11.2 The Influence of the Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement in 1920s-30s New York, deeply influenced Caribbean literature and art. It inspired Caribbean writers to explore black identity and cultural heritage, incorporating Creole languages and oral traditions into their work.

Caribbean intellectuals like Claude McKay and Marcus Garvey played key roles in shaping the Harlem Renaissance. Their ideas and works circulated through publications, fostering a rich exchange between Harlem and the Caribbean that celebrated black culture and creativity.

Cultural Exchange: Harlem Renaissance and the Caribbean

Harlem Renaissance's Impact on Caribbean Literature and Art

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• The Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement centered in Harlem, New York during the 1920s and 1930s, had a significant impact on the Caribbean literary and artistic scene
• Influenced the emergence of Caribbean literary movements
  • The Beacon Group in Trinidad
  • The Caribbean Artists Movement in the United Kingdom
• Inspired a new generation of Caribbean writers to explore themes of black identity and cultural heritage
• Encouraged Caribbean writers to incorporate Creole languages and oral traditions into their literary works

Role of Caribbean Intellectuals in Shaping the Harlem Renaissance

• Caribbean intellectuals played a crucial role in shaping the Harlem Renaissance through their literary works, political activism, and cultural exchanges
  • Claude McKay, a Jamaican-born writer, was a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance
    • His novel "Home to Harlem" (1928) depicted the lives of working-class African Americans and Caribbean immigrants in Harlem
  • Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican-born political activist, founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) which had a significant influence on the Harlem Renaissance
    • Garvey's ideas of black pride and self-reliance inspired many Harlem Renaissance writers and artists
• The exchange of ideas between Harlem and the Caribbean was facilitated by the circulation of publications featuring works by both African American and Caribbean writers
  • The Crisis, the official magazine of the NAACP
  • Opportunity, a magazine published by the National Urban League
  • The Negro World, the official newspaper of the UNIA

Common Themes and Interests

• The Harlem Renaissance and the Caribbean shared a common interest in exploring themes of black identity, cultural pride, and the struggle against racial oppression
• Both movements sought to challenge negative stereotypes and assert the value of black culture and creativity
• Celebrated the beauty and richness of African and African-derived cultures
  • The Harlem Renaissance's emphasis on the black vernacular and folk culture
  • The Caribbean's exploration of Creole languages and oral traditions

Harlem Renaissance Influence on Caribbean Art

Impact on Caribbean Literature

• Harlem Renaissance writers had a profound impact on Caribbean literature
  • Langston Hughes, an influential Harlem Renaissance poet, inspired many Caribbean writers with his powerful verses on black identity and social justice
    • His poem "I, Too" (1926) asserted the dignity and humanity of African Americans in the face of racism and discrimination
  • Zora Neale Hurston, a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance, influenced Caribbean writers with her pioneering work in African American folklore and vernacular culture
    • Her novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God" (1937) celebrated the rich oral traditions of African American culture
• The poetry of Harlem Renaissance writers influenced the style and content of Caribbean poetry, encouraging a more direct and politically engaged approach
  • Claude McKay's sonnet "If We Must Die" (1919) was a powerful call to resistance against racial oppression that resonated with Caribbean writers
  • Nicolás Guillén, an Afro-Cuban poet, drew on the Harlem Renaissance's celebration of black vernacular culture in his work, incorporating African rhythms and Creole language

Inspiring Black Cultural Pride

• The Harlem Renaissance's celebration of black culture and identity inspired Caribbean writers to explore their own cultural roots and to assert the value of their African heritage
  • Aimé Césaire, a Martinican poet and one of the founders of the Négritude movement, was influenced by the Harlem Renaissance's emphasis on black pride and cultural identity
    • His book-length poem "Notebook of a Return to the Native Land" (1939) celebrated African and Caribbean culture and identity
• The success of Harlem Renaissance writers in gaining international recognition and challenging racial stereotypes encouraged Caribbean writers to pursue their own literary ambitions and to assert their place in the global literary landscape
  • Eric Walrond, a Barbadian writer who lived in New York during the Harlem Renaissance, drew on his Caribbean heritage in his short story collection "Tropic Death" (1926)
  • Una Marson, a Jamaican writer and activist, was inspired by the Harlem Renaissance to create a distinctly Caribbean voice in her poetry and plays

