Category: 1920s

The cultural shift that the United States experienced during the Harlem Renaissance affected the lives of everyday citizens. One factor that affected this cultural shift was the new, lively music you could hear coming from the East coast to the West coast. Jazz was the newly popular music genre during the 1920s. The 1920s was nicknamed the Jazz Age as a result of the immense popularity of the genre itself. Jazz was a different kind of music no one had ever heard before, and some people were not ready for it. The Harlem Renaissance completely transformed how people viewed music because of the new types of music, musicians, and the effects of songs themselves.

Today, genres like Rap and Pop take the world’s attention, but back in the 1920s, the attention-grabbing genre was jazz. Jazz was and still is a popular genre of music, but it did not become popular without its difficulties. At the beginning of the 1920s, blues music was just as popular as jazz, but it was quickly overthrown by jazz as the decade progressed. This fun, fast-paced music, was brought about by musicians of color that moved North from the South in search of work. Many traveled North to Chicago and then East to Harlem in Manhattan, New York. The mass migration North and West by people of color, which was called the Great Migration, led to the rich jazz music produced in the 1920s (Time 56). Brought by people of color from New Orleans, Louisiana to the North, it was different from any other music people have had access to before. There is a lengthy list of different types of jazz. Some examples are Cool Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Latin Jazz, Smooth Jazz, and more (“About”). The entire jazz genre is based on emotions. If there is no emotion in jazz, it is just another song. Jazz must be constantly changing, erratic, dynamic, and active or else it is not interesting enough for people to dance and sing along to. Jazz is a lively, enthusiastic, and controversial genre to say the least. Some people believed that it provoked unnecessary and obnoxious behavior from many young people.

One professor from Columbia University said that jazz was “a joyless industrial civilization to arouse its fatigue-poisoned minds and its drudgery-jaded bodies,” (Time 56). The unnamed professor was trying to say that jazz was immoral and useless for society. It seemed immoral to some because the United States was not used to this type of music that caused people to dance and sing along the way they did. For example, the typical dance style that was associated with jazz was swing dancing (Marsalis). Swing dancing is exactly like it sounds; people swinging, flipping, and twirling to the music. It was very different from the slow dance types the American youth experienced before. Harlem was the place to be if you wanted to hear true jazz. In Harlem, there were countless great Jazz artists to be found. There was one stand-out show in Harlem, Shuffle Along, that caused people to flock to Harlem just to see it. Both people of color and Caucasian people went to enjoy the show performed by a full African American cast (Time 62). This was an example of one of jazz’s good influences. Another good influence of jazz was that people began having more fun than people were previously exposed to. Jazz was a distraction from the prohibition for some.

Prohibition made a lot of people upset and unruly, but jazz was also a distraction for some. Being able to have fun without drinking by just listening to jazz and dancing was a breakthrough for many people who previously could not. On the other hand, jazz was likely performed in all speakeasies, which were illegal places to purchase and consume alcohol, across the city. These speakeasies were located across New York during the prohibition era and were very secretive, underground clubs. This meant that people were illegally consuming alcohol and using jazz music as a form of entertainment. This was not a good look for jazz overall because it was associated with these illegal activities. Another example of a bad influence of jazz, which was only bad for a select few people, was the newly provoked, negative attitudes (Time 63). These new attitudes were mainly pointed out by the higher class Americans because it did not meet their standards, the standards being, proper and classy were nowhere near met by jazz musicians or listeners. Jazz musicians in the 1920s were typically seen as lively, loud, and energetic. There were certain famous jazz musicians during this time that many people listened to.

Billie Holiday was one of these great musicians. She was born in 1915 and as a child, grew up in Baltimore (“The Harlem”). When Holiday hit her teenage years, she got interested in jazz and she would even go to clubs. Years later, she was spotted by John Hammond who then gave her her first record deal. Some of Holiday’s works were “What a Little Moonlight Can Do”, and “Miss Brown to You”. 1936 was when Holiday started getting extremely popular. She started working with Lester Young, which is when she got her nickname, “Lady Day” (“The Harlem”). Although she died at the age of 44 in 1959, she was one of the first women of color in an all-white orchestra. She even co-wrote a few songs like ‘God Bless the Child,’ ‘Don’t Explain,’ ‘Fine and Mellow,’ and ‘Lady Sings the Blues’ (“1913”). William Henry Webb, better known as Chick Webb, had a high interest in jazz at a very young age after being diagnosed with tuberculosis of the spine. After his health issues were resolved, he got a job as a paperboy so he would have enough money to buy his own drum set (“Chick”). When Webb was eleven, he began playing the drums professionally and six years later he moved to New York. While in New York, he started a band. During the time of the Harlem Renaissance, he was known as one of the best bandleaders of the new style “Swing”. Later on, he would be given the title “King of Swing” (“Chick”).

Another popular musician, Louis Armstrong, was one of the most famous jazz musicians during the Harlem Renaissance. Born in 1901, he grew up in New Orleans in a poor family (“The Harlem”). Armstrong decided to play in bands at funerals and parades to make extra money to help his family. In 1922, Louis was asked to move to Chicago to play the second cornet in a creole jazz band (“Louis”). Two years later, Armstrong moved to New York City and played his music with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra. Louis Armstrong then became even more popular when he got the chance to make his first Broadway appearance (“Louis”). Along the way, he would continue to help grow the love for jazz in New York. Armstrong regularly performed at the cotton club where we met his wife, a Cotton Club dancer (“The Harlem”). Throughout the ’50s and ’60s, Armstrong took his time and did movie films and international tours. Armstrong made a household name for himself and people referred to him as the most appreciated jazz artist during the Harlem Renaissance. He would end up dying of a heart attack on July 6, 1971, at 70 years old (“Louis”). One last musician, Edward Kennedy Ellington, was born in a musical family in which both of his parents played the piano (“Duke”) People described his appearance as “duked up” which would give him the nickname ‘Duke’. At six years of age, Duke would get music lessons from local bar performers. Ellington would then start his first band in 1917 called “Duke’s Serenaders.”

This band would go on to play in dance halls all around the Washington area. Ellington and the band became so popular that he decided to move it to New York and then eventually renamed it “The Washingtonians” (“Duke”). When Ellington got to New York, jazz had already become the dominant music style. Ellington would then go on to compose the “East St. Louis Toodle-oo,” “Mood Indigo,” “Rockin in Rhythm,” “Black, Brown and Beige,” “Solitude,” “The Mooche,” and “Take the A-Train,” (“Duke”). By the end of his career in 1974, Ellington had become one of the greatest composers during the Harlem Renaissance period (“1913”). Music was an important aspect of the change in American culture in the United States. Music had always been a way to identify and understand a culture, and Jazz was no different. Jazz was more of a freestyle type of music that you could see in the way people dressed. The Jazz age changed everything from clothing to how people acted, viewed people of color, and saw the world. Some people’s views did not change, but that was only a minor setback in the grand scheme of things. Jazz was a more free and improvised style of music than the kind that came before it. It was designed for the listener to dance until their heart was content. This required a more free and loose style of clothing, not the bulky, heavy clothes of the earlier century. This style of clothing did not just come out of nowhere however, it developed in stages with the Jazz Age. The first noticeable change started in 1921 with the drop waist dress and pearl necklaces. Then it changed again in 1925 to something similar to shifts. These were undergarments from centuries beforehand.

