The Harlem Renaissance was in many ways, an incredibly liberating time for the African-American community. African Americans came together as artists, poets, painters, and musicians and conveyed their struggles through the arts. They formed a community around the intense bond they shared from a history of slavery to the daily segregation that came with being an African-American during the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance is commonly known as a pivotal point for African-Americans finally feeling free enough to openly express themselves, but this wasn’t the case for everyone. Many museums refused to display art created by African-Americans and some schools refused to consider granting African-American students scholarships entirely due to their race. Aaron Douglas, a painter, is a perfect example of an artist trying to display the oppression and unfairness around him through his artwork. …show more content…
He wanted to created awareness of African-American culture through his large mural paintings. Douglas was also featured in many newspapers and books like The Crisis and Opportunity. He used every opportunity he had to speak out against issues he saw in society. For example, a Slavery Through Reconstruction, a mural he painted to depict the revolting sadism of the Klu Klux Klan along with the horrible traumas of slavery, yet included the relief of the Emancipation Proclamation. Another mural of Douglas’s, Song of the Towers, was intended to act as a narrative for those who migrated North during World War II and were faced with the saddening effects of The Great Depression. His work also includes a perspective into African traditions and the establishment of jazz in