Category: 1920s

Many movements have happened over the years but none were as powerful as the Harlem Renaissance. Throughout the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance was a social development that gave another lifestyle to African Americans. While Harlem gave off a setting with amazing materials for an artist to thrive, it also highlighted struggles during those times. Things such as verses, books, and short stories were loaded with scenes and characters that made Harlem pop. Essayists, for example, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, were few of many that depicted New York’s ghetto lifestyle. Harlem was energetic with its music, culture, and vivid styles. African Americans were confronted with civil problems such as racism, separation, and violence. The Harlem Renaissance caused many changes for the Black community and paved a way for future generations. The message they were trying to convey was that blacks are tired of being mistreated and are ready to fight for their basic rights which were taken away for many years. Infamous speeches like Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have A Dream” speech or Frederick Douglass’s “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” speech, gave the Black community hope for a better lifestyle which helped push their message to the White people. Education, self-expression, and freedom were slowly progressing within the black community of Harlem, New York. Martin Luther King Jr. and his letter from Birmingham Jail and the case file named “Brown vs. The Board of Education”, show how much the people of color had to fight for their basic rights such as their education, their freedom, and the way they express themselves.

Without education, many Blacks would not be as historic as they are now. Not having an education limits the things people can do since they were not taught how or when to do some things. Many people of color were not given a fair chance to receive the same education as Whites. This was apparent when in the case file of “Brown vs. The Board of Education”, Chief Justice Warren argues, “The plaintiffs contend that segregated public schools are not “equal” and cannot be made equal.” Many negros felt that their children deserved better than how they were getting treated. This case pushed the black movement for equality one step closer to being complete during the Harlem Renaissance. The doctrine “separate but equal“ was mentioned a lot, in this case, to illustrate how wrong it was presented to the Blacks. Chief Justice Warren also concluded, “We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of “separate but equal” has no place.” The doctrine was not fair to the Blacks because it felt as if the Whites still controlled everything.

During the Harlem Renaissance, Blacks were starting to get known for the way they were expressing themselves. Many people of color choose to make books and short stories to express the true separation they were put through because it connected with their lifestyles. Martin Luther King’s letter from Birmingham Jail placed down a foundation for the upcoming events which would change the lives of the Black community. In King’s letter, he states, “when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society…” Sadly, Blacks were trapped in these unruly times where if they were to do anything that made the White people feel underpowered or as if they aren’t in control then they were punished. This is what started more and more Blacks to rise up and take action against the Whites and their cruel punishments causing more speeches or novels to be put out. In his letter, King later mentions, “Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.” Martin Luther King just wanted the undesirable hate to stop and come to a peaceful conclusion. The letter gave Blacks the tool of self-expression without having the fear of being punished because of what they said.

The 13th amendment ceased slavery and gave many Blacks hope of freedom. Although the harsh things Blacks were put through, many fought for their freedom with the use of violence. Many felt that if they fought violence with violence the Whites would back off and give people of color more freedom. Martin Luther King was one of the leaders during this battle for freedom and rights. In his letter from Birmingham Jail King pleads, “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” King wrote to express a whole community of people’s feelings and he did an amazing job that clearly helped his generation and future generations. His speeches and letters captured the true pains that Blacks endured. This is best shown in his letter when he explains, “..when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentment; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of “nobodiness” —then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.” This was felt by all Blacks because it fully captures the depressing times that they were put through.

The Harlem Renaissance was one of the best movements to happen. It gave people of color hope, more freedom, basic rights, and more avenues to be somebody and do something special. Even though the Harlem Renaissance is over, the movement of fighting for equality isn’t. This is still an ongoing issue that the people of color are still fighting for to this day. “You’re not to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.” — Malcolm X

The years from 1920 to 1929 marked the beginning of a new era of intense change in the American societies. As America moved from the outrageous effects of the World War I and the bitter clash between ‘The Puritan’ and ‘Victorian’ beliefs, people felt overwhelmed with these old-fashioned traditions. As such, they wanted to free themselves by breaking with the past. In fact, America was often described as the land of opportunities. That is to say, the name ‘Roaring Twenties’ suggests the idea of a flourishing economy and ‘uncontrolled fun’ and entertainment.

