois’s daughter.... • divorced • Unlike some, he was not bitter or resentful • More philosophical • Concerned about universal human truths Countee Cullen • 1925: Color • 1927: Copper Sun • 1927: The Ballad of the Brown Girl Countee Cullen • 1940: The Lost Zoo • 1942: My Lives & How I Lost Them • (both children’s books) Claude McKay • Jamaican-American • Wrote about rich heritage of Jamaica • Home to Harlem won Harlem Gold Award • Militant Atheist & Socialist • Interested in Communism, but never joined Arna Bontemps •1903-1973 •Born in Louisiana •Teacher at Harlem Academy Arna Bontemps •1931: God Sends Sunday •1936: Black Thunder •1946: St. Louis Woman (play written with Countee Cullen) •1948: The Story of the Negro •Jane Adams Book Award •Newbery Honor Book Jean Toomer • Married twice • both wives were white • Cane: one of the most important pieces of African-American lit. • non-traditional novel • Prose, poetry, & play James Weldon Johnson • The Autobiography of an Ex- Colored Man •About a mixed-race man who “passes” as white •Prominent member of NAACP •Wrote The National Negro Anthem, “Lift Every Voice & Sing” •Coined the term, “Red Summer” Charles Waddell Chesnutt • Born in Cleveland • Actually 7/8 white • Could easily pass as being white, but chose not to • Stressed equality for mixed races Music Music • More than 100 nightclubs along the 10 blocks that are Harlem Music • Most famous nightspots: • Apollo Theater • Cotton Club • Savoy Ballroom Music • The Apollo Theater • The most famous club with exclusively black performers • Famous for Amateur Night • Launched careers of: Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, & many more Music • The Cotton Club • Most famous speakeasy in NY • Had decor of a lush southern cotton plantation • Performers: black only • Patrons: white only • (mostly) Music • The Savoy Ballroom • Was the size of an entire city block • Marble staircases • Crystal chandeliers • Polished wood dance floor Music • Fats Waller (1904-1943) Music • Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993) Music • Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996) Music • Lena Horne (1917-2010) Music • Billie Holiday (1915-1959) Music • Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) Music • Nat “King” Cole (1919-1965) Music • Duke Ellington (1899-1974) Music • Cab Calloway (1907-1994) Music • Count Basie (1904-1984) Music • Big Joe Turner (1911-1985) • (Discovered in Kansas City - Blues) Dance • May 20-21, 1927: • Charles Lindbergh completed solo flight from NY to Paris. • Plane: “Spirit of St. Louis” • Lucky Lindy hopped the Atlantic. Dance • The Lindy Hop was born • type of swing dance • Developed in Harlem in the 1920’s. • Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers • Pro’s at Savoy • Frankie Manning (1914-2009) • Founding father of Lindy Hop • 1st to add Aerials History • Historians disagree on the end of the movement • Stock Market Crash definitely marked the beginning of the end • October 29, 1929 • No extra money to support the arts • Had to be frugal & stingy again History • 1935: Harlem Riot • Financial tension strained once friendly relationships between blacks & whites in Harlem • 1st modern race riot • Ruined the image of Harlem as the “Black Mecca.”.
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