Harlem Renaissance Events

Throughout history, writers have been religiously recording the important events and emotions humanity has felt during the cheerful and depressing time. Authors, poets, and musicians have a special ability to get in touch with people’s emotions, but the artists of the Harlem Renaissance were exceptional at conveying their point of view to others. Many life changing events happened during the Harlem Renaissance, as well as the Roaring ‘20s. Of all of the writing periods the Harlem Renaissance preserved history through the diverse forms of art and writing that was produced during that time.

During the Roaring ‘20s, new ideas, thoughts and dreams started to sprout. Music started to evolve and literature captured the changes in society. This change

Writers at this time were looking for what little light they could find, or expressed their sorrow in elegant stories and poetry. Donald Justice, an upperclassman, records his observations in the bleak poem, Pantoum of the Great Depression. “At no time did anyone say anything in verse. It was the ordinary pities and fears consumed us, And if we suffered we kept quiet about it. No audience would ever know our story” (Justice). This quote expertly conveys the feelings of many people in the Great Depression. No one wanted to complain about their troubles, because everyone had the same or worse problems. Justice’s view is very intriguing because of his being an upperclassman. He did not have to deal with as many hardships as other families and people had to, so his perspective as an onlooker looking on people struggle is the same view that people in the present have now. They did not live through the Great Depression, but they can understand Justice’s point of view as someone who also didn’t go through many trials. Justice’s words are an important part of history and leave a powerful impact on those who read

They are passed down, interpreted different ways by each person that hears them, and can change the entire course of someone’s life. Music can have the same the same impact. In the 1920’s, Jazz and the blues became increasingly popular because of the freeing feeling young people got from listening and dancing to it. The new sound was shunned by the older generation because of the ““vulgarity” and “depravity” (and the “moral disasters” it supposedly inspired), but many in the younger generation loved the freedom they felt on the dance floor.” (History.com Staff) This type of music has lasted through almost a hundred years now, and still brings people the same freeing feeling it did when it was first discovered. Jazz is a type of music that is improvised. Each instrument in the band will get a mini solo that they improv to show off their skills. The swinging rhythms and varying tempos tell the story of the composer. Music from the Harlem Renaissance tells the stories of those who lived through it, and continues to inspire people today.

History is an important subject to learn, because of the mistakes humanity has made. Students now and students in the future need to know the truth of what happened so they do not make the same errors. The literature and music from the Harlem Renaissance contains important lessons from history that cannot be forgotten. It includes the stories of African Americans who finally are finally able to use their