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Hello! Sit where you sat on Thursday. Check in with me and put your project up here Put your project write-up on your desk.

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The Harlem Renaissance

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Harlem was not so much a place as a state of mind, the cultural metaphor for black America itself.

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4 The Harlem Renaissance, a.k.a. the New Negro Movement and the Negro Renaissance ~1919-the mid-1930s New racial attitudes and ideals on the part of Afro- Americans and an artistic and political awakening Artistic expression = an extension of the struggle against oppression

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6 How did it start? Complex roots... African American migration to industrial (urban centers)African American migration to industrial (urban centers) Changing economy WWI - jobs WWI offered African Americans the chance to serve in the military (though in segregated troops)WWI offered African Americans the chance to serve in the military (though in segregated troops)

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7 More contact between blacks and whites in urban centers...more consciousness of disparity Soldiers found that Europe and America were quite different The Red Summer of 1919 Marcus Garveys radical politics But there was more to the story...

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8 There were 2 basic ideologies in terms of approaches to art in Harlem... 8

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9 First school of thought: W.E.B. DuBois and James Weldon Johnson Privileged African Americans could lead their races fight for equalityPrivileged African Americans could lead their races fight for equality Art as propaganda: works of art inspired by racial heritage & experiences would prove the beauty and contributions of the raceArt as propaganda: works of art inspired by racial heritage & experiences would prove the beauty and contributions of the race Achievements would foster pride in African AmericansAchievements would foster pride in African Americans Black culture = white cultureBlack culture = white culture

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10 Second school of thought: Claude McKay, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Aaron Douglas. African-American person should be presented objectively as an individual simply livingAfrican-American person should be presented objectively as an individual simply living Argued against mirroring white society (black culture in itself was valuable)Argued against mirroring white society (black culture in itself was valuable) Art for arts sakeArt for arts sake

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11 The Harlem Renaissance incorporated all aspects of African American culture in its literature and several themes emerged.

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12 Themes in Art, Music and Literature: Effort to Recapture the African-American Past: corresponded with rise of Pan-Africanism Africanism in Afro-American politics Marcus Garveys ideology jazz introduced African-inspired rhythms and themes in compositions Rural Southern Roots: reflected in novels by Jean Toomer and Zora Zora Neale Hurstons Their Eyes Were Watching God - Jacob Lawrences art: Harriet Tubman series and black migration migration

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14 Themes Continued African-American Urban Experience and Racism: - represented by writers like Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Countee Cullen - represented by writers like Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Countee Cullen

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15 Incident by Countee Cullen Once riding in old Baltimore, Heart-filled, head-filled with glee, I saw a Baltimorean Keep looking straight at me. Now I was eight and very small, And he was no whit bigger, And so I smiled, but he poked out His tongue, and called me, Nigger. I saw the whole of Baltimore From May until December; Of all the things that happened there Thats all that I remember. 15

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16 Themes continued... Use of Black Music & Folklore as an Inspiration for Poetry, Short Stories, and Novels: - Langston Hughes used rhythms and styles of jazz - Langston Hughes used rhythms and styles of jazz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpjFS3CQkKE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpjFS3CQkKEhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpjFS3CQkKE - Black religion as a literary source: James Weldon - Black religion as a literary source: James Weldon Johnsons Gods Trombones Johnsons Gods Trombones - Sterling Brown used blues and southern work songs in his book of poetry Southern Road - Sterling Brown used blues and southern work songs in his book of poetry Southern Road 16

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17 Through all these themes Harlem Renaissance writers were determined to express the African- American experience in all its variety and complexity as realistically as possible.

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18 The White Influence on the Harlem Renaissance: The Harlem Renaissance appealed to both a white and black audience But... Urbane whites bestowed their patronage on young artists, opening up publishing opportunities, and pumping cash into Harlems exotic nightlife...Urbane whites bestowed their patronage on young artists, opening up publishing opportunities, and pumping cash into Harlems exotic nightlife... The relationship was complex and continues to be studied to this dayThe relationship was complex and continues to be studied to this day

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19 The Cotton Club... Jim Crow laws enforcedJim Crow laws enforced Major controversy What sense does this make?

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20 Other Important Places Within Harlem & Nightlife: Lennox and 140 th Street the Savoy Ballroom Major social events and partiesMajor social events and parties Blacks and whites mingled on the dance floorBlacks and whites mingled on the dance floor Where the Lindy Hop was inventedWhere the Lindy Hop was invented http://www.youtube.c om/watch?v=R0BHxh UnokUhttp://www.youtube.c om/watch?v=R0BHxh UnokU

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21 Jungle Alley and 7 th Avenue: Jungle Alley Cluster of clubs and speakeasies along 133 rd Street between Lennox Ave. and Seventh Ave.Cluster of clubs and speakeasies along 133 rd Street between Lennox Ave. and Seventh Ave. Variety of entertainment options and an eclectic and risqu environmentVariety of entertainment options and an eclectic and risqu environment Racially mixed and uninhibited crowdRacially mixed and uninhibited crowd Seventh Ave. Where people went to see and be seenWhere people went to see and be seen Harlemites both rich and poor donned their finest clothes and strolled down the avenue on a Sunday afternoonHarlemites both rich and poor donned their finest clothes and strolled down the avenue on a Sunday afternoon

