📗African American Literature – 1900 to Present Unit 2 – The Harlem Renaissance

Key Figures and Writers

• Langston Hughes influential poet, novelist, and playwright known for his insightful portrayal of African American life and culture
  • Wrote "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and "Harlem" (also known as "A Dream Deferred")
  • Used jazz and blues rhythms in his poetry to capture the essence of African American experience
• Zora Neale Hurston anthropologist, folklorist, and writer celebrated for her novels and short stories depicting African American culture
  • Authored "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and "Mules and Men"
  • Incorporated African American vernacular and folklore into her works
• Claude McKay Jamaican-born poet and novelist whose works explored themes of racism, identity, and social injustice
  • Wrote "If We Must Die" and "Harlem Shadows"
  • Influenced by Marxist ideology and advocated for black self-determination
• Countee Cullen poet and novelist recognized for his formal, classical style and exploration of African American identity
  • Authored "Color" and "Heritage"
  • Grappled with the duality of being both black and American in his works
• Jean Toomer writer and poet whose experimental work "Cane" blended poetry, prose, and drama to depict African American life in the rural South and urban North
• Jessie Redmon Fauset editor, poet, and novelist who promoted and mentored many Harlem Renaissance writers through her role at The Crisis magazine
• Wallace Thurman novelist, essayist, and editor who co-founded the influential literary magazine Fire!! and explored controversial themes in his works, such as colorism and sexuality

Historical Context

• The Great Migration mass movement of African Americans from the rural South to urban centers in the North and Midwest seeking better economic opportunities and social conditions
  • Began during World War I and continued through the 1920s and 1930s
  • Led to the growth of African American communities in cities like New York, Chicago, and Detroit
• Post-World War I era period of increased cultural, artistic, and intellectual activity among African Americans
  • Returning black soldiers demanded greater social and political rights after fighting for democracy abroad
  • Heightened sense of racial pride and desire for self-expression
• Harlem neighborhood in New York City that became the epicenter of the African American cultural renaissance
  • Attracted writers, artists, musicians, and intellectuals from across the country
  • Fostered a sense of community and creative collaboration
• Jim Crow laws system of state and local laws that enforced racial segregation and discrimination in the Southern United States
  • Restricted African American access to education, employment, housing, and public facilities
  • Served as a backdrop to the Harlem Renaissance's themes of racial injustice and the need for social change
• New Negro Movement philosophical and cultural movement that promoted a new sense of racial pride, self-determination, and cultural expression among African Americans
  • Challenged stereotypes and advocated for greater social, political, and economic equality
  • Influenced the artistic and literary production of the Harlem Renaissance
• Marcus Garvey Jamaican-born activist and founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) who promoted black nationalism and Pan-Africanism
  • Encouraged self-reliance, economic independence, and the creation of a strong African diaspora
  • Influenced some Harlem Renaissance writers and artists, while others criticized his separatist ideology

Literary Themes and Styles

• Racial identity exploration of the complexities and nuances of African American identity in a society shaped by racism and discrimination
  • Writers grappled with the dual nature of being both black and American
  • Examined the psychological and social impact of racism on individuals and communities
• Black pride celebration of African American culture, history, and achievements
  • Writers sought to challenge negative stereotypes and assert the value and dignity of black life
  • Emphasized the unique contributions of African Americans to American culture
• Folklore and vernacular incorporation of African American folk traditions, oral histories, and dialect into literary works
  • Writers drew upon the rich storytelling heritage of African American communities
  • Used vernacular language and rhythms to capture the authentic voices and experiences of black people
• Modernist techniques experimentation with form, style, and language to create innovative and avant-garde works
  • Writers employed fragmentation, montage, and stream-of-consciousness to convey the complexities of modern life
  • Influenced by European modernist movements, such as Surrealism and Expressionism
• Jazz and blues influence integration of jazz and blues rhythms, structures, and themes into poetry and prose
  • Writers sought to capture the improvisational and emotional qualities of African American music
  • Used jazz and blues as metaphors for the African American experience and resilience
• Political and social commentary addressing issues of racism, segregation, and inequality through literature
  • Writers used their works to critique American society and advocate for social justice
  • Explored the intersections of race, class, and gender in shaping African American lives
• Diaspora and international perspectives examination of the connections between African Americans and other African diaspora communities
  • Writers explored themes of Pan-Africanism, colonialism, and global struggles for liberation
  • Drew inspiration from international artistic and political movements, such as the Négritude movement in Francophone literature

