African American Cultural Identities During The Harlem Renaissance

African American Arts

(A Discussion on African American Cultural Identities during the Harlem Renaissance) There are thousands of different well-known cultures throughout the world. Many of these cultures develop their own forms of literature, while others merely adopted or merge with others. The Harlem Renaissance was a time in American history when African American culture began to emerge from New York and became very popular. This culture came forward in the form of several different types of arts including music, paintings, sculptures and literature. One African American author who made a monumental impression on scholars at the time, and still proceeds to impact current students with his powerful poetry was Langston Hughes. Along with him, were well-known female authors Lucille Clifton and Colleen McElroy. Their poems explored their own cultural heritage in a time where most people were unaware of how African Americans felt about various topics. These poems included ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers’, ‘I, Too’, ‘Dream Variation’, and ‘Refugee in America’ by Langston

This poem is narrated by someone who collects the oral history of African American people to tell to the children. The speaker of this poem is tells of tales from both America and Africa. “I have stored up tales for you, my children My favorite children, my only children; Of shackles and slaves and a bill of rights. But skin of honey and beauty of ebony begins In the land called bilad as-Sudan.” The mention of shackles, slaves, and the Bill of Rights is an obvious connection to the United States. The end of the quote, which mentions the land called bilad as-Sudan, relates to her African heritage. Bilad as-Sudan is the name given to settled African countries by Arab geographers. In this sense, it is clear that McElroy implements both sides of her African AMerican heritage in her poem, For My