Women that dressed in this way were called Flappers (“A New”). Flappers were the new inspiration for women’s clothing in the 1920s. When Jazz grew in popularity, the clothes became more revealing and free so that they could dance easier. The clothing of the 1920s was something that had never been seen or thought of before. While the men’s clothing had not changed drastically, women’s clothing transformed into something that was relatively new. They were more revealing than the previous clothes worn. Instead of being covered from top to bottom, their legs and arms would be exposed. While this may not seem like much to present civilization, in the 1920s, this was unheard of. Another effect of Jazz was on how caucasian citizens viewed people of color. The Jazz age is an example of one of the few times in history where the majority of the culture adopted the minority’s culture. Jazz was primarily an African American style of music that was played in New Orleans and then spread to other parts of the United States after many people of color migrated North and South. People of color, though, still did not get the respect they deserved. As Jazz grew in popularity, white artists tried to convince listeners and their supporters that Jazz did not originate from African Americans, but from the Original Dixieland Band (“A New”). As Jazz grew so did the opposition to people of color. During the 1920s, hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan rose in power. Though the KKK went primarily after the African American population, they also had hatred toward Jewish people, Catholics, and recent immigrants. Throughout this decade, the number of members grew exponentially to over 4 million.

One last effect was that of which jazz had on the future or our present. While Jazz may not be as popular as it once was, we still see many aspects of it in genres like folk, rap, pop, and rock ‘n’ roll today (Spillerman). These types of music are heard everywhere, from concerts to the radios in our cars. Songs now bring out the inner and outer emotions of their listeners, while other styles of music allow you to throw your arms in the air and dance to the beat. These traits are all shared with Jazz which started this trend. This shows how much impact it had on music today. If musicians did not stem from the roots of their traditional music, the music today would be totally different. It would most likely be slower and not as upbeat as some music is today. This shows that today’s music in America was fully transformed by jazz. Music was the driving force of the Harlem Renaissance. It was the foundation of the culture. Jazz was the genre of the decade because of the exciting improvisations and beats. It was also a way for people to let go of their pasts. Artists like Billie Holiday, Chick Webb, and Louis Armstrong mastered this music and gained their fame from it after some of them came from nothing. They were able to influence the younger generation and the entire music industry from something as simple as their clothes to their views on race, as well as future music. Jazz was arguably the most important factor that influenced the Harlem Renaissance and the world would not be the same today without it.

World War 1 was global and one of the deadliest conflicts in history which had permanent major impacts on the participant countries. United States did not join the war for a while by following a neutral strategy. However, in 1917 they entered the war with Allied Powers. Despite winning the war, Allied Powers had a downfall in many ways whereas the United States was not much affected by the war comparing to allies[footnoteRef:1]. The Great War had major impacts on American society and economy despite being the last country to enter the war. Economically, U.S grew larger due to many factors such as isolationism, high manufacturing but most importantly by loaning to European allies because they were devastated due to the war. On the social side, there were both positive and negative developments, while “The Roaring Twenties” addresses the positive developments most importantly in women, whereas reemergence of Ku Klux Klan caused discrimination in American society. [1: Michelle Getchell, “The United States in World War 1”.2015, Khan Academy]

The American economy developed both by increasing production, lending to allies and by following “Isolationism”. War completely changed economic balances of the world. Once a wealthy Europe was now made up of debtor nations. During the war, The United States has provided Allies many important goods such as rifles, gunpowder and high explosives in exchange for credits[footnoteRef:2]. US was an indebted state for so many years yet became a creditor even before entering the war. Thus, American economy made significant profit from the war whereas European economies suffered a critical tumble. This decline of Europe caused world economics to turn towards America, London was no more the center of the world capital market, it was replaced by New York[footnoteRef:3]. The American economy has undergone a tremendous positive change with the development of technology and services[footnoteRef:4]. In 1918-1920 US GDP (nominal) grew from approximately 70 billion dollars to 90 billion dollars. It is known as US economy grew almost 40 percent in post war era[footnoteRef:5]. Another important factor was Isolationism, which can be expressed as “the political principle or practice of showing interest only in your own country and not being involved in international activities” [footnoteRef:6]. In Norwich University’s source, it is argued that American isolationism lasted until WW 2 and benefitted the nation with re-building a stronger domestic economy by protecting American manufacturers with imposing tariffs on imported goods[footnoteRef:7]. Yet isolationism later on created some clash of ideas in terms of formation of “League of Nations”. It is believed by many historians that isolationism policy and inability of US to lead “League of Nations” caused World War 2 [footnoteRef:8]. Another important strategy applied during this economic growth was, increasing the manufacture. US had already increased manufacturing before the war through exporting weapons to Europe, total export value grew from $2.4 billion to $6.2 billion in 4 years [footnoteRef:9]. Moving assembly line was a huge step in terms of increasing productivity. Greatest manufacturing added value was on automobile sector, with the moving assembly line of Henry Ford, automobile prices dropped. Average cost of a car was 300 dollars hence half of the American families owned cars in 1920s[footnoteRef:10]. Products entering the average American homes were not only driven by cars but also dishwashers, radios and sewing machines became accessible[footnoteRef:11]. As Rubio and Conesa state, “By 1928, sales of vacuum cleaners, irons, refrigerators, and washing machines had risen phenomenally”[footnoteRef:12]. Although these companies helped nation’s economic growth, later on state went into an economic crisis called “The Great Depression” in 1929 due to the fluctuations in the stock market through these companies’ stocks[footnoteRef:13]. The post-war American economy has made progress until the Great Depression, and thanks to this progress, purchasing power and welfare of society was increased. Meanwhile, this economic growth also caused many changes which is mostly positive, with a few negative aspects in the social life of Americans. [2: Heather Michon, “How the War Changed the Economy for Good.” 2019, ThoughtCo] [3: Hugh Rockoff, “U.S. Economy in World War 1.” 2008, EHnet] [4: Gene Smiley, “The U.S. Economy in the 1920s.” 2004, EHnet] [5: “US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) History”. Chart from usgovernmentspending.com ] [6: Meaning of “Isolationism” in English from Cambridge Online Dictionary ] [7: “Isolationism and U.S. Foreign Policy After World War I” 2017, Norwich University Online] [8: Ibid] [9: Heather Michon, “How the War Changed the Economy for Good.” 2019, ThoughtCo] [10: Gene Smiley, “The U.S. Economy in the 1920s.” 2004, EHnet] [11: Ibid ] [12: Antonio Daniel Juan Rubio, Isabel María García Conesa, “The Role of Women in the Roaring Twenties” 2012, Centro Universitario de la Defensa San Javier] [13: Gene Smiley, “The U.S. Economy in the 1920s.” 2004, EHnet]

