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Summary Of The Book When Harlem Was In Vogue

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Dawkins 1 Deja Dawkins Dr. Edward Lee History 212 28 February 2016 Lewis David L. When Harlem Was in Vogue. New York: K, 1981. Print. Oxford paperbacks; Oxford paperbacks. The Book “When Harlem Was In Vogue” explains how African Americans had to face the harsh reality of oppression in America once World war I ended. During the war, American African hero where greatly appreciated for courageous deeds while serving the Military. After the war, African American veterans had to create a renaissance era help narrow minded Americans recognize black culture. “The faults of our country are our faults. Under similar circumstances, we would fight again. But by God of heaven, we are cowards and jackasses if now that the war is over we do not marshal every …show more content…

Even though the use of intellect was the weapon of choice, it still could not combat the unwilling racist tactics like lynching, beating, and committing unlawful acts against African Americans. David L Lewis mentioned the Great Depression as only representing a portion regarding the downfall of the Harlem renaissance. The exclusion to economic affairs contributed a much greater issue to the black renaissance era. “It is white labor that deprives the Negro of his right to vote, denies him education, denies him affiliation with trade unions, expels him from decent houses and neighborhoods, and heaps upon him the public insults of open color discrimination” (Lewis 286). Even though the depression affected Harlem seriously, the true soul of Harlem did not die. Throughout the book David Lewis explained how creativity, achievements, and black history of the Harlem renaissance would not die immediately. Mr. Lewis explained that the Great Depression was something Caucasians where introduced to. While on the other hand, African Americans lived through a much worst depression every day. Dawkins 3 Lewis reveals that it was not only depression that diminished the Harlem Renaissance, but also tactics of oppression and manmade attacks to destroy a thriving …show more content…

The weakness for me as woman would be the small amount of women represented in the book. I feel as though women played a tremendous part if not more. Women in the Harlem Renaissance played a vital role as the voice for the struggling minority of African American women. African American women utilized the movement to express their views on race and gender relations. To overcome obstacles as a black man was one thing but to do it as being a woman and being black was phenomenal during that time. “They had caught a Negro and deliberately held him as one would a beef for slaughter, and when they had conveniently adjusted him for lynching they shot him. I heard him groaning in his struggle as I hurried away as fast as I could without running, expecting every moment to be lynched myself” (Lewis19). Mr. Lewis's scholarship wonderful style of writing puts forth a rough, honest view of the series of events. His descriptions of Harlem are enlightening, and he strikes a wonderful balance between providing detail and making a point. His biographical pieces gave background on the key Renaissance figures are filled with lively writing. The fact many other literary writers try to deny the significance of The

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