Harlem Renaissance Reconceptualization Essay Example

regimes through slavery. After a successful struggle for the abolition of slavery in 1865, it was a time for cultural celebration for the blacks. However, the end of the bondage failed to bring the envisioned ‘promised land’ for the blacks due to the existence of several racial inequalities resulting from the legal and violent creation of white supremacy. As a result, there was a pronounced migration of people from the South States to the Northern States to escape the oppressive caste system in the South and search for better employment opportunities.footnoteRef:5 Black Americans shared their everyday experiences under the oppressive rule. Instead of engaging in self-pity, their experiences ignited a cultural explosion. 3: Ibid, 427 4: Mellon, Andrew. 2016. "The New Negro Renaissance."Exhibitions.Nypl.Org. http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-renaissance.html. 5: Ibid, 1

The renaissance took place in Harlem district of New York which was a hub for African Americans. Harlem became the center of this great migration which fostered the creation of national organizations to fight for the rights of the blacks to equality in accessing socioeconomic opportunities.footnoteRef:6 The district developed as an exclusive area for the elite whites mostly in the middle and upper class. As a result, the district has well-developed infrastructures such as houses, opera houses and polo grounds. However, the European immigrants forced the whites to abandon the Harlem making it a black African neighborhood in the 1900s. The blacks migrated to the in the 1920s. It served as a symbolic capital of cultural awakening by attracted several black intellectuals who acted as the pioneers of African American literature. Harlem had an established publishing industry that sought and published black writers.footnoteRef:7 As a result, Harlem became the

catalyst of black scholars, writers, artists, poets, musicians, and photographers. 6: Ibid, 1 7: Ibid, 1

Most of the literature focused on portraying the black life which helped to impede the process of gaining racial equality.footnoteRef:8 The stories of ghettos and struggling livelihoods marked most of the artistic, literally and cultural products. This portrayed a picture of the struggles faced by the blacks. In 1917, a play entitled Three Plays for a Negro Theatre used African American actors to convey the complex emotions and yearnings faced by blacks. This was followed by a poem If We Must Die which was published by Claude McKay in 1919.footnoteRef:9 The song featured a keynote of defiance in the face of racism. These two artistic forms created the first phase of the Renaissance by describing the harsh reality of the black Americans. These developments ushered in an era of racial defiance with several black American themes. The foundation of the Liberty League and the Voice in 1917 by Hubert Harrison further guided radicalization in Harlem. These were political newspapers that challenged the concept of a renaissance. These platforms served to accelerate social and cultural changes in the U.S in conjunction with the great migration. 8: Ibid, 1 9: Ibid, 439

The Renaissance also created a distinct racial pride among the blacks that was represented by the idea of the “New Negro” which transformed the African American social disillusionment to racial pride.footnoteRef:10 Through the Renaissance, the African Americans had a chance to showcase their cultures through art, various scholarly works, literature and music without fear of racial reproach from the whites. As a matter of fact, most whites started admiring black American

culture. These artistic forms challenged the existing prejudices against the blacks. They emphasized on social integration and merit politics rather than social segregation leading to the creation of a diversely unified society. Additionally, the Renaissance also displayed African American traditions resulting in the creation of an identity contrary to the one shaped by slavery and institutional racism. footnoteRef:11Though the Renaissance failed to have any significant impact in eliminating the rigid racial barriers that led to several inequalities, it played a major role in promoting the relaxation of racial attitudes among the whites. 10: Ibid, 1 11: Ibid, 437

The creation of the “New Negro” led to consistent demands for civil and political rights through the various artistic forms such as Jazz and Blues. These creative types of art attracted white people resulting in the creation of interracial relationships.footnoteRef:12 New ways of music emerged to push for the rights of the blacks. The adoption of the piano helped to reduce the gap between poor and wealthy blacks. The black people primarily played jazz music which was a symbol of the South. Jazz music used brass instruments as the piano was deemed to be a tool of the wealthy whites. However, this instrument modification led to a new way of playing Jazz music thus bridging the gap between the socially elite whites and the blacks. This form of music attracted the whites. As a result, both the white and black musicians, novelists and dramatists exploited the African American works leading to their recognition. footnoteRef:13Also, the Harlem Renaissance paved the way for the civil rights movements that occurred in the late 1940s and early 1950s by presenting blacks as

equals to the whites. African American artists used their talent to ask for equality leading to the abolishment racial discrimination against African Americans. 12: Ibid, 1 13: Ibid, 440

In conclusion, the Harlem renaissance that took place during the 1920’s to 1930’s brought several changes for the African American communities. It created a forum for expressing the black culture and traditions leading to the recognition of African Americans. The Renaissance resulted in the emergence of several artistic forms such as Jazz, blues, poetry, dance, and theater. These forms of art communicated the African American way of life to create a new black identity referred to as the “New Negro.” This attracted several white people who wanted to discover the new art. As a result, several relationships developed between the blacks and the whites to promote a relaxation of racial attitudes towards the blacks. Through the call for ending segregation, the Harlem Renaissance was a defining factor that ensured integration of African Americans in the white community. It also paved the way for the civil rights movements that saw the abolishment racial segregation. Therefore, the Harlem Renaissance marked an important step in ensuring cultural diversity, equality, and democracy in the U.S.

Bibliography

1. Calo, Mary Ann. 2002. “Seeing the Harlem Renaissance: Observations on the Position of Visual Art in Harlem Renaissance Studies.” Prospects 27: 427-445. Doi: 10.1017/s0361233300001277.
2. Hutchinson, George. 2016. “Harlem Renaissance | American Literature and Art.” Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Harlem-Renaissance-American-literature-and-art.
3. Mellon, Andrew. 2016. “The New Negro Renaissance.” Exhibitions.Nypl.Org. http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-renaissance.html.