ipl-logo

Persecution Of African Americans During The Harlem Renaissance

811 Words4 Pages

African Americans had suffered a lot of persecution in the 19th century. They had endured many years of slavery and finally achieved the end of slavery in the end of 1865. Even though slavery ended, the persecution did not. Many people formed groups such as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) to bring up the idea of white supremacy. White supremacy had quickly spread in the south again, which was where the majority of African Americans lived. This “migration” started one of the greatest display of African American culture. Persecution of the African American caused many to leave the south and try to have a better life up north. This Great Migration saw hundreds of thousands of African Americans move to the North from the South. The northern economy was booming, which led to …show more content…

Many of the African Americans found themselves in urban slums. The largest of these slums was in Harlem. In Harlem, there were many writers, actors, artists, and musicians that made African American traditions more popular, and also created some new ones. This era was very important because it was a time of cultural pride for African Americans. The arts of African Americans flourished during this era. There had been many great writers, musicians, and artists that lived during the Harlem Renaissance. One of the major writers of the Harlem Renaissance was Langston Hughes. He was one of the pioneers of the new art of jazz poetry. Jazz poetry was a type of poetry that had a “jazz-like rhythm.” Jazz originated in African American communities, such as Harlem. One of the most known jazz-players was Louis Armstrong. He drew large crowds when he played, and his audiences were not only African Americans, but included white Americans that had “jazz-fever.” Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington led his jazz orchestra, which was a major part in spreading jazz music as his orchestra had a national profile. One of the major figures of the Harlem Renaissance was an artist named Aaron Douglas. His style

Show More
Related
593 Words | 3 Pages

The Harlem Renaissance took place during the 1930s ,where artists such as poets, writers, musicians and many other types of artist’s talents blossomed in Harlem, New York. Their work represented the time period of segregation ,but also change in the community. Countee Cullen was poet that wrote about racial issues in the time period ,but also love and faith. “Cullen was not afraid to break down racial barriers ,but hated being pigeonholed for it,” Holt McDougal. “Langston Hughes was a leading poet in the Harlem Renaissance,who mainly based his work of the poor and the working-class,” Holt McDougal.

Read More
1645 Words | 7 Pages

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.

Read More
1236 Words | 5 Pages

African Americans face a struggle with racism which has been present in our country before the Civil War began in 1861. America still faces racism today however, around the 1920’s the daily life of an African American slowly began to improve. Thus, this time period was known by many, as the “Negro Fad” (O’Neill). The quality of life and freedom of African Americans that lived in the United States was constantly evolving and never completely considered ‘equal’. From being enslaved, to fighting for their freedom, African Americans were greatly changing the status quo and beginning to make their mark in the United States.

Read More
1057 Words | 5 Pages

The Great Migration and/in the Congregation The Great Migration was the migration occurred within the United States between 1910 and 1970 which saw the displacement of about seven million African Americans from the southern states to those in the North, Midwest and West. The reasons that led thousands of African Americans to leave the southern states and move to the northern industrial cities were both economic and social, related to racism, job opportunities in the industrial cities and the search of better lives, the attempts to escape racism and the Jim Crow Laws that took them away the right to vote. As every social phenomena, the Great Migration had both positive and negative effects; in my opinion the Great Migration can be considered a negative development in the short and medium term, but, if we analyze the benefits brought to the African-American communities in the long term, their fight for integration has shaped the history of the United States in its progress to democracy and civil rights.

Read More
132 Words | 1 Pages

The Harlem Renaissance was a period of great cultural growth in the black community. It is accepted that it started in 1918 and lasted throughout the 1930s. Though named the ‘Harlem’ Renaissance, it was a country-wide phenomenon of pride and development among black Americans, the likes of which had never existed in such grand scale. Among the varying political actions and movements for equality, a surge of new art appeared: musical, visual, and even theatre. With said surge, many of the most well-known black authors, poets, musicians and actors rose to prevalence including Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Louis Armstrong, and Eulalie Spence.

Read More
703 Words | 3 Pages

A few famous artists who contributed to our history in entertainment during this time were, Louis Armstrong, Roland Hayes, Jackie "Moms" Mabley, and Ella Jane Fitzgerald. These are famous artists and musicians that came from Harlem, New York during the Harlem Renaissance. In conclusion, during the Great Migration, people of color were both able to be free and to start a new life. Even though they still faced a terrifying amount of segregation and racism, steps were made to further equality.