This economical leap paved path to ‘The Roaring Twenties’, known as the socially golden age of America, while at the same time, the reemergence of Ku Klux Klan had corrosive effects on society. Spirit of Roaring Twenties was expressed with a common sense of novelty about modernity and the disintegration of the old tradition. Everything seemed accessible with modern technology. New technologies, especially automobiles, household appliances have brought ‘modernity’ to a large scale of Americans. At the same time, jazz music, dancing, drinking, and smoking, which all can be referred as party culture, gained popularity, unlike the post-World War I mood[footnoteRef:14]. Therefore, this period is called “The Roaring Twenties” or “The Jazz Age”. During this era, most significant development was on women’s place and importance in society, due to men leaving their jobs to fight on front, women took the lead and started working in industry. According to Dumenil, women started working in various positions both during and after The Great War for instance; elevator operators, subway conductors, bell ‘boys’ chauffeurs, etc.[footnoteRef:15]. Due to lack of men and muscle power in industry, about 1 million women had to replace men’s positions to keep the nation on track[footnoteRef:16]. War eventually created a new women model called ‘Flapper’ which can be described as more masculine spirited, reckless and non-traditional. The photograph from Corbis Historical represents the new women figure, the “flapper”. These non-traditional women are dressed and acted in a different way, as we can see there are four women drinking alcohol which represents the free, modern women of 1920s[footnoteRef:17]. As Rubio and Conesa state, women were exhausted from dealing with work and husbands who returned from war, they rebelled to authority and wanted to break free. Authors put forward that; “To her elders, the flapper was shocking because of her poise, boldness, and freedom in dress and manners”[footnoteRef:18]. This clearly shows how flappers were different from their previous generation. Another important step taken for women was the 19th amendment which provided suffrage to women. According to Rubio and Conesa, after many years of campaigning, women earned their rights to vote and this also was a significant contribution to creation of the new powerful women silhouette [footnoteRef:19]. While these engaging developments and changes took place, there were also racist and societal divisive actions, which were led by “Ku Klux Klan” (KKK). This organization was founded back in 19th century however their actual active years started with reemergence at 1920s. In the second resurrection of the Klan, which at the beginning targeted only black people, it expanded the message of hate including Catholics, Jews and immigrants[footnoteRef:20]. Members of Klan were so diverse, there were both low and high paid people; laborers, doctors, engineers etc. Main idea was to create a better America. However, their resurrection only damaged the nation. According to Getchell, “They saw themselves as vigilantes restoring justice, and they used intimidation, threats of violence, and actual violence to prevent African Americans, immigrants, Catholics, Jews, liberals, and progressives from attaining wealth, social status, and political power. They burned crosses, led beatings, committed assassinations, lynchings, and much more”[footnoteRef:21]. Reemergence did not last so long, from millions of members in 1920s, a decade later the number of members decreased to 350.000, today there are estimated 5000-8000 Klan members in The United States, so Klan’s effects have decreased compared to the past[footnoteRef:22]. [14: Antonio Daniel Juan Rubio, Isabel María García Conesa, “The Role of Women in the Roaring Twenties” 2012, Centro Universitario de la Defensa San Javier ] [15: Lynn Dumenil, “The Second Line of Defense: American Women and World War I” 2017, University of North Carolina Press] [16: Heather Michon, “How the War Changed the Economy for Good.” 2019, ThoughtCo] [17: Kirn Vintage Stock. “Four women line up along a wall and chug bottles of liquor in the 1920s. Flapper women drink in unison, CA. “1925. Corbis Historical via Getty Images ] [18: Antonio Daniel Juan Rubio, Isabel María García Conesa, “The Role of Women in the Roaring Twenties” 2012, Centro Universitario de la Defensa San Javier] [19: Ibid] [20: Michelle Getchell, “The Reemergence of the KKK,” 2016, Khan Academy] [21: Ibid] [22: “Ku Klux Klan; A History of Racism and Violence” 2011, The Southern Poverty Law Center ]

To conclude, America was a country that has just exit the war, nevertheless, nation’s economy and society have recovered very quickly, turned war into an advantage, and has advanced to a much higher position than many of its allies in the post war era. Modifications and improvements of US economy and society during this era should not be understated. American economy improved by both increase in manufacturing, loaning to war allies, and following isolationist policies. It can be clearly seen that this economic boom also paved path to America’s socially golden age with a few unfortunate negative events, “Roaring Twenties” and reemergence of Ku Klux Klan. This period of time was generally positive and constructive, especially in terms of women’s power in society but at the same time disruptive due to hazardous actions of KKK. World War 1 was one of the milestones that brought United States to the present and heavily influenced.

Bibliography

1. Cambridge Dictionary, “ISOLATIONISM: Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary.” 2019. Cambridge University Press https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/isolationism
2. Dumenil, Lynn. “The Second Line of Defense: American Women and World War I” 2017. University of North Carolina Press
3. Getchell, Michelle. “The United States in World War 1”, 2015. Khan Academy
4. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/us-in-wwi/a/the-united-states-in-world-war-i
5. Getchell, Michelle. “The Reemergence of the KKK,”, 2016. Khan Academy
6. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/1920s-america/a/the-reemergence-of-the-kkk
7. “Isolationism and U.S. Foreign Policy After World War I”. November 6, 2017. On Norwich University Online https://online.norwich.edu/academic-programs/resources/isolationism-and-us-foreign-policy-after-world-war-i
8. Kirn Vintage Stock. “Four women line up along a wall and chug bottles of liquor in the 1920s. Flapper women drink in unison, CA.” 1925. Corbis Historical via Getty Images
9. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/four-women-line-up-along-a-wall-and-chug-bottles-of-liquor-news-photo/526305544
10. “Ku Klux Klan; A History of Racism and Violence” 2011. The Southern Poverty Law Center https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/Ku-Klux-Klan-A-History-of-Racism.pdf
11. Michon, Heather. “How the War Changed the Economy for Good.”. August 19, 2019. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/world-war-i-economy-4157436.
12. Rockoff, Hugh. “U.S. Economy in World War 1.” February 10, 2008. EHnet.
13. http://eh.net/encyclopedia/u-s-economy-in-world-war-i/.
14. Rubio, Antonio Daniel Juan and Conesa, Isabel María García. “The Role of Women in the Roaring Twenties” 2012. Centro Universitario de la Defensa San Javier.
15. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b3d4/b0b83037385c9fdf3fa63a012b18d2b2f5c4.pdf
16. Smiley, Gene. “The U.S. Economy in the 1920s.” June 29, 2004. EHnet. http://eh.net/encyclopedia/the-u-s-economy-in-the-1920s/.
17. “US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) History”. Chart from usgovernmentspending.com https://www.usgovernmentspending.com/spending_chart_1910_1930USb_20s2li011mcn__US_Gross_Domestic_Product_GDP_History

The Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance refers to a time in American history during which the New York City neighborhood of Harlem became a focal point of African American culture. The period, which lasted from the 1910s to the mid-1930s, resulted in a huge surge of creativity among African Americans, which was expressed in many art forms, including literature, music, and stage performance. The influences of the Harlem Renaissance created a feeling of racial pride and helped to build a sense of community where African Americans could celebrate their heritage. These influences can still be seen, heard, and felt today.