This new era was defined with new trends: prohibition, bootleggers, jazz music, the Lost Generation, marking the breakdown of morality and ethical values. Besides, with modern technology everything appeared to be possible, the consumerist culture increased with the commercialization of automobiles, and mass culture exploded with the invention of new means of communication such as the radio.

When it comes to the political arena, America noted a great reform. For instance, in 1919, women suffrage in America paved the way to the ratification of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote in most democratic states.

In addition to that, on January 17, 1919 the 18th amendment passed and was ratified by a number of states, declaring an era of prohibition. Louise Chipley Slavicek in her book states, “At 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, January 17, 1920, the United States of America became a dry nation. For the next 12 years, 10 months, and 18 days until its repeal on December 5, 1933, the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution prohibited Americans from manufacturing, selling, or transporting alcoholic beverages”.

According to the Volstead act, it was illegal to sell, make, or transport alcoholic drinks. In other words, many of ‘dry lawmakers’ believed that alcohol was the major source of violence, divorce and the cause of many health issues. With its prohibition, people expected a ‘bright new era’ in American societies which was characterized with peace and an enhanced productivity. However, it was quite hard to get rid of alcohol because it ran in Americans’ blood for more than three centuries. Moreover, American colonists viewed alcohol not as a leisure, but rather as a necessity.

According to Mark Edward Lender and James Kirby in their book entitled ‘Drinking in America’, alcohol was crucial to maintain a good health, in this way they claim: “a stiff drink warmed a person on cold nights and kept off chills and fevers; a few glasses made hard work easier to bear, aided digestion, and in general helped sustain the constitution”.

As a matter of fact, prohibition led directly to bootlegging and was the major source of organised crime. In addition to that, capitalism reached its peak and bribery became a way of doing business.

After World War 1, America entered the “Roaring Twenties”. This period brought dramatic social and political changes. The advantages of technology and the inventions of machines brought the whole country into a crazy condition. The car, which was a sample of the “Roaring Twenties” has been invented by Karl Benz in 1886. The car is continuously being developed to assimilate into people’s lives. “Cars the most important catalyst for social change in the 1920s” boomed people’s lives (Daily Life). The development of cars and their impact on the US during the 1920s can be reflected in the way people live, the development of industries, and the expansion of infrastructure.

The automobile has implicitly affected the way people live. These can be embodied in daily lives, roles in society, and relationships. First of all, People become more independent so that the old-fashioned beliefs of the family are forgotten (Leisurelife). The relationship between the family and individual has changed because the car allows people to transport freely, and people start to expose themselves to something modern so that “old fashioned beliefs” start to diverge to a new fashion. Comparing the 1920s to the time before the 1920s, not only did the automobile become an everyday necessity, but it also allowed formerly isolated people to explore the world around them. Secondly, according to an article from the US history organization, people can go on vacation which is impossible before. Urban dwellers had the opportunity to visit the original view. People could watch movies in comfort by parking their cars in front of a movie screen (ushistory.org). The car helps people to go on vacation, which was the opportunity to communicate and visit different cultures and watch movies conveniently. It also provided an excellent example of the impact that the automobile brought. By changing the way people’s lives live, it demonstrated the increase in people’s activities at that time. The next example of the impact of people can be reflected in women. The growth of suburbs makes women comfortable. They were not just limited to the house anymore. They can get jobs and go into the “Culture scene” and they also gain more equality of gender by competing with men (Leisurelife). Women were considered a “tool” to take care of the children and deal with the housework. They had little power in controlling their lives before. The cars gave freedom to women so that they can get jobs and have more autonomy to change their roles in society, which was important even today. The cars not only enriched the daily lives of people but also made relationships between friends closer. People use the car as entertainment, not just transportation. They can spend half the night stacking cars with their friends (Leisurelife). People could have more entertainment and do more activities according to the development of cars. They could also have a topic to communicate with each other. These impacts on people show that cars altered the way people greet each other and provide interest or opportunity for people to get closer to a relationship. Based on this information, people were influenced to a great extent in their daily lives, roles, and relationships in this respect.

