The Harlem Renaissance was an artistic and cultural
explosion among African Americans living in Harlem
in the 1920s. It produced some of the greatest artists,
musicians, and writers in American history, and
expanded the shared cultural identity of people who
have been marginalized for hundreds of years.
Why Harlem?
After the Civil War ended and slavery was abolished²
in 1865, many African Americans remained in
Southern states, where plantations on which their
families had once been enslaved still stood. Many
people found jobs as farm laborers, doing essentially
the same work as before the abolishment of slavery
but now for a meager wage. Over the next few
decades, the federal government made some
attempts to secure the rights and better the welfare
of African Americans but to little impact. Particularly
"D. Gillespie, J. Lewis, C. Payne, M. Davis, R. Brown" by
Gottlieb, William P. is in the public domain.
in the South, segregation, racist attitudes, and violence prevented African Americans from improving their
circumstances. The governing bodies of Southern states often worsened the hardships that African Americans
faced by passing racially discriminatory laws.
In the early 1900s, African Americans began moving to the North in the hopes of finding better paying jobs in
city factories instead of on farms. This movement was known as The Great Migration. Black neighborhoods
formed in cities all over the North, including New York City. Harlem, a neighborhood originally built for a white,
upper-middle class population, was one of these. In 1910, a group of African American realtors purchased
several blocks in the area and opened the neighborhood to Black migrants from the South. Not only did African
Americans settle there but Caribbean immigrants seeking a better life did, as well. These immigrants, some of
whom were former slaves, also faced discrimination and oppression in their home countries.
Art Confronting Racism
African Americans still faced hostility and institutionalized racism after migrating to the North. Labor and
housing discrimination made it difficult for African Americans to settle in Northern cities. Violence from white
people who resented the presence of Black migrants new to the cities occurred frequently.
[5] African Americans encountered many harmful stereotypes throughout American society. An early major
cultural event of the Harlem Renaissance was a 1917 theater production called Three Plays for a Negro Theater
that rejected many of these stereotypes. It was one of the first mainstream productions about African
Americans to actually cast Black actors portraying complex emotions. Two years later, poet Claude McKay
published the sonnet "If We Must Die." Although the poem never addressed race directly, African American
readers found its message of defiance inspiring as violence toward Black people continued throughout the
country. Literature created during the Harlem Renaissance provided insight into the everyday life of African
Americans and emphasized their humanity and brilliance. This went against the stereotypical depictions 10 of
African Americans in popular culture.
The Harlem Renaissance did not promote a specific political viewpoint or artistic style. Rather, it was a chance
for African American artists to use their art to express pride in their identities and share their experiences.
Artists held the belief that through intellect, literature, art, and music, their work could challenge racism and
shift American society to embrace, protect, and celebrate Black people and their contributions.
Literature and Music
Literature was one of the most powerful tools African American artists used during the Harlem Renaissance.
Writers at the time popularized the idea of the "New Negro." This was an identity they hoped all African
11
Americans would embrace, one of assertiveness and a refusal to submit to the racial prejudice 12 and
segregation that had plagued them for so long.The most famous writer to emerge from this period was Langston Hughes. He was a poet who decided to
ignore many of the conventional¹³ rules for poetry in favor of a more rhythmic approach, drawn from African
American music like traditional spirituals and the blues. He wrote about the many struggles African Americans
faced, but a theme of hope and overcoming hardship ran through much of his work.
Music was another central component 14 of the Harlem Renaissance. As jazz continued to grow in popularity
during the 1920s, musicians in Harlem put their own spin on the music; one such style was known as the
Harlem Stride. Musicians added piano to the brass instruments of jazz. Many famous jazz musicians rose to
stardom during this period, including Duke Ellington. Like poetry, music in Harlem also included elements from
Black spiritual songs and the blues.
A Deep and Lasting Impact
Not only did the Harlem Renaissance produce new and exciting art, literature, and music, it also helped to
shape and express what it meant to be Black in America. For hundreds of years, Black people had been
enslaved and oppressed in the Americas, denied their history and identity. Thus, it was important to foster a
collective15 cultural heritage in which to take pride. It also made larger American society more aware of the
gifts, perspectives, and struggles of African Americans. Finally, it laid important groundwork for the Civil Rights
Movement several decades later.
using this context
PART A: Which statement best identifies the central idea of the text?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Harlem Renaissance was the first major artistic movement in American history.
The Harlem Renaissance was a period of increased migration of African Americans to
the North.
During the Harlem Renaissance, African Americans used art to convey their
experiences and create a united cultural identity.
During the Harlem Renaissance, civil rights activists overturned many racist laws in the
South and overcame prejudice in the North.
PART B: Which quotation from the text best supports the answer to Part A?
A.
B.
C.
D.
"It produced some of the greatest artists, musicians, and writers in American history"
(Paragraph 1)
"In the early 1900s, African Americans began moving to the North in the hopes of
finding better paying jobs in city factories instead of on farms." (Paragraph 3)
"it was a chance for African American artists to use their art to express pride in their
identities and share their experiences." (Paragraph 6)
"it laid important groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement several decades later."
(Paragraph 10)
How did the Great Migration contribute to the development of the Harlem Renaissance?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Many African Americans returned to the South after they achieved fame and success
during the Harlem Renaissance.
Many African Americans left the South to settle in the North, drawn by the cultural
movement of the Harlem Renaissance.
Many African Americans returned to the South to reclaim their history, leading to the
development of the Harlem Renaissance.
Many African Americans left the South to forge a new path for themselves in the North,
leading to the development of the Harlem Renaissance.
keep in mind this is 3 questions
PART A: C. During the Harlem Renaissance, African Americans used art to convey their experiences and create a united cultural identity.
PART B: "it was a chance for African American artists to use their art to express pride in their identities and share their experiences." (Paragraph 6)
The Great Migration contributed to the development of the Harlem Renaissance by:
D. Many African Americans left the South to forge a new path for themselves in the North, leading to the development of the Harlem Renaissance.