Prior to the 1900s, the majority of African Americans were living in the rural South. However, by the early 1900s, many had begun to migrate North to escape racial tensions and in search of work, land, and new opportunities. Industrialization in the North meant factory owners were in need of cheap laborers and many blacks were eager for work after an insect infestation had destroyed crops in the South and left many out of jobs. This movement of African Americans from the rural South to urban areas in the North, Midwest, and the West became know as the Great Migration. Harlem, which was initially intended to be a white upper-class neighborhood, now became home to an influx of African Americans seeking a new life. Much to their dismay, African Americans settling in Harlem were not always warmly welcomed by Northerners. Nevertheless, the migration brought together African Americans from all walks of life and backgrounds creating an ecclectic group of people that supported and inspired each other.

Some of the strongest influences to be born out of the Harlem Renaissance were in the area of music. The Jazz Age was already in motion and this period only served to increase it’s popularity and wide-spread appeal. Some of the greatest jazz musicians of all time gained popularity during this period. Iconic names like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong can all be traced back to the time of the Harlem Renaissance when they performed, not only for the people of Harlem but for white audiences as well, from all parts of the city. Singers and musical performers were often accompanied by popular floor shows that featured tap dancers such as Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. Some of the most popular clubs in Harlem that showcased black performers were for white audiences only. One of the most famous of these nightspots was the Cotton Club, where greats such as Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway quickly rose to fame. Another musical creation of this period was the Harlem Stride, which referred to a new way of playing the piano that incorporated the rythmic sound of jazz. This style allowed for more artistic creativity than traditional piano playing, as many pianists used improvisation rather than sheet music, thereby making it uniquely their own.

Another thriving influence of the Harlem Renaissance was writing, during which time, works by African American writers became more widely accepted. Printed publications, as well as poetry, offered a venue for highlighting the specific struggles of the times. One such publication was a popular magazine called The Crisis, which was published 4 times a year by the NAACP, and is still in circulation today. In addition, writers used poetry as a way of expressing themselves which allowed them to convey to white readers some insight into their history, culture, and struggles as a black American. This gave way to a new art form called jazz poetry which mimics the rhymic and repetitive phrases of blues and jazz music. Langston Hughes, one of the most important writers of the Harlem Renaissance, was a pioneer of jazz poetry, as well as a playwright and novelist. With black writers gaining mainstream appeal, many publishing houses began to publish their works, such as the well-known novel by Zora Neale Hurston called Their Eyes Were Watching God and works by Claude McCay.

The Harlem Renaissance ended in the mid 1930s after the effects of the Great-depression set in. This ecomic disaster lead to many of the writers to move out of the Harlem neighborhood. Leading to lots of unemployment for people in the city. 1 in 10 individuals in the U.S. Employed population were now left with no work. This would then lead to a population decrease, which was actually a good thing because the population in Harlem had overfilled during the time of The Harlem Renaissance. The great depression had the hardest impact during the Harlem Renaissance and was one of the main reasons on why it came to an end. The Great-depression was caused by the stock market crash on October 29, 1929. As the economy hit lots of the famous artists lost their jobs due to people not being able to afford to waste their money on tickets and such anymore. Although the various musicians lost their jobs, people such as Langston Hughes and Louis Armstong had carrers that would carry on. The Harlem Renaissance proved that people from any race could make a name for themselves and become very influenctial. The black pride inspired Martin Luther King to stand up and speak for equality.

Conclusion

As you can see, The Harlem Renaissance was a very influential time period for black culture. This time period shaped what black culture is today and is considered the golden age for African American Culture. Wether or not it was music, poetry, or sports, many African Americans created a movement for black culture that would change our history forever. Their black pride and power would overturn the entire town for good. Many of their influences can and still will be heard to this day. If it wasnt for the Harlem Renaissance, where would black culture be today? How would equality be shaped today? Would whites and blacks have different privledges? I hope the information I have provided you helps you to understand more about what the Harlem Renaissance was and how influential it really was to Black culture.

Julie Andrews is host of the video and source for this paper. She begins with “The lights of Broadway have always been irresistible.” She is so right! She takes us from the start and what is so excellent about her commentary; she had a front row seat not just as a spectator, but as an entertainer and as a superstar! The American Broadway Musical invites everyone to step outside of themselves and bask in the magic that come with the bright lights of the theater.

Minstrel shows, comical shows, vaudeville, and opera on 39th Street on the East Side were the craze of the era. America was able to express views on just about anything through the theater. The comics would make jokes about different ethnic groups. They could joke about the world conditions without inciting people to riot or be terribly offended. In today’s society, the same jokes will be considered racism leading to hate crimes. As Broadway saw the avenue to be heard, the political and social issues were pronounced and ideas were presented though this media. People listened. This seemed to be a venue to help the law makers wake up and listen. World War I and World War II lent themselves to plays and most importantly views from all sides could be expressed. With the War, Broadway actually boosted the morale of the country and garnered support for the men and women working to keep the enemy at bay.

1893 opened the New York Broadway era with Ziegfeld Follies. Florenz Ziegfeld was 26 years old when he came to New York looking for entertainment for Chicago. However, he stayed with his production of Ziegfeld Follies right there in The Big Apple. The critics all hailed him as brilliant and masterful. He was a man with the best and biggest ideas and everything he touched became a spectacular event. He used the best of everything to captivate and entertain his audiences. The best in lighting, scenery, costumes, color, props, and most importantly, the most beautiful women in the world graced his sets. He believed that sex sells, however it was not smutty, just very much the way it was in the late eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds. Then came 42nd Street BROADWAY! Lion King, My Fair Lady, Westside Story, Phantom of the Opera and others came to life on the grand stage, which have produced top musical scores that one can hum and that never seem out of time. Standards came from these memorable shows.

It would be remiss not to mention “one of the greatest song and dance men who ever lived” according to someone interviewed for this production, George M. Cohen. Cohen came out of vaudeville, as most of those coming to the Broadway stage. He could write, and that he did. George M. Cohen not only wrote but took the lead role in Give My Regards to Broadway. He had Broadway in his blood and wrote many songs for musicals on the stage. There is a statue to honor him on Old Broadway. James Cagney, who is mostly known for his movie roles as a tough guy, played the lead role in George M. Cohen’s famous musical production Give My Regards to Broadway “making famous, I’m a Yankee doodle dandy…….” adding to the acclaim of George M. Cohen.

Bert William was the first black to write and perform in a Broadway production. When listening to Julie Andrews and other commentators, I felt a deep sorrow for this man. This man was appreciated by many notable people but with the black face and his early roles he was stereotyped and did not achieve his dream. Bert Williams wrote a song called “Nobody.” It expressed the sorrow and disappointment of this gifted entertainer; he was far ahead of his time. C.W. Fields said of this gifted entertainer, “He was the funniest man I ever met and the saddest man I ever knew.”