Harlem Renaissance vs Négritude: Black Identity and Art

Shared Goals and Differences in Scope

• The Harlem Renaissance and the Négritude movement, which emerged in the 1930s among French-speaking African and Caribbean intellectuals, shared a common goal of affirming black identity and challenging colonial oppression
• Both movements emphasized the importance of black culture and heritage, and sought to create a new aesthetic that celebrated black experience and creativity
• The Harlem Renaissance focused primarily on the African American experience, while the Négritude movement had a more international scope, encompassing the experiences of Africans and people of African descent throughout the diaspora

Differences in Artistic Expression and Political Orientation

• The Harlem Renaissance was more diverse in its artistic expressions, encompassing literature, music, visual arts, and dance, while the Négritude movement was primarily a literary movement
  • The Harlem Renaissance produced influential works in music (jazz, blues), visual arts (Aaron Douglas, Palmer Hayden), and dance (Josephine Baker)
• The Négritude movement was more explicitly political in its orientation, with a strong anti-colonial and anti-assimilationist stance, while the Harlem Renaissance had a more varied political outlook
  • Aimé Césaire and Léopold Sédar Senghor, two of the founders of the Négritude movement, were actively involved in anti-colonial struggles in Africa and the Caribbean
  • The Harlem Renaissance included a range of political perspectives, from the radical activism of Langston Hughes to the more moderate views of W.E.B. Du Bois

Different Cultural Influences and Aesthetics

• The Négritude movement drew heavily on African cultural traditions and sought to create a new black aesthetic rooted in African values and sensibilities
  • Léopold Sédar Senghor's concept of "African socialism" emphasized the communal values and spiritual dimensions of African culture
  • The Négritude poets drew on African oral traditions, myths, and symbols in their work
• The Harlem Renaissance drew on a wider range of cultural influences, including European modernism
  • The Harlem Renaissance writers were influenced by European avant-garde movements such as surrealism and expressionism
  • The Harlem Renaissance also drew on African American folk traditions, such as the blues and spirituals

Migration and Diaspora: Spreading the Harlem Renaissance

Role of Migration in Cultural Exchange

• The migration of African Americans and Caribbeans between the United States and the Caribbean played a key role in the spread of Harlem Renaissance ideas and aesthetics
• Caribbean intellectuals who studied or worked in the United States during the Harlem Renaissance brought back new ideas and artistic techniques to their home countries
  • Eric Walrond, a Barbadian writer, lived in New York during the Harlem Renaissance and was influenced by its literary innovations
  • Nicolás Guillén, an Afro-Cuban poet, visited Harlem in the 1930s and was inspired by the Harlem Renaissance's celebration of black culture
• The presence of Caribbean communities in Harlem, particularly the large numbers of immigrants from Jamaica and Puerto Rico, created a vibrant cultural exchange between African American and Caribbean artists and intellectuals
  • The Harlem Renaissance writer Claude McKay was born in Jamaica and drew on his Caribbean heritage in his work
  • The Puerto Rican writer Jesús Colón was active in the Harlem Renaissance literary scene

Circulation of Publications and Ideas

• The circulation of publications helped to disseminate Harlem Renaissance ideas and aesthetics throughout the Caribbean
  • The Crisis, the official magazine of the NAACP, featured works by both African American and Caribbean writers and was widely read in the Caribbean
  • The Negro World, the official newspaper of Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association, promoted Garvey's ideas of black pride and self-reliance throughout the Caribbean
• The shared experience of racial oppression and the struggle for self-determination among African Americans and Caribbeans created a sense of solidarity and common purpose that facilitated the spread of Harlem Renaissance ideas
• The Harlem Renaissance's celebration of black identity and cultural pride resonated with Caribbean intellectuals who were grappling with similar issues of colonialism, racism, and the search for cultural authenticity
  • The Jamaican writer and activist Una Marson was inspired by the Harlem Renaissance to create a distinctly Caribbean voice in her poetry and plays
  • The Trinidadian writer C.L.R. James drew on the Harlem Renaissance's emphasis on black history and culture in his influential book "The Black Jacobins" (1938), which told the story of the Haitian Revolution