Harlem Renaissance

Harlem Renaissance

From Realism To The

Zora Neal Hurston

Dizzy GillespeBillie Holliay Richard WrightJacob Lawrence

What is Realism Again?What is Realism Again?Remember, literature written around the time of the Civil War sought to present the details of actual life in as real of terms as possible, hence the name of the movement, Realism.

Realists preferred authenticity, real people, in their real environment, facing their real situations.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is a perfect example of a realist text because of it’s authentic portrayal of slavery

True Meaning of Freedom?True Meaning of Freedom?The Civil War truly change the face of America and allowed for opportunity previously unknown.

From 1865 to the Early 1920’s, voices previously unheard, begin speaking freely and sharing the unique perspectives, histories, and cultures of the different regions of America.

Some of the biggest and most powerful of these voices came from the Harlem through authors like Zora Neal Hurston.

Zora Neal Hurston

What is a Renaissance?What is a Renaissance?A “Renaissance” literally means “Rebirth.”

It refers to a rebirth of a cultural interest in learning, discovery, and values.

The “Harlem Renaissance” refers to a literary/artistic movement during which a group of talented African-American writers produced a sizable body of literature in the four prominent genres of poetry, fiction, drama, and essay.

When was the Harlem Renaissance?

When was the Harlem Renaissance?

The Harlem Renaissance began at the end of World War I and continued through the middle of the 1930s Depression.

Its origins are rooted in the “Great Migration” when, between 1890 and 1920, about two million African Americans migrate from the rural southern states to the northern cities, where they hope to find better opportunities and less discrimination.

The Great Migration?The Great Migration?

191119201930

Lets stop and think about this…What would cause such a huge movement of People? What was happening historically to drive this migration?

How did Harlem Renaissance Start?

How did Harlem Renaissance Start?

The “Improved” living conditions of the North resulted in improved education and employment opportunities.

These improvements lead to a growing African American Middle Class.

Then…Then…African American leaders such as W.E.B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey as well as organizations like the N.A.A.C.P. helped to inspire racial pride in the middle and working class.

W.E.B. Du Bois Marcus Garvey

Then…Then…Du Bois believed that artistic and literary work could be used as a form of propaganda to help combat racial stereotypes and gain new respect for the race.

The NAACP published The Crisis, a journal used to share the literary works of African Americans.

But…But… Du Bois also believed in the “talented tenth.”

This was the idea that a small percentage of the African American population who were exceptionally skilled should be designated and educated as artistic and cultural leaders.

He proposed absolute equality for the "talented tenth" and technical training for the black masses.

What Was the Response ?What Was the Response ?In response to the gains by African Americans, many whites fought back during the summer of 1919… “The Red Summer”

There were 25 major race riots and at least 83 African Americans were lynched.

The Ku Klux Klan held over 200 meetings to increase enrollment.

What Did The Authors Write About?

What Did The Authors Write About?

Common themes in the Literature of the Harlem Renaissance include…

– alienation - feeling separated or isolated by hostility– marginality - being placed or forced outside the main

group or groups of society– the use of folk material - art, dialect, stories, the blues

But for the writers themselves, acceptance by the white world was less important, as Langston Hughes put it, than the "expression of our individual dark-skinned selves."

For Example…For Example…Incident

By Countee Cullen

Once riding in old Baltimore,Heart-filled, head-filled with glee,I saw a BaltimoreanKeep looking straight at me.

Now I was eight and very small,And he was no whit bigger,And so I smiled, but he poked outHis tongue, and called me, "Nigger."

I saw the whole of BaltimoreFrom May until December;Of all the things that happened thereThat's all that I remember.

Which theme(s) are present in this Renaissance Poem?

Your Assignment…

Your Assignment…1. Pick an artistic form for an original piece of art2. Research Harlem Renaissance artists associated

with your chosen art form3. Note themes and techniques used by these artists4. Create your own work of art exploring similar

themes and using similar techniques5. Write about your art6. Present to the class