Where did all the other music come from? There was a street close to 42nd Street known as “Tin Pan Alley.” People lived in apartments with windows opened and a piano in everyone’s living room. They wrote songs that sold for 10 cents each. It was a beginning. Irving Berlin wrote the first musical with ragtime as the music. This style was practically forbidden, yet in 1911, he wrote Alexander’s Ragtime Band which was well received and this was the opening for him to Broadway. He composed a song for Fanny Brice and suggested she sing it with a Yiddish dialect. Her rendition was also well received; Ziegfeld hired her for $75.00 a week. She was so happy and excited, she ran through the streets of Broadway telling everyone. Fanny Brice was not the typical Ziegfeld girl but she had so much talent and was so unique in her style, he scooped her right up. She could sing, dance, do comedy (slapstick), and change from one mood to another without batting an eyelid. Implementing the Yiddish dialect really propelled her to success. It was like a trademark.

Ziegfeld took a giant step when he decided to create a Broadway musical out of Show Boat where there was a case of miscegenation, “crossbreeding, interbreeding (noun) reproduction by parents of different races (especially by white and non-white persons),” (Webster’s dictionary). Taking on this subject could ruin him. Plus the story was so sad; could it even qualify as a musical, which are usually seen as happy or at least spirited? One of the greatest musical teams, Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote the musical score for Show Boat and tackled it with him. Ole Man River was born out of this story and Can’t Help Loving That Man of Mine. With its opening night there were no curtain calls and there was no appreciation or so it seemed, just a mild or short applause and everyone left. However, the next day the reviews were more than excellent. Such a delicate subject was handled with taste but not soft soaped. This production was an awakening when it came to racism, slavery and segregation. It is hailed as one of the greatest Broadway productions. Other Broadway plays began to make statements as well. This was a medium where one could protest and take a side. The theater had treated war, prohibition, women’s rights, and was ready to tackle labor and union movements, the depression, and Hollywood. The theater made the issues prominent and had the whole nation often in a state of complete agreement with what they projected. West Side Story exposed gangs, gang wars, and racial strife mingled with a beautiful love story with some of the most memorable music ever written. West Side Story was a Broadway production in 1957.

With the introduction of jazz and The Jazz Singer, Al Jolson made an opening for the Negros and their work with jazz. The greatest star of the prohibition era was Jolson, who began with the black faced from ministries. His black faced Mamma songs were so touching that people were so moved and entertained. The Roaring Twenties, with this introduction of jazz, seemed to break things wide open. Shuffle Along truly opened theater for the black man. In 1921, James Hubert Blake got his first break. Prior to this, Negros were not allowed to present anything like this but with his hit song “Love Will Find A Way” blacks began to perform “themselves” in the Broadway musical.

Prohibition certainly ushered in an era of a breakout for the women. It was like; they just were over being held back. They changed their dress, started smoking, and as they wanted to be free they began to have fun. The Roaring Twenties brought out a side of women never quite seen. From it came the “Cancan” and the “Charleston”. Women literally let loose! This also began the Cinderella age and one young spirited girl caught the eye of Ziegfeld. Mary Miller, known as Mademoiselle Sugar Drop became an instant sensation. It wasn’t her beauty or voice but her grace and attitude. She was the Cinderella girl making everyone’s dreams seem like they would all come true. The Broadway show, The George White Scandals was born in the twenties. George White wrote and produced the show. He hired George Gershwin, one of the most gifted musicians who actually learned or polished his craft with George White. Gershwin wrote one of his greatest songs “Shawnee.” Al Jolson heard this song and sang it with such expression that it became, or was considered, Gershwin’s absolute best piece. Ira and George Gershwin were over the top!

The crash of Wall Street happened in 1929, right after the opening of The Jazz Singer on the movie scene with Al Jolson singing to his mother and than talking to her right there from the piano. Enter Hollywood! Then came the Depression and the struggle of Broadway truly began but as we know the industry survived and 42nd Street is still the center of America.

The history of the Broadway musical is remarkable because it makes connections between society and culture and American History like following a time line. The issue of the day or whatever year is on display, and an awareness of so many things from art to war become the subject and the talk of the town. The issues of war and political events and the changing pace in society seem to go hand in hand with the musicals of Broadway. As I have shown from Showboat and Westside Story the racial strife as well as the changing times. With the introduction of the Roaring Twenties, women’s rights and their break through can be traced in history or by revisiting Broadway.

Though I am not in the exact chronological order of The History of American Musical as told by one who graced the stage for so long, Julie Andrews, I want to be certain to give her the proper place in this commentary. She is a woman of renowned and should be recognized for her magical career, one that has thrilled countless of viewers for years with The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Camelot, and so much more. I want to praise the magnificent productions of these musicals and everything my favorite Broadway star has ever appeared in. In my mind the musical scores from these productions are some of the greatest ever written and performed by one of the most distinguished actresses in her field.

I am uncertain where the following quotes are from but I can hear Julie Andrews saying them: “Broadway, it’s the street of dreams” or “The American musical blows the dust off the soul.”

The 1920 was a new start for social and political changes because for the first time more Americans decided to live in cities than they did on farms. America’s total wealth doubled and people experienced a nationwide economic boom which swept many into the very popular “consumer society”. It was the land of golden opportunities and had the reputation of being a glamorous decade where people lived in prosperity and happiness. People from all over engaged in the same social activities such as Listening to the same music, doing the same dance and buying the same goods. All of these new trends were started by the same thing, “Jazz”. During this time, the country was coming out of World War I and the attitude of the nation was dark and gloomy. Dance and music clubs became extremely popular in an effort to improve the mood and overall quality of life for many. Women were newly empowered by gaining the right to vote and express their political view. Things seemed to go just fine and people thought that the good times would never end until the Stock Market crash happened. This day is known as Black Tuesday and it signaled the beginning of the Great Depression. American Industries were roaring and growing rapidly during the 1920s. Mass production of consumer products like automobiles, and radios lowered prices and made these products available to the average families. For the first time, They could buy a car on credit and because of that everyone wanted to own a car and a radio. The economy was reaching its peak. Lawrence B. Glickman opinion on this new American lifestyle was that “Consumption was acknowledged as the prime mover of economic life, dislodging the traditional American faith in ‘producerism,’ the belief that the makers and growers of goods lay at the heart of the nation.” and because of losing interest in politics people developed new political engagements based in large measure on their identities as consumers.