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22 The Apollo Theater Opened in the 1930s the on 125 th Street Featured the finest acts and became the most prestigious African American performing stage in the country. The response of the Apollos knowledgeable audience could make or break a performers career

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24 Rent Parties: A way for cash-strapped Harlemites to raise money for their inflated rent payments Thursday and Saturday nights...Thursday was the night off for sleep-in domestic workers and Saturday was usually pay-day for laborers who had Sunday off Invitations: Parlor Social or Tea Cup Party Music, entertainment...the furniture was cleared out Basic food and drinkbootleg whiskey or bathtub gin, with southern staples: fried chicken and fish, chitterlings, pigs feet, greens, and cornbread The admission fee and the extra charges for food and drink paid for the entertainment, hopefully with enough left over for next months rent

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25 Patrons were usually Harlems working people especially domestics and laborersbut all classes attended DuBois and others from the middle and upper classes stayed away... Many of the artists, writers, and musicians used them as inspiration Bessie Smith celebrated them in her song, Give Me a Beer and Another Pigfoot, while Langston Hughes described them in his autobiography as a place where working-class blacks could drink and dance without a white tourist looking over their shoulder Give Me a Beer and Another PigfootGive Me a Beer and Another Pigfoot Whites rarely gained admittance to these gatherings

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26 Decline of the Harlem Renaissance: The Harlem Renaissance declined in the mid 1930s. Factors that contributed to this decline were as follows: The Harlem Renaissance declined in the mid 1930s. Factors that contributed to this decline were as follows: 1. Harlems emergence as a slum: - Within a single decade Harlem transformed from an ideal community to a neighborhood with manifold social and economic problems. - Housing was overpriced, congested, and dilapidated. - Housing was overpriced, congested, and dilapidated. - Jobs were hard to come by due to competition and discrimination. - As a result, most of Harlems residents lived in poverty, a situation that contributed to the growth of crime, vice, juvenile delinquency and drug addiction.

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27 2. The Great Depression 2. The Great Depression 3. The Departure of Many Key Figures in the Movement 3. The Departure of Many Key Figures in the Movement 4. The Harlem Riot of 1935 4. The Harlem Riot of 1935

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28 Influential Figures & Events in the Renaissance: Influential Figures & Events in the Renaissance: Writers & Poets: - Countee Cullen - Countee Cullen - Langston Hughes - Langston Hughes - Jean Toomer - Jean Toomer - James Weldon Johnson - James Weldon Johnson - Zora Neale Hurston - Zora Neale Hurston - Arna Bontemps - Arna Bontemps - Wallace Thurman - Wallace Thurman - Nella Larsen - Nella Larsen - Claude McKay - Claude McKay - Gwendolyn Brooks - Gwendolyn Brooks - Jessie Redmon Fauset - Jessie Redmon Fauset Musicians, Singers, Entertainers: - Louis Armstrong - Louis Armstrong - Bessie Smith - Bessie Smith - Dizzie Gillespie - Dizzie Gillespie - Josephine Baker - Josephine Baker - Eubie Blake - Eubie Blake - Duke Ellington - Duke Ellington - Ma Rainey - Ma Rainey - Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald - Billie Holiday - Billie Holiday - Ethel Waters - Ethel Waters - Fats Waller - Fats Waller

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29 Artists: - Aaron Douglass - Aaron Douglass - Jacob Lawrence - Jacob Lawrence - William H. Johnson - William H. Johnson - Archibald Motley, Jr. - Archibald Motley, Jr. - Ronald C. Moody - Ronald C. Moody - Palmer Hayden - Palmer Hayden - Lois Mailou Jones - Lois Mailou Jones Political Activists: - W.E.B. DuBois - W.E.B. DuBois - Marcus Garvey - Marcus Garvey - Alain Leroy Locke - Alain Leroy Locke - Charles R. Drew - Charles R. Drew - Regina Anderson - Regina Anderson - Arturo Alfonso Schomburg - Arturo Alfonso Schomburg

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30 Athletes/Athletic Teams: - Satchel Paige - Satchel Paige - The Harlem Globetrotters - The Harlem Globetrotters - Negro National League - Negro National League Journals/Magazines: - The Crisis - The Crisis - The Survey Graphic - The Survey Graphic - Opportunity: A Journal of Negro Life - Opportunity: A Journal of Negro Life - FIRE!! - FIRE!!

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31 Final Thoughts: The Harlem Renaissance... Certainly important in terms of American historyCertainly important in terms of American history Obviously crucial in terms of American literatureObviously crucial in terms of American literature What about its dependency on white money, audiences and publishers?What about its dependency on white money, audiences and publishers? Some are critical of this... WE will read some poetry, listen to some music, and view some pieces of art on Wednesday.

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33 Sources: The United States in Literature & The Harlem Renaissance: A Unit of Study for Grades 9-12 by Nina Gifford Harlem Speaks: A Living History of the Harlem Renaissance edited by Cary D. Wintz