The automobile stimulated American industry and made it flourish which led to the industrial revolution. At first, the development of the industry can be exhibited by dozens of derivatives industries booming. The demand for vulcanized rubber has soared (ushistory.org). The car needs tires to move forward, so the demand for rubber, which is the main material for tires increased. The rubber industry benefited from the trend of cars. The example of the rubber industry emphasizes that the impact of cars boosted the industry related to cars. Moreover, the utilization of energy in the car also boosts the oil industry. As car sales increased, the oil demand also increased. In 1914, Standard Oil of CA opened a chain of 34 oil stations (Martin). The energy in cars was oil, which, at that time was an important factor that concerned the movement of cars. If the energy is out of service, the cars will more likely be “scarp irons”. As the demand increased, people started to build oil stations to satisfy this requirement. By employing the facts of the erection of the oil station, the development of the oil industry can be incarnated in that very aspect. Furthermore, the car industry itself is the most developed instructed program. In the fall of 1908, Ford introduced the first T-model car. The car has some functions that distinguish it from other cars, such as changing in structures to make them easier to circulate on the original county road and equipped with a protective engine (Model). The T-model is a sample of the development and evolution of the automobile industry. The T-model will be fitted into people’s lives and it would help to boost the local and national economy. The creation of new types of cars and new technology encouraged the industry’s vitality. “Ford’s plan outlines an eight-hour workday that is shorter than the industry average. More importantly, Ford also pays workers a basic salary of 5 dollars a day (Model). This idea also influences the industry’s wages later. Ford contributed to the idea of 5 dollars a day and an eight-hour workday which is implemented nowadays. The process of car development provides better working conditions for labor and changed the environment of the industry of cars. The car development gave high wages to thousands of workers who worked in a car company. According to these facts, cars already boosted many industries such as the rubber industry and the oil industry, and also impact the condition of workers in the industry in the 1920s.

The automobile influenced both people’s lives and industries. On the other hand, it also stimulated the expansion of the infrastructure. Overall, the government wants to build infrastructure to boost the economy. As the article said, “Over the years, the United States had turned into a large community. Local, federal, and state governments build infrastructure to encourage people to travel” (Model). The government is encouraging people to travel by building more infrastructure. The popularization of cars helped people to not be limited by long-distance anymore. On the other hand, the economy could also develop while people travel around. This fact gives information that cars make the United States a whole community and the infrastructure is stimulated by the popularization of cars. Next, to be more specific, more hotels appeared. More hotels for the tourists appeared, and they also have fair prices, Florida lead to 178 tourist courts and camps around the mid-1920s (Martin). As long as cars encourage more people to travel, the place to live during vacation is a problem, so the hotel market has a big chance to meet this goal. When people are traveling, finding a place to live and eat is essential. According to this reason, fast food restaurants and other restaurants started to go with the flow. The food was transformed by the car. The type of American food such as hamburgers, french fries, and apple pie became popular (ushistory.org). The food, especially fast food, is cheaper and more convenient, so people could save time during vacation or while driving. People didn’t need to spend too much time eating. Based on these facts, cars enhance travel so that more infrastructures appeared to comply with people in this situation. To summarize these improvements, cars let these basic constructions be more complete and rational to convenient for people’s trips.

According to all these points, the innovation of the automobile greatly impacted both society and politics throughout history. Cars have changed the way people live all over the world. They have affected all aspects of society such as daily life, the economy, and the environment, and have changed to keep up with time.

‘A Raisin in The Sun’, carries on the tradition of the Harlem Renaissance by the 4 characters and extends beyond that tradition by using aspects. Most of the characters are shown through actions of the main characters or it could be their use of their words. It helps us realise the certain aspects that will help us understand the events that have certain characteristics during that scene. Those scenes can allow us to see those aspects in different forms from others words to the main characters actions and words.

One of the characteristics moments are confronting racial injustice is shown when the Youngers are packing their belongings in boxes. When they were in a good mood dancing and having fun, happy about the moving. Mr.Lindner came to their home (1:25:40-1:37:03) telling them that the committee wanted to ‘protect’ their neighborhood. They had offered to buy their home more than they had paid for it. Even though at the end he did think about it because they needed the money since he lost most of it to one of the men Walter Lee younger trusted. At the end he called back Mr.Lindner to tell him they would try to be good neighbors and they would not cause any problems.