The achievement buying more was overwhelming and became a goal for many citizens. The First World War left the US at an advantage. America had joined the war very late and because of that they did not suffer the damage of countries like Germany. During the war, the USA had loaned a great deal of money to France and Britain and they used this money to buy equipment, weapons, and ammunition from America. This process known as one-way trade because America didn’t buy anything in return. Unfortunately, Britain and France still had to re-pay the loans which meant the USA made money on the interest as well as on the profits from the sale of equipment. Before the start of the war Germany used to be the home of the world’s most important chemical industry. During the war, this industry focused on providing arms and weapons, which meant that America was able to take the customers around the world who had previously bought their chemicals from Germany. There were several new industries and new ideas that helped create the boom. During the war, governments had trained people in making propaganda. After the war, they used these skills to create adverts that persuaded people to buy new products. This helped create a change in America’s state of mind. Glickman mention during this time politics and consumerism collided and people started to support or protest against businesses they didn’t agree with “Alongside such traditional forms of consumer politics, new ones were invented. such as the ‘Spend Your Money Where You Can Work’ campaigns. in which, starting in 1929. members of Chicago’s African American community demanded that businesses, which depended on their patronage, hire black workers. During the Great Depression, these would change into the well-known ‘Don’t Buy Where You Can’t Work demands in Harlem, Baltimore and elsewhere. “ Another new industry was the credit industry.

Previously people only borrow money if they were well off, or pawned items in pawn-shops. This new idea was that if someone wanted to buy something and they didn’t have the money at the moment they could put down a certain amount of deposit and then pay the rest off over time. Many ordinary people could afford to buy the things they could not before. One example of a new industry that helped create the boom is the automobile industry. Henry Ford’s idea of creating a cheap car that many people had accesses made him rich and helped people to get jobs in industries such as rubber and metal production, garages and petrol production, engineering, hotels. Henry Ford used ‘mass-production’ techniques to help build cars quickly and cheaply. His production line took ‘the work to the man and not the man to the work’ so that people did the same job to a high standard on each car. One might fit the wheels, or the engine or the bodywork. Because they only needed to be trained on one aspect of the job they were unskilled workers and didn’t need to be paid as well as more skilled motor manufacturers. Roaring twenties were roaring not only from its big changes after the war but also from its new creativity in the music industry. Jazz music was originated in New Orleans in the early 1900s and began to spread throughout the country. More employment opportunities opened up in the North and Midwest, both black and white musicians from New Orleans moved to Chicago.

African American musicians began gathering in New Orleans and they would improvise and share their music in Storyville. Early jazz musicians often called New Orleans their home. In the early day of 1920 a real jazz stars surfaced such as King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Kid Ory a and they were able to establish a reputation for their original music. The Jazz age was a post war movement which combined African American traditions, which represented a drastic change in culture. However, many whites were against this form of art, and classified its uniqueness as the “Devils Music”. It was believed at the time by people that Jazz was responsible for the downfall in many people, particularly young girls residing in Chicago. “Jazz was, as a generic model and organizational device, crucially misunderstood by some early twentieth-century audiences, so much so that it became itself a genre built upon the manufacture of misunderstanding.” wrote Sheila Liming From the University of North Dakota. Jazz was considered different because it essentially broke the rules of normalcy in music and encouraged improvisation and because of it many feared that young people had lost interest in classical music and traditional values. The impulse of racism was born strongly upon the opposition to jazz, which was seen as sinful and immoral. “Adorno’s complaints against jazz music, similarly, hinge on what he sees as a formal reliance upon the essentially disingenuous deployment of sexual stereotype. Like Wharton, Adorno criticizes jazz, not for its provocativeness, but its insincerity. Jazz seeks to rouse and to titillate but does so with a kind of uniformity that empties sexual response of both its authenticity and meaning. In therefore being always scandalous, always provocative. “ Liming explained that many musicians tough of this new area of music as violent which brings out animalistic behavior from people which led to many of them rejection Jazz music. In fact, by end of the 1920s, at least sixty communities across the nation had enforced laws that completely outlawed Jazz to be played in public dance halls.

The introduction of Prohibition in 1920 had brought jazz into gangster-run nightclubs, and venues that provided alcohol and hired black musicians. These events also invited younger crowds from all social classes and attracted to both the music and the popular suggestive jazz dances. Both the integration of the races and the comprehensive belief that jazz aroused sexual activity caused critics of jazz and other citizens to increase their hatred filled efforts against it. Unfortunately because of that many African American jazz musicians experienced discrimination and were never appreciated for the music they created. Jazz had essentially reflected African American culture, however, due to racial segregation and discrimination, it was never truly valued to the extent that it was entitled to. The Roaring twenties were not only about the growth in economics and entertainment but also about a society that taken a massive leap forward In 1920 when all women finally started to enjoy life outside of their homes. The roles of American Women in the 1920s varied considerably between the ‘New Woman’, the Traditionalists and the older generation. The ‘New Woman’, including the young Flappers, embraced new fashions, personal freedom and new ideas that challenged the traditional role of women. The Traditionalists feared that the ‘ New Morality’ of the era was threatening family values and the conventional role of women in the home. The lives of Black American Women in the 1920s were also subject to change due to the influence of the Harlem Renaissance and the change from rural to urban life in the cities. Black women especially started speaking and fighting for not only civil rights but the discrimination against black men also. Mary Jane Brown from Advocates in the Age of Jazz mentioned “In the summer of 1921 women participated in a silent march of 4,000 people who paraded against lynching and discrimination at the annual NAACP conference in Detroit.55 Other women generated a stream of letters to congressmen.” and because women believed that it was their right and duty to take a serious part in politics.

They recognized that political decisions affected their daily lives. When passed in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment gave women the right to vote. Surprisingly, some women didn’t want the vote. A widespread attitude was that women’s roles and men’s roles did not overlap. This idea of held that women to concern themselves with home, children, and religion, while men took care of business and politics. Though slow to use their newly won voting rights, by the end of the decade, women were represented on local, state, and national political committees and were influencing the political agenda of the federal government. More attention began to be put on social improvements like protective laws for child labor and prison reform. Women active in politics in 1929 still had little power, but they had begun the journey to actual political equality. At the same time, public acceptance of wage-earning jobs for young unmarried women was growing. No longer being limited to work as a domestic housewife, these women began to perform clerical work in offices and retail work in shops and department stores. It became acceptable for working girls to live away from their families. Some young married women worked until they had children and became consumers of popular products and fashions. Women who would never tolerate the strong smells and stains of chewing tobacco or cigars began to smoke the new, and relatively clean, mild cigarettes. Cigarettes were advertised to women as a sign of modern sophistication, and the 1920s “flapper” is usually pictured with a cigarette in her hand. The flapper with her short skirts, short hair, noticeable makeup represented a new freedom for women. The old restrictions on dress and behavior were being overthrown. Highly publicized flappers shortened their skirts, drank illegal alcohol, smoked, and otherwise defied society’s expectations of proper young women. To be a flapper, a woman had to have enough money and free time to play the part. College girls, unmarried girls living at home, and independent office workers most frequently presented themselves as flappers.