Cultural Impact

• Increased visibility and recognition of African American artists and writers in mainstream American culture
  • Harlem Renaissance works were published in major magazines, anthologies, and book collections
  • Writers and artists gained national and international acclaim for their contributions to literature and the arts
• Challenged stereotypes and misconceptions about African Americans that had been perpetuated by popular culture and media
  • Presented complex, nuanced, and diverse representations of African American life and experience
  • Countered the harmful stereotypes of African Americans as primitive, inferior, or exotic
• Inspired future generations of African American writers, artists, and activists
  • Laid the groundwork for later cultural and political movements, such as the Black Arts Movement and the Civil Rights Movement
  • Served as a model for the assertion of black cultural identity and pride
• Contributed to the development of African American studies as an academic discipline
  • Harlem Renaissance works became essential texts in the study of African American literature, history, and culture
  • Scholars and educators recognized the significance of the Harlem Renaissance in shaping American cultural history
• Influenced other artistic and cultural movements, both within the United States and internationally
  • Harlem Renaissance aesthetics and themes were adopted and adapted by artists in other disciplines, such as visual art, music, and dance
  • Inspired similar cultural renaissances among other marginalized communities, such as the Chicano Movement and the Native American Renaissance
• Promoted cultural exchange and collaboration between African American and white artists and intellectuals
  • Some Harlem Renaissance figures, such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, worked with white patrons and collaborators
  • Fostered a dialogue about race, culture, and identity that crossed racial boundaries
• Highlighted the diversity and complexity of African American culture and experience
  • Showcased the range of African American artistic expression, from traditional folk forms to avant-garde experimentation
  • Demonstrated the intellectual and creative contributions of African Americans to American society

Major Works and Publications

• "The New Negro" (1925) anthology edited by Alain Locke that featured works by prominent Harlem Renaissance writers and artists
  • Considered a seminal text of the Harlem Renaissance that introduced the movement to a wider audience
  • Included poetry, prose, and essays that explored themes of racial identity, cultural pride, and social commentary
• "Their Eyes Were Watching God" (1937) novel by Zora Neale Hurston that tells the story of Janie Crawford, a young African American woman in search of self-discovery and love
  • Celebrated for its portrayal of African American vernacular, folklore, and female empowerment
  • Rediscovered and embraced by scholars and readers in the 1970s as a classic of African American literature
• "Cane" (1923) experimental novel by Jean Toomer that blends poetry, prose, and drama to depict African American life in the rural South and urban North
  • Considered a groundbreaking work of modernist literature that challenged traditional narrative forms
  • Explored themes of racial identity, cultural dislocation, and the psychological impact of racism
• "The Weary Blues" (1926) poetry collection by Langston Hughes that incorporates jazz and blues rhythms to capture the essence of African American experience
  • Established Hughes as a major voice of the Harlem Renaissance and a pioneer of jazz poetry
  • Included iconic poems such as "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and "Cross"
• "Quicksand" (1928) novel by Nella Larsen that explores the struggles of Helga Crane, a biracial woman navigating issues of identity, belonging, and desire
  • Addressed themes of racial passing, cultural dislocation, and the complexities of African American female experience
  • Considered a significant work of Harlem Renaissance fiction that grappled with the psychological and social impact of racism
• "The Blacker the Berry" (1929) novel by Wallace Thurman that confronts issues of colorism and intraracial prejudice within the African American community
  • Challenged the notion of racial solidarity by exposing the ways in which skin color hierarchy divided African Americans
  • Considered a controversial and provocative work that sparked debates about race, class, and identity
• "The Conjure-Man Dies" (1932) mystery novel by Rudolph Fisher that is considered the first detective novel by an African American author
  • Subverted the conventions of the mystery genre by featuring an African American detective and exploring issues of race and class
  • Showcased the diversity of African American literary production during the Harlem Renaissance

Artistic Movements

• Jazz Age cultural and artistic movement of the 1920s characterized by the popularity of jazz music, dance, and fashion
  • Harlem Renaissance writers and artists drew inspiration from the improvisational and expressive qualities of jazz
  • Incorporated jazz rhythms, structures, and themes into their literary and visual works
• Négritude movement literary and cultural movement that originated in the 1930s among French-speaking African and Caribbean writers
  • Emphasized the affirmation of black identity, culture, and values in the face of European colonialism and racism
  • Influenced some Harlem Renaissance writers, such as Claude McKay and Langston Hughes, who engaged with international black cultural movements
• Modernism artistic and literary movement of the early 20th century that rejected traditional forms and embraced experimentation and innovation
  • Harlem Renaissance writers adopted modernist techniques, such as fragmentation, montage, and stream-of-consciousness, to convey the complexities of modern African American experience
  • Engaged with the formal and thematic concerns of European modernist movements, such as Surrealism and Expressionism
• Primitivism artistic and cultural trend that romanticized and appropriated the art and culture of non-Western societies, particularly those of Africa and Oceania
  • Some Harlem Renaissance artists, such as Aaron Douglas and Palmer Hayden, incorporated elements of African art and symbolism into their works
  • Primitivist tendencies in Harlem Renaissance art and literature were sometimes criticized for exoticizing or essentializing African American culture
• Social Realism artistic and literary movement that sought to depict the lives and struggles of working-class and marginalized communities
  • Some Harlem Renaissance writers, such as Richard Wright and Ann Petry, adopted social realist techniques to critique the social and economic conditions of African American life
  • Emphasized the political and ideological dimensions of art and literature in the service of social change
• Pan-Africanism political and cultural movement that emphasized the unity and solidarity of African peoples across the diaspora
  • Influenced some Harlem Renaissance writers and artists who sought to connect their work to global struggles for black liberation and self-determination
  • Promoted the idea of a shared African cultural heritage and identity that transcended national and linguistic boundaries