There is also the characteristic centering black characters and experiences as complex and nuanced individuals, not stereotypes. Like Ruth younger who has to be the person who keeps them on time on budget to waking up super early to wake up her husband and son then to feed them and later on to cleaning the house. Soon after we meet the husband and wife, their son there is an important saying Ruth had said which was: “Eat your eggs and go to work” (8:00-16:10). She said it because he wasn’t being practical about his dream of opening his own business.

The third characteristic is celebrating Black culture. Bennie is the only person who is trying to express herself but she doesn’t stick with anything. They were saying she has been through a lot of clubs like guitar, etc. In reality she is trying to find something she likes and that expresses her.

Finally, the final characteristic referencing other art forms, like painting and dance, music. For example Walter’s music record at 1:25:40-1:37:03 happens to be jazz music. Another example is Beneatha(Bennie) & Walter’s ‘Dancing’ to the record during 51:41-1:00:54 it was like a stereotypical way how african people hunt in Africa. Walter was just messing around but Bennie was serious.

To me the film ‘A Raisin in The Sun’ is a good way to express the Harlem Renaissance characters. Let alone watching the film you get a justification of what is happening and what they would be considered in characteristics like it could be confronting racial justice or celebrating Black culture. It does have good point and it doesn’t limit things of what would happen in real life situation like the racial part with Mr. Linder and the other neighbors.

‘A Raisin in the Sun’ was brought to the public on March 11,1959 where it resembled the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance had many characteristics that tied into black history. It was a racial pride that developed the idea of black identity through the production of literature, art, and music that could challenge the racism presented to promote progressive politics. The whole plot of ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ was to elaborate on how colored people used to get treated by society and how they were pointed out to be ‘different’. The main characters represented how one colored family was and how even something so small like getting a new house could bring joy to a family with a small apartment.

‘A Raisin in the Sun’ was a good example of how the era used to be. It shows us how much it has changed throughout the years as a colored person. One of the famous quotes from the movie was when mama said “once upon a time freedom used to be life-now its money”. That shows Mamas mindset because her son Walter wanted to buy a liquor store to make more money for his family but mama didn’t like that at all because she didn’t want that to be on her conscious knowing that other families would be having to deal with money being thrown away by alcohol. Mama enhanced a huge check from her husband who has passed away which did bring a slight bit of hope to the family. Mama represents the Harlem Renaissance because she has mentioned that when she was going up all she wanted was freedom and being done with segregation. As she was growing older, she realized that all anybody needed was freedom to do what they wanted in their own home, rather than being told how to do things and when to do it.

‘A Raisin in the Sun’ shows a lot of black identity and black perspective. In the beginning it shows the scenery of the apartment along with how the mood of the house is which isn’t very happy. Black identity is African Americans across the country having a new spirit of self-determination and pride, a new social consciousness, and a new commitment to political activism, all of which would provide a foundation for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Black identity has been found in the raisins in the sun many times whether it was the use of language, the sensory around them, how they felt, or their actions they took when they heard something that they didn’t like. One of the scenes that Walter’s actions reflected on how he was feeling was When he was talking to his wife about his dreams and hopes and how he didn’t feel like a good husband because he wasn’t able to buy all of these materialistic things. That scene was one of the scenes where he poured out his heart and let the auditions know how he really felt at that moment.

Other characteristics that the Harlem Renaissance had was music or the culture of colored individuals. One of the scenes that gave us a glimpse of what their music was like was when they were getting ready to move into the new house Walter comes in and puts on some jazz music because he was in such a good mood while he was doing that he started to dance and sing with his mom, sister and wife. That moment symbolizes his growth throughout the whole entire movie, it shows his maturity when he held his anger towards the white male that came to his house basically telling him that the community wouldn’t want a black family living in their neighborhood.

In conclusion, ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ have so many emotions that were being presented to use as we were watching the movie, it emphasized how lucky we are to be in a free society but also how much people were criticized for looking different than anyone else. The Harlem Renaissance symbolizes how strong people can be but also if they just have a little bit of hope they will be able to do great things. I really liked this topic of the Harlem Renaissance because it showed a whole bunch of emotions and thought that made this so interesting to watch and learn about.

