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How Did Harlem Renaissance Influence Culture

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A factor that continues to influence people today is the Harlem Renaissance writers, musicians, and artists. Within their work, these artists found ways to express themselves and create art that reflected current issues. They used to place themselves in rooms they weren't allowed to play in to close the racial gap. An article titled “Harlem’s Renaissance” written by Michael Lasser, describes a musical written by F. E. Miller and Aubrey Lyles called Shuffle Along. Lasser says “The show lasted for 464 performances… Broadway producers never again systematically excluded African Americans from the theatre, although black songwriters and performers faced different forms of discrimination through the twenties and beyond” (Lasser 53). The show spoke …show more content…

During the Harlem Renaissance, it was very difficult to get recognition on a large scale. A variety of media outlets were introduced to spread the word about different creatives, such as newspapers, theatres, radio stations, and even conferences. Groups such as the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), and the UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association) worked together to make a difference. In the article written by Gerald Earl, he says that “The war taught blacks that whites were not all-powerful and that the colonial status of the colored races could be overcome. There was, indeed, a collective colonial identity... the war sharpened awareness among blacks of “[the] concepts of self-determination, separatism, and cultural identity,” which became the ideological fault-lines of the twentieth-century civil rights struggle" (Ealy 13). The war helped them realize that they were stronger as a people and that power was in numbers. Black people also used this sense of community to educate the following generation and pass on wealth to the following generations. Lots of artists and musicians started their own art classes and singing classes. This grew them closer to the upcoming generation and created foundational traditions for years to come. As with today’s culture, unity has made it easy to create black organizations. This has led to various forms of music, art, and culture still celebrated 100 years

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They way that the African Americans told their stories through the stuff they did spoke to other African Americans. In the 1920s the word “Negro” entered the American vocabulary. No longer would Africans silently endure the old ways of discrimination. In the work of the artists and writers explored the pains and joys

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Civil Rights: Legacy of the Harlem Renaissance Why was the Harlem Renaissance so pivotal to the Civil Rights movement? The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement beginning in the city of Harlem, Louisiana which greatly celebrated the artistic and cultural achievements of African Americans and minorities. The Civil Rights Movement, which occurred nationwide, was a political and social movement focused on achieving rights for African Americans and minorities while ending segregation and discrimination. While both movements were significant in advancing the cause of African American equality, the Harlem Renaissance was the foundation that would create the Civil Rights Movement, installing a sense of self-determinism within African Americans

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This gave the African Americans more of a voice in what happened in society, proving to the public what kind of potential influences they had.

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Near the end of World War II, the African American society took a stand in what they called the Double V Campaign, which showed the desire for a victory abroad, and a victory at home. The victory at home was to end discrimination in their own states, cities, and towns. In the United States, racism against the black community was very prominent throughout society for hundreds of years. Communities and people of all ages stood together in unity to fight the violent discrimination they had faced for so many years, and receive the victory they longed to achieve. There were many worries, and throughout time the fight for equality included violence, segregation, and many other problems that the African Americans would struggle through for many years

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When the war ended, they stopped slavery. Americans rejoined the union and our union was safe. This slowly brought more rights for African Americans. The colored started moving to the North. People had different ideas about free slaves.

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Black Americans worked hard to prove themselves because most of the army was against them and believed that they were an unnecessary contribution to the army. Black soldiers ignored the discrimination; they needed to prove that the color of their skin did not impact their commitment to their country or their ability to fight. America was struggling, and Black Americans stepped up to show that the government could not ignore them in times of hardship, Black soldiers were important not only because they added many more able men to the army, but they also helped fight against stereotypes, which led to the Civil Rights Movement. By fighting in the war, Black Americans showed that they were equal to other Americans, and that everyone was united under one flag and against one enemy. Their primary goal was to gain the

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The Harlem Renaissance was a black literary and art movement that began in Harlem, New York. Migrants from the South came to Harlem with new ideas and a new type of music called Jazz. Harlem welcomed many African Americans who were talented. Writers in the Harlem Renaissance had separated themselves from the isolated white writers which made up the “lost generation” The formation of a new African American cultural identity is what made the Harlem Renaissance and the Lost Generation unique in American culture because it influenced white literacy and it was a sense of freedom for African Americans.

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America made great strides and progress in the years following the war, they managed to get rid of two thirds of america's debt, they rebuilt and picked up the pieces after the war and they made amends with the south reuniting the country. As a positive result of the war the african american people did not have to be subjected to slavery anymore. They also gained a voice in the government , they were aloud to vote and own property. Laws were also made to protect them from discrimination as well as being protected from acts of violence. Also as a result of the war the North successfully made the south see the error of their ways and the south finally began to see the african american people as their equals.

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With those new opportunities they took to art, literature, and music, and gave themselves a voice to express life beyond the slave oppression. The Harlem Renaissance started a change for African Americans that motivated them to express themselves through their own culture and history. The legacy of the writers/poets, artists, and musicians had a great effect on the African American community by giving hope for better days.

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From primitive dances with body paints, to ritualistic performances with elaborate depiction masks, to modern televised performances of singers, actors, and dancers, it has become evident that the black culture has an intricate storyline. It is layered with strife, difficulty, opposition, and oppression, as well as successes and achievements. The first all-black musical “Shuffle Along” demonstrates the “purity” of the early black performer. George C. Wolfe explains, “In the sense that they didn’t have time to have a full awareness of what they were doing.” They wanted to perform and act because it was their passion, but they also had to “deal with all sorts of racism.”

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