Legacy and Influence

• Paved the way for future generations of African American writers and artists
  • Harlem Renaissance figures served as role models and mentors for later generations of black creatives
  • Established a tradition of African American cultural production that celebrated black identity, experience, and aesthetics
• Contributed to the development of African American studies as an academic discipline
  • Harlem Renaissance works became essential texts in the study of African American literature, history, and culture
  • Scholars and educators recognized the significance of the Harlem Renaissance in shaping American cultural history
• Influenced the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s
  • Black Arts Movement writers and artists drew inspiration from the Harlem Renaissance's emphasis on black cultural nationalism and self-determination
  • Adopted and adapted Harlem Renaissance aesthetics and themes, such as the incorporation of jazz and blues rhythms and the celebration of black vernacular culture
• Inspired similar cultural movements among other marginalized communities, such as the Chicano Movement and the Native American Renaissance
  • Harlem Renaissance provided a model for the assertion of cultural identity and pride in the face of marginalization and oppression
  • Demonstrated the power of art and literature to challenge dominant narratives and advocate for social change
• Shaped the development of American popular culture, particularly in music, fashion, and entertainment
  • Harlem Renaissance artists and musicians, such as Duke Ellington and Josephine Baker, had a lasting impact on American cultural production
  • Popularized African American cultural forms, such as jazz and blues, among mainstream audiences
• Contributed to the ongoing dialogue about race, identity, and social justice in the United States
  • Harlem Renaissance works continue to be read, studied, and discussed as essential texts in the exploration of American racial and cultural politics
  • Provides a historical and cultural context for understanding contemporary debates about diversity, representation, and equity in the arts and society
• Recognized as a significant period in American and African American cultural history
  • Harlem Renaissance is celebrated as a watershed moment in the development of African American literature and the arts
  • Continues to inspire scholarly research, artistic production, and public commemoration as a testament to the enduring legacy of African American cultural achievement

Critical Analysis

• Debates about the relationship between art and politics in the Harlem Renaissance
  • Some critics argue that the Harlem Renaissance prioritized aesthetic concerns over political engagement
  • Others contend that the Harlem Renaissance's emphasis on cultural production was inherently political in its challenge to white supremacy and cultural hegemony
• Critiques of the Harlem Renaissance's relationship to white patronage and audiences
  • Some scholars argue that the Harlem Renaissance's reliance on white patrons and publishers limited its artistic and political autonomy
  • Others suggest that Harlem Renaissance artists strategically navigated the constraints of white patronage to assert their own cultural and political agendas
• Discussions of the gender and sexual politics of the Harlem Renaissance
  • Feminist scholars have examined the ways in which Harlem Renaissance writers and artists challenged and subverted dominant gender norms and expectations
  • Queer studies scholars have explored the Harlem Renaissance as a site of sexual and gender experimentation and transgression
• Analyses of the Harlem Renaissance's engagement with modernist aesthetics and techniques
  • Critics have debated the extent to which Harlem Renaissance writers and artists adopted and adapted European modernist forms and styles
  • Some argue that the Harlem Renaissance's engagement with modernism allowed for the creation of distinctly African American modernist aesthetics
• Examinations of the Harlem Renaissance's relationship to African American folk culture and vernacular traditions
  • Scholars have explored the ways in which Harlem Renaissance writers and artists drew upon and celebrated African American folk culture, such as blues, jazz, and folklore
  • Some critics argue that the Harlem Renaissance's embrace of folk culture challenged dominant notions of high art and cultural hierarchy
• Discussions of the Harlem Renaissance's impact on the development of African American literary canon and criticism
  • The Harlem Renaissance played a crucial role in establishing African American literature as a distinct and legitimate field of study
  • Harlem Renaissance works continue to be read, taught, and studied as essential texts in African American literary history and criticism
• Debates about the periodization and geographical scope of the Harlem Renaissance
  • Some scholars argue for a more expansive understanding of the Harlem Renaissance that encompasses cultural production beyond the 1920s and outside of Harlem
  • Others emphasize the specificity of the Harlem Renaissance as a historical moment and cultural phenomenon rooted in the particular context of 1920s Harlem