Women found their lives changed in more than appearance. Society now accepted that women could be independent and make choices for themselves in education, jobs, marital status, and careers. The Roaring Twenties roared loudest and longest on the New York Stock Exchange. Share prices rose to unprecedented heights and with all the optimism and the booming economy, people were buying lots of products on credit. The overall debt of the country grew rapidly but at the same time, people were speculating on the stock market. Stock values increased and people thought they would keep going up but unfortunately on October 29 in 1929, the stock market crashed which signaled the beginning of the Great Depression. Companies attempted to stabilize the market by buying up great blocks of stock on Friday. By Monday, the market officially collapsed. Black Monday was followed by complete collapse and 16,410,030 shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange in almost a single day. Millions of dollars were lost and wiping thousands of investors were ruined. Stock tickers ran hours behind because the machinery could not handle this fast trading in such sort time. After October, stock prices had nowhere to go up, so there was considerable recovery during succeeding weeks. However, prices continued to drop as the United States fell into the Great Depression, and by 1932 stocks were worth only about 20 percent of their value. The stock market crash of was not the sole cause of the Great Depression, but it did act to accelerate the global economic collapse of which it was also a symptom. Not economic historian believes that interwar protection caused the Great Depression, but the two phenomena were linked in the sense that they shared, to a large extent, a common cause, namely the gold standard. Kevin Hjortshøj O’Rourke from “Two Great Trade Collapses: The Interwar Period and Great Recession Compared” talks about the fact that “In combination with the open international capital markets of the 1920s, the gold standard implied that negative monetary shocks were rapidly generalized, as in the case of the infamous 1928 decision to raise interest rates in the United States. Worse, when countries as a result found themselves in recession, they had no macroeconomic policy instruments with which to respond. Staying on gold ruled out activist monetary policy, while countries did not feel able to use activist fiscal policy either.” In many cases they engaged in pro-cyclical austerity, in an effort to keep budget deficits under control. And in many cases, it seemed as though they had little alternative, as new lending dried up on international capital markets. “It was only once countries had shaken off the ‘‘golden fetters’’ of the gold standard, and regained macroeconomic policy-making independence, that they started to recover.” O’Rourke claimed.

Nearly half of America’s banks had failed, and unemployment was approaching 30 percent of the workforce. Relief and reform measures enacted by the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt lessen the worst effects of the Great Depression; however, the U.S. economy would not fully turn around until after 1939, when World War II revitalized American industry. While the precise cause of the stock market crash of 1929 is often debated there are many obvious signs that led up to it. The concept of “buying on margin” allowed ordinary people with little financial acumen to borrow money from their stockbroker and put down as little as 10 percent of the share value. A similar type of overconfidence was seen in industries such as manufacturing and agriculture overproduction led to a glut of items including farm crops, steel, durable goods and iron. This meant companies had to purge their supplies at a loss, and share prices suffered. Another factor was an ongoing agricultural recession: Farmers struggled to make an annual profit to keep their businesses afloat. Public panic also contributes because days after the stock market crash led to hordes of people rushing to banks to withdraw their funds in a number of “bank runs,” and investors were unable to return their money because bank officials had invested the money in the market. This led to massive bank failures and further deepened an already dire financial situation. A soaring, overheated economy that was destined to one day fall likely played a large role. Equally relevant issues, such as overpriced shares, public panic, rising bank loans, an agriculture crisis, higher interest rates and a cynical press added to the disarray. Many investors and ordinary people lost their entire savings, while numerous banks and companies went bankrupt. The Roaring Twenties, with all of its abundance and new freedoms, can certainly be described as a break from tradition and overall way of life back then. Being a women gain a new meaning and therefore was redefined, music was undergoing an “unnatural” evolution, and new inventions were transforming everyone’s day to day activities. This break from tradition represented the ideals of the 1920s, and showed that the it would become the guide for a more modern culture. Today Americans prideful of all the opportunities available in this country unlike others, as well as the freedom to be anything or to pursue their dreams. These freedoms and ideals of modern America, which have increasingly turned away from tradition, can easily be traced back to the 1920s. The Great Depression became a huge blow to everyone around the world. Many people, companies, and businesses suffered from this economic crisis and Everybody experienced big losses. Although the USA and other counties experienced different economic downturns, nothing could be compared with the severity of the Great Depression.

At the dawn of the 1920s, the United States of America was a melting pot of cultures. Many people with different cultural backgrounds interacted with each other in America over the previous century, creating the many-layered culture that defined the U.S. at the time. No place provided a better example of this than the shining city of Manhattan, home to thousands of people from all different backgrounds. In this city, a cultural phenomenon was going on; the Harlem Renaissance, a time of enlightenment and black cultural progression in a subsection of the city, called Harlem.

Commonfolk followed business owners as they followed the path of the Great Migration; eventually, there were about 60,000 black people in Manhattan alone. As New York had replaced Boston as the center of the book publishing industry as well, it was the perfect place for the major literary and cultural movement that was the Harlem Renaissance to happen. Because of this, it boomed; Jazz music became a cultural phenomenon overnight, and many important figures started campaigns there in the next few months. However, as it gained traction, this mock-up renaissance also gained more unwelcome elements as well, facing more opposition and many greedy patrons that saw an opportunity to make money.

The Harlem Renaissance, while being a major literary movement and black culture movement, highlighted the culture it was trying to help blend in, ultimately failing one of its main goals of helping merge black culture into America. As the Harlem Renaissance came about, it sparked new hope in some of the weary, battle-hardened black population that had recently served in World War I in an effort to end discrimination. With the creation of plays like Shuffle Along, many moved to Harlem as it became a newspaper-worthy event, as people attempted to fix the early portrayals of African Americans in the media. The Civic Club was the event that officially started the Harlem Renaissance; with author Alain Locke presiding over it, 100 guests were invited to the dinner, celebrating African American writers in general. Locke even saw the unifying of black people from all parts of the world in Manhattan as “their greatest experience.” Groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, gave enough protection so that many could speak up about their situation who couldn’t before. They fought discrimination and violence against their people, using magazines like the Crisis to call attention to it.

All this attention that Harlem was getting with magazines and progressive groups accomplished the goal of showing the violence against them off into the world. However, as the poets of Harlem like Countee Cullen and Claude McKay influenced exponentially more people, they made a name for themselves too fast. It was such a foreign idea to the rest of America, it contradicted itself; instead of helping the acceptance of black culture, people started to view it as an exotic sight to be seen. In every movement, there are certain leaders or important people that become its face and come to represent it; the Harlem Renaissance is no exception. For instance, W.E.B. Du Bois, well known for his views against black assimilation, had many followers when he moved to New York; this brought many people to Harlem that were ready and willing to speak out about their opinions. Poet Langston Hughes, who is still a very influential figure in history and English classes in America today, describes just how much he, as a young man, wanted to go to Harlem: “I didn’t want to do anything but live in Harlem, get a job and work there.’ Hughes was ecstatic to have a place that is finally cultivating black culture, saying that he’s going to express his culture and pay no mind to what anyone else thought. With the help of his many poems explaining how much black people have accomplished and contributed to society with little credit, Hughes became one of the most influential figures of the time – a force to be reckoned with. These figures were the face of the Harlem Renaissance, able to show the movement off to the world and promote its objectives.