The roaring twenties, such a time to be alive; the world has never seen such a unique decade. This decade brought much change to the United States. For example, the ban of alcohol brought the rise of gangsters. Such as Al Capone, Scarface, George, and Bugs. These were the biggest known gangsters of the roaring twenties. Yet no one has ever seen such a gangster like Al Capone. Along with that the rise of the Ku Klux Klan by a man named William Joseph Simmons. He started the attacks on not just African Americans but on Catholics, Jews, and any kind of foreigner. Lastly the rise of industries such as the music industry and the movie industry.

First things first, Al Capone and the gangsters. In this time period there were over 300 gangsters in Chicago alone. The biggest one known even to this day is Al Capone. One of the biggest things he is known for is the Valentine’s Day Massacre. Where 7 men were shot to death by a group of Al Capone’s men who were dressed like police officers. Even though Al Capone was a murderer he liked to put himself out there, portraying himself as a family man. He had his own food shelter and would give out money whenever he could. The one thing that made him stand out from all the other gangsters is that he tried to publicise himself while the others would try to hide. Was he foolish for that or a genius is what everyone is asking themselves nowadays.

The Ku Klux Klan, as we all know, started in 1865. But this group went underground until the 1920s rolled around. When they finally decided it was their time. They were not just going after the African Americans but also terrorized the Catholics, Jews, and the incoming foreigners. This group was led by a man named William Joseph Simmons who chose to revive the Klan in the fall of 1915 after seeing D.W. Griffith’s film Birth of a Nation. Which portrayed the Klansman as great heroes. This man made his living by selling memberships and saw the revival of the Klan as a new source of membership sales. On August 8, 1925 he led a group of 50,000 members on a parade through Washington D.C. The Klan was most popular in this decade and reached nationwide. They held festivities, pageants, and social gatherings. They encouraged native-born Americans that intimidation, harassment, and violence were perfectly fine as long as it was aimed toward the ‘intruders’.

Lastly, the rise of industries such as the music industry and the movie industry. Jazz is regularly alluded to related to the Roaring Twenties. New forms of entertainment have emerged. Cinema has become extremely popular. For the next 30 years, radio was the mainstream medium. By 1930, there were over 30 million radios in the US. They were used for advertising, entertainment, music and sporting events.

In the 1920’s was a lot of major changes. Many or more than 50% of all Americans now resided in cities, and increasing car ownership made people more versatile than ever. Even though the period was recognized as Charleston dance craze, jazz, and flapper fashions, it was also very traditional in several ways. As hemlines were growing and morals and ethics seemed to fall, the country saw the collapse of its open border policy, the Ku Klux Klan’s resurgence, and a Tennessee middle school teacher’s trial for teaching creationism.

Females were entitled to vote, Prohibition rendered advertising alcohol or some other alcohol unlawfully in the U.S., and ‘talk easy’ became popular where illicit liquor was marketed. Prior to the actual stock/economic market crash of 1929, there had been an period of crazy inflation, many people became wealthy and then most lost what they could have.

Cars were very popular and symbolized status. Jazz music was quite a new type music that was initially African-American, but caught up with americans, even rich ones. Radio spread various genres of music & concepts across the world. Many houses provided energy, except for rural communities. Ford’s River Rouge auto plant at Dearborn, Michigan, was the world’s largest factory in the 1920’s. It included not only the assembly areas but its own steel mill.

College school education was becoming more popular, but more for rich people or scholarship-winners. Sports became more famous, major league baseball, with stars like Babe Ruth; football, especially college football, became mainstream.

That Harlem Renaissance writers, creative person’s, and singers created cultural objects of comparable cultural worth by someone else in American culture makes this period important. At a turn of the 20th century, a mishmash of culturally diverse African Americans born from free blacks and the descendants of ex chattel slaves migrated to northern towns like Nyc, Detroit, and Chicago. Therefore, locations like Harlem’s largely African American community, located on the top of Manhattan Island, became the backdrop for a remarkable ethnic outpouring. This was all underpinned by middle-class and upper-class whites who either were genuinely grateful of, say, Zora Neale Hurston’s essays or Duke Ellington’s group, or in the predominantly African-American community where it has been perceived public danger. But middle-class African Americans were also supporters of the arts throughout this time, and it is worth considering whether Harlem Renaissance would have been just as remarkable as it is without help from within that African American enclave.

