The Harlem renaissance
Essential question
o Despite overt racism, how did Negros improve life in the 1920s for themselves?
Vocabulary
Jazz: musical style that originated in the early 20th century American in Black communities
Renaissance: period when great social and artistic reform occurs, named after the Italian renaissance |
Key points
o What developments during WWI helped give rise to the Harlem Renaissance?
o How was racial consciousness and racial pride affected by the Harlem Renaissance? o What contributions did African Americans make in fields of music, literature, and the arts? o How did the mass media, the birth of the evolution of jazz, and the Harlem Renaissance create a new blend of American culture? o How did Marcus Garvey's UNIA show an emergence of blacks asserting themselves? |
Thinking like a historian
The Harlem Renaissance started as a result of the huge concentration of Black Americans in the Harlem neighborhood. This concentration of blacks from all over the country, each bringing their own brand of culture with them, led to a unique explosion of culture, resulting in the new types of literature, art, and most importantly music. The Harlem Renaissance had its most lasting effect on the world of music with the introduction of jazz. Jazz music is still popular today, with many variations of the genre, such as ragtime, swing, blues, and soul. The most interesting aspect of the introduction of is that that blacks were not the only ones that benefited from it. Many whites adopted jazz as a music style and some even got involved in the genre itself, forming bands, some of which were interracial.
|
During the 1920s, Black Americans still faced the issue of racial segregation and discrimination. This is ultimately the reason why the Harlem neighborhood became so highly concentrated with blacks, seeing as it was cheaper to live there and that they would have more than likely experienced discrimination in more prominent white neighborhoods. The black community had a sense of unity, since they were all the same and were not being discriminated against, they could pursue their owns interests without hindrance. This eventually led to the culture explosion that occurred in Harlem, which has been mentioned earlier. The mass media made quick work of the diffusion of culture, bringing the art, literature, and music from the movement to the attention of blacks all over the country. Whites even enjoyed the new culture, especially jazz music. This liking that whites had for something that was "black" seemed to bridge the racial gap a little bit, giving Black Americans more of a sense of equality, however small it was.
|
Apparts: Analyzing MArcus GArvey
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAgarvey.htm
AuthorAlthough the exact name of the author is not written on the page, the page was published by Spartacus Educational, a UK based company that provides information on individuals throughout history. Seeing as the whole site is based on encyclopedia entries of historical figures, it must be credible.
|
place and timeJust like the author, the time the article was published is not posted on the page. However, since the site is based out of the UK, the article does touch on Garvey's educational and social endeavor's in England, something that a USA based site might leave out.
|
audienceThe Spartacus Educational website encyclopedia is designed as a research tool for students, and it is quite effective. They have extensive information on many political figures, not just part of European history, but from US history as well.
|
prior knowledgeNo prior knowledge of Marcus Garvey or what he intended to do for black civil rights, but I was familiar with the idea of blacks moving back to Africa. Thomas Jefferson had the same idea during his time period. I am also vaguely familiar with Rastafarianism the religion that Marcus Garvey adhered to.
|
reasonThe reason for the publication of this article is to inform students (the audience) of key historical figures. They do that quite well, detailing Garvey's life from his early years right up to his death.
|
main ideaThis article, posted by Spartacus Educational, details the life of Marcus Garvey. Garvey was a native Jamaican that played a large role in black civil rights during the 1920s and 1930s. He created the UNIA, which pushed for improvements for the negro in society. Garvey promoted segregation from whites, much like Booker T. Washington did, and he supported the idea of blacks moving back to Africa.
|