Other large figures helped support them in the background; one such person was Arthur Springarn, who devoted much of his time to the movement. Springarn created the Springarn Medal, which was awarded to talented blacks in different areas. Hughes and W.E.B. Du Bois were two such winners as well, and as the medal came with a large sum of money behind it, inspired many to achieve such a medal. Before this, the media continually conditioned black people to think that they were burdensome; These were the first steps to fixing the media’s portrayal of black people and showing them that they could achieve amazing things in the right conditions. This much-needed transition, however, couldn’t go unnoticed; by fixing this stereotype, and promoting the movement in such a way that the major figures did, they made it impossible for black culture to blend invisibly into American culture in general, even making Harlem be considered a ‘jungle’ by some, and it’s inhabitants ‘primitive creatures.’ While some avoided Harlem because of all the attention, some saw it as an attraction, like that of an amusement park. People of all races were beginning to flock into Harlem, thinking they’d find solace there from the rest of the country’s Puritainistic views; capitalizing on the fame, some store and restaurant owners started to kick out black clientele.

The Harlem Renaissance began to thrive off of white money alone; many grants, prize money, and awards involved it, and the majority of establishments that published and recorded these great works were white-owned. Many, like Carl Van Vechten, reinforced the stereotypes of black people set earlier in history. Other authors and writers, in their good-hearted endeavors to promote the movement, have given an unintentional hostile light toward black culture in suggesting that more white people should turn to it. Generally, as white patrons continued to support this movement, it began to rely on the patron’s money to keep itself going, forcing people who were already experiencing success in the Harlem Renaissance into having to please the patron instead of themselves. These interactions put the Harlem Renaissance to the point where it couldn’t survive without white money and filtered the movement so that only the patrons’ wishes published, recorded, and sent out to the public; the patrons had the power to take away funding and send the movement crashing down at any moment. Even though people were just living their lives and promoting their culture together, others put them on a pedestal and tried to make money off of them or control what they made. With these patrons came the spotlight, and as more of the wealthy backed this movement, the more it stood out, and the harder it was to blend in.

Some historians think that white patrons fueled the Harlem Renaissance, and without them, it would never have happened; they think they were instrumental in this movement. While they did help push it along, many white people at the time marveled at the fact that black people could even attempt to progress literature and art; they had never seen them try before, even though they’ve made significant contributions to all cultures in the past. Therefore, this patronage happened because they just wanted to see how it would flourish, and the patrons generally did not care for the culture and therefore helped black culture stand out. The fact that black culture in America was highlighted by this event by important people and backed by white patrons isn’t necessarily a bad thing; black culture today certainly wouldn’t be where it is today without the Harlem Renaissance, and it accomplished its goal of developing racial pride amongst black folks at the time. However, that doesn’t mean that they accomplished all of their goals; rather, that they had to drop one of them so that the rest could succeed. The movement didn’t fail completely, as some thought when it ended, but didn’t completely succeed in all of its goals, either. Because the movement had to highlight many important people, and fix the media’s portrayal of black people, it had to highlight black culture in general, making it impossible for it to blend peacefully into so-called American culture, forcing people to treat it differently. The Harlem Renaissance, while being a major literary movement and black culture movement, highlighted the culture it was trying to help blend in, ultimately failing one of its main goals of helping merge black culture into America.

The fashion for men and women in the 1920s was one of the most influential, creative, and unique times. At first, fashion was dedicated to aristocrats and the affluent, but things changed when the middle class became a part of it. Fabrics and materials were becoming affordable and people were creating new garments in the comfort of their own homes. Many different styles were flowing through the streets because some people were craving change, while others didn’t want it at all. Nowadays, fashion presents a person’s figure and curvy silhouettes, but during the 1920s that was very unpopular. In fact, straight and flat was the ideal figure back then while curves were disliked. Menswear in the twenties was very proper. Suits, sweaters, and shiny Oxford shoes were the classics. Many men wore hats as well. Golf was a very popular sport in the 1920s so people dressed for the sport. Men would wear knicker pants, socks covering the calves, and a sweater.

Although known for its flashiness and glamour, twenties fashion had an underlying simplicity in the way people dressed. Usual day dresses for women were made from a drop-waist dress, fitting loosely from the shoulder to the hip with a more gathered skirt. Evening wear followed a similar style of drop-waist dresses, but rather than being above the knee, evening dresses reached closer to the floor. Men’s clothing also followed the theme of underlying simplicity among most trends. For the most part, during the day men stopped wearing 3 piece suits and started wearing suits that had jackets with only one or two buttons. Pinstripes also became a big trend for men, along with British wools because of the elegant look they gave off. Two types of trousers also became very trendy for men to wear in the twenties; oxford trousers and plus-fours. Oxford trousers were very wide-legged trousers which at one point in time were as wide as 44 inches around the leg. Plus-fours were shorter trousers with 4 extra inches of material around the knee. Under the knee, until the end of the trouser, was an elastic band which the extra material sat on to ensure that the extra material would not fall. Because of the basic underlying style of the twenties, it became very easy for people to make their clothing at home. This saved everyone a lot of money because instead of buying expensive fashionable clothing, people made clothing with much cheaper materials.

Money doesn’t buy happiness. Throughout history, this concept has been heard time and time again and has been proven to be true. People can continuously purchase material items, but in the end, those items can never satisfy a person’s innate need for love and connection. As people buy such objects, they are making a poor attempt at filling a missing void in their lives. In the 1920s, this idea began to lose its significance as society became swept up in consumerism. Shopping has become people’s favorite pastime and the ever-expanding consumption of goods began to set the standards for happiness. A rise in the sales market saw the negative influence that it had on society as consumerism began to dominate people’s lives; consequently, industries wrote Brave New World to depict an exaggeration of the world if society continued to participate in mass consumerism.

An assembly line that, rather than producing cars, produces human beings instead, making the principle of mass production at last applied to biology. Through the execution of Bokanovsky’s process on assembly lines, one single egg can become anything from eight to ninety-six embryos. In the World State, people continuously produce material items such as Ford’s Model T cars. The use of Ford’s technique on human reproduction dehumanizes the creation of life and turns it into a mechanical process rather than the personal and intimate experience that it is. As humans are created and start life in an unfeeling manner, they continue to live in the same manner, making the society of Brave New World emotionally stunted. The ability to make multiples of a single genetic being through Ford’s assembly line immensely diminishes the value of life. People are perceived as objects in the World State that society can use while they are alive and well functioning; however, when they are no longer of use, they are cast away and simply replaced by another engineered being.

In the 1920s, Henry Ford was the prime manufacturer in the automotive industry. His invention of the assembly line made the production of thousands of models possible. His ability to continuously produce the same product quickly and effectively was what inspired his version of an assembly line in Brave New World. Through his novel, industries depicted his notion that as technology and consumerism were thriving, society’s morality was diminishing. In the 1920s, people’s priority was to purchase new products and to contribute to the sales market.

As goods were being produced frequently, people began to shop incessantly, so much so that it became society’s favorite activity. Writer Sharon Beder described the increasing desire to shop, as a leisure activity provided an escape from real life 45. As consumerism flourished, it superseded familial obligations and friendships, as people chose to go shopping and being in their consumerist paradise, over spending time with their family and