With an Armistice signed, the elongated suffering of over four-hundred million Europeans and Americans in total carnage has ceased, the sanguinary World War had finally come to a definite end. As they say, “through darkness comes light”, the brutal war came a fresh new decade which featured a rebellious generation that would establish a momentous period of American History, The Roaring 20s. It was a period of economic prosperity with a distinctive cultural edge in the United States and Europe, particularly in major cities such as Berlin, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York City, Paris, and Sydney.

The new decade, famed for its drastic alterations in art and politics gave the world vivacity during the interwar era. Affluence was accustomed to the American people due to the soaring economic profits. These circumstances gave rise to one of the biggest technology revolutions, paving the way for mass-produced automobiles through Henry Ford’s brilliant idea of the assembly line, the Radio broadcasting system became a primary source for the media, and even the cinematic industry developed a sound system to make the first sound movie titled, ‘The Jazz Singer’ (1927).

Nevertheless, the 20s influenced new social norms that the prior generations were reluctant to endorse. In August of 1920, congress ratified the 19th amendment which granted women the right to vote. Susan B. Anthony and other women’s rights pioneers pledged to equalize the gap that separated men and women and by the end of World War I, millions of women took up a plethora of occupations that were restricted years prior. Despite the huge achievements in progressing female entitlements, there was a more enormous social and artistic transformation, located in the northern section of New York’s Manhattan Island. The cultural explosion centered in the neighborhood, Harlem, and was thus called the Harlem Renaissance. At the time, people referred to the event as the ‘New Negro Movement’, named after ‘The New Negro’, a 1925 anthology edited by Alain Locke. The Harlem Renaissance was a pivotal era in the development of how society views African American culture. During this period a group of influential figures in the creative arts such as Duke Ellington, Aaron Douglas, and Zora Neale Hurston helped to turn Harlem into a major center of African American music, literature, politics, and culture. Knowingly, it was less a movement than an attempt by artists to support each other in a cultural environment during a time in history when African Americans did not have comprehensive advocation by the public in their creative expression. The local black artists of New York and other major cities around the United States had enriched their heritage and values and more so deliberately reconstructed society’s perspective of African Americans through their unparalleled accomplishments in the arts and the progressive black voices that ushered the future civil rights movement forty years later.

Over time, the Harlem neighborhood has chronicled numerous changes in ethnic makeup and even geography. However, spanning the years from 1910 to 1920, more than a million African Americans relocated to a multitude of major cities in the north and west to escape the unsatisfactory economic opportunities and the pitiless segregation that thrived in the south. A mass amount of these migrators traveled to New York City where the only affordable housing were tenements discovered in the heart of Harlem. As African Americans found their new home, they began to challenge their current public perspective, confronting racial discrimination and other social or political issues that diminished their status. The sort of unity of African Americans that was formed in Harlem and other cities was ideal for the black pride mentality that appeared as a result. From the run-down homes and apartments, an extraordinarily talented group of black individuals were exposed and used their relative art forms to express their deplorable situation.

In the Early Renaissance, writers such as Claude McKay and James Weldon Johnson use the technique of depicting blacks as who they are; like everyone, complicated human beings. According to ‘In The Defence Of African American Culture’, from Gale U.S History Collection, James Weldon Johnson says, “In this way, the Negro is bringing about an entirely new national conception of himself; he has placed himself in an entirely new light before the American people”. Johnson’s claim provides context on the African American mindset of the 1920s where all they had was their artistic endeavor and through that passion, they changed the face of African American people. Although literature was deeply impactful for black progressiveness, the era is foremost defined by the exhilarating swing of jazz. Nationwide, jazz had become the new music sensation, its unprecedented cadence was instituted by African Americans and influenced by both African rhythms and Europeans harmonic structure. Jazz’s roots derive from New Orleans, the city was perfect for the development of jazz due to its location as a port city with various ethnicities and cultures intertwined. Jazz, in its most basic terms, was the music of minorities. These conditions suggest how special jazz was to the African American community.