Read More
812 Words | 4 Pages

The Great Migration was a significant time when African Americans southerners wanted to escape segregation. They believed that segregation in the north was a lot less intense as it was in the south and many wanted to do something about it. Many families thought there were better economic opportunities and for different races if only they could get out of the racially corrupt south. In the beginning of 1916, African American families packed up and headed North, in hopes of a positive outcome. The Great Migration as a whole happened during the years of 1916 to 1970.

Read More
225 Words | 1 Pages

African Americans migrated north because the South treated them like slaves, much worse than the north. In the north, they could work in steel mills, shipyard, plants, railroads, auto facilities and mines instead of the south cotton fields and kitchens. They also had many family and friends telling how wonderful it was and that they needed to move. After the Mexican revolted again Dictator Porfino Diaz in 1910, it initiated a ten year war so may Mexicans migrated north.

Read More
1545 Words | 7 Pages

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.

Read More
1516 Words | 7 Pages

The Harlem Renaissance was a movement that reflected the culture of African Americans in an artistic way during the 1920’s and the 30’s. Many African Americans who participated in this movement showed a different side of the “Negro Life,” and rejected the stereotypes that were forced on themselves. The Harlem Renaissance was full of artists, musicians, and writers who wrote about their thoughts, especially on discrimination towards blacks, such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Langston Hughes. The Harlem Renaissance was an influential and exciting movement, and influenced others to fight for what they want and believed in. The Harlem Renaissance was the start of the Civil Rights Movement.

Read More
1263 Words | 6 Pages

The Harlem Renaissance was a burst on African American’s expression of culture, arts, and writings throughout the 1920’s. It was in Harlem, New York, the movement allowed many African American poets, painters, musicians, authors and philosophers to express the beliefs in their people's culture. They wanted to be equal to white people so they showed that through their talents. Louis Armstrong was a key asset to the Harlem Renaissance due to his inspiring music and playing his instruments for African Americans people during this period. Louis Armstrong was a pivotal musician in the twentieth century, but it was his contributions and his role he made during the Harlem Renaissance movement that is most substantial.

Read More
1225 Words | 5 Pages

Jazz was considered to "represent some of the best potentials that are inherent in the American conception of democracy including making sure that everyone has a place to have their own say" (Booke). This idea was central to African Americans discovering their identity in society because jazz allowed them to share their ideas and culture with everyone. Jazz caused "white patrons to flock to Harlem's jazz clubs and speakeasies where they would mingle with black locals" (Bodenner, 7). Jazz was seen to have knocked down a barrier between whites and blacks in which they could all interact with each other in a pleasant and entertaining way. Jazz music led to greater integration of African Americans and whites not only in terms of society, but in the industry as well.

Read More
1283 Words | 6 Pages

Racism is a prominent issue or a serious problem in the American society since the beginning and the Americans are still struggling to eradicate this problem from their land. American soil has witnessed civil rights movements concerning this issue in the past. However in 1920, a movement got initiated to promote black identity known as Harlem Renaissance. It was also a fine arts movement that led to an increase in black confidence, literacy rate, and black culture. Writers wrote about their roots and the current society.

Read More
1223 Words | 5 Pages

If they before were disregarded, in the 1920s their works were widespread. Harlem Renaissance has changed not only cultural but social and political position of African-Americans in American society. The mass migration to the North changed the image of the African-American person, he was not an ignorant and illiterate peasant anymore, he turned into a smart and educated representative of the Middle class. Thanks to this changes, African-Americans became the part of the American and then the world cultural and intellectual elite.

Read More
683 Words | 3 Pages

It has been known throughout history that in order to make changes for one's benefit, one needs to disobey the standards of living at that time. Disobedience is often misrepresented as a damaging action, but it is one's way to fight for their beliefs. Disobedience has benefited one or many while shaping our world into what has become today's society. Therefore, Wilde's claim on disobedience is valid to a great extent. One of the most important social changes in America started from disobeying the social norms.

Read More

More about Persecution Of African Americans During The Harlem Renaissance

Related Topics

Open Document