Harlem Renaissance Research Paper

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In the early 1900s, segregation and discrimination led thousands of African Americans to migrate to Northern cities such as New York. This large congregation of African Americans led to a cultural explosion known as the Harlem Renaissance. African-American music, art, literature, and photography expanded over almost 40 years of the Harlem Renaissance. Additionally, the Harlem Renaissance led to developments in the fight for civil rights and an end to social injustices against people of color. The 1930s brought an economic depression that made it harder to live as an artist, hindering the movement and bringing The Harlem Renaissance's “official” end in the early 40s. But its legacy lives on and continues to shape African-American culture and …show more content…

This bloodshed created a need for an escape for African-Americans which led to further innovations in mediums such as music to emerge. An example of this is jazz, which blends various African-American musical styles. Jim Crow Laws, The Great Migration, and The Red Summer were 3 historical events that were pivotal to the arrival of the Harlem Renaissance. One artist who was significant in the development of jazz music and the Harlem Renaissance as a whole was Duke Ellington. Ellington was born in The West End and was surrounded by African-American culture and heritage all of his life, which he emphasizes in songs such as “Take The A-Train” (Britannica “Duke Ellington”). Originally written in 1939 by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, the song is named after the “A-Train”, a New York subway service that takes you through Harlem. A-Train’s tempo is fast and upbeat to represent the comfort and happiness felt in Harlem at this time. The lyrics celebrate and detail The Great Migration as there are references to places like Sugar Hill, and needing the quickest way to Harlem (Scholar blogs “Music of the Harlem