The movement that the Harlem Renaissance created was a huge deal in New York. It spread all the way to Paris. It’s crazy to think that a little movement started in New York and got so big that it finally spread to Paris. That is all the way across the world. The Harlem Renaissance created a huge movement. White Americans did not like it, but on the other hand some supported it without telling anyone. “At the beginning of the 20th century, African American migrants from the South and from lower Manhattan began to take up residence in Harlem between 133rd and 134th streets and Lenox and Seventh Avenues” (Taborn). If you were white and supported this, you did not want to tell anyone because you could get in trouble. You would get in trouble because at this time Whites were treated much better. If you were found supporting an African American you could be tortured or killed.

In the Harlem Renaissance they wore a lot of weird clothes. All the girls wore these very odd dresses. The dresses were much shorter than they were back before the 1920’s. The way the Harlem Renaissance defined the way how people looked at African Americans. The way they were treated way super unfair. The African Americans were treated so badly to the point where people were starting violent acts. “The arc of the rise and fall of the Harlem Renaissance is imprecise. Coexisting with the Jazz Age, the Harlem Renaissance was made possible in part by powerful social forces that affected sweeping changes in America at this time, beginning with the end of World War I in 1918” (Buck). These violent acts created havoc in the streets. The whites did not like this. They thought it was not fair that African Americans were beginning to read and write.

Overall, the Harlem Renaissance was a time that prospered. This time in life set up for something greater. If the Harlem Renaissance never happened some things, the world would be super different today. African Americans would have never been able to have rights and be where they are today. The Harlem Renaissance was super important and will go down as one of the most important times ever recorded in history.

References

1. Taborn, Karen. ‘Music in the Harlem Renaissance.’ The American Mosaic: The African American Experience, ABC-CLIO, 2019, africanamerican.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1688693. Accessed 15 Apr. 2019.
2. Buck, Christopher. ‘Harlem Renaissance.’ The American Mosaic: The African American Experience, ABC.

Growing up, I have learned about how slavery has been a very important, but horrible tragedy that happens within African American society. I have seen teachers focus on the oppression of African American rather than the pride of the African American culture. In every history book that I have read, they each given vague information about African American culture. The era known as the Harlem Renaissance has sometimes been underappreciated. However, I have grown to love this stage in history because during this time African Americans and their intellectual views started to be known. I wish I could travel back in time in order to witness this historical moment because I would love to see the developing aspects of literature, social changes, and art that occur in African American society.

Authors such as Zora Neale Hurston has help literature to expand in African American culture. One of her most popular writings called ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ where she utilizes folk style writing as inspired me to read more books that incorporates African American pride. I have always imagined meeting her and other well-known African American authors since I read her book. Not only that but, Zora Neale Hurston have shown me that writings that include black society do not only have always have to be about slavery and how we conquer that tribulation. Rather, writings that include black culture should also portray the different intellectual minds and different beliefs that have been brought upon the African American lifestyle.

Furthermore, I would love to witness the period of the Harlem Renaissance because I would want to meet individuals such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Marcus Garvey to observe how their beliefs improve African American social life. I always imagine being in the front row while Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gives his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. Dr. King was one of the most significant voices for civil rights, so to be there while he expressed the social changes, he wants to see in the society would be a wonderful moment in life to witness. Marcus Garvey is another significant figure whom I would love to meet during this Harlem Renaissance. Since Marcus Garvey is known for developing a civil rights organization, it would be interesting to visit one of his speeches to hear how he inspired other African Americans.

The Jazz Age was another period that occurred during the Harlem Renaissance. During the Jazz Age, the birth of the music genre jazz emerged and became a part of Americans life. I realize that pop culture music today that teenagers listen to has a mixture of jazz instruments and sounds in the songs. This shows how art from the Harlem Renaissance is still embedded in our humanity today. It would be an honor to see African American is proud of the music they created. I always dream of what it would be like to witness the first jazz concert and seeing everyone dancing, laughing, and having fun.

The Harlem Renaissance was the era where African Americans started to have more pride within their culture. I would love to witness this historical moment because it birthed literature, outstanding intellectuals, and art within African American’s life. Not only that but, being grown up I have known about Jamaican black culture, so it would be delightful to experience the Harlem Renaissance to get a better understanding of the different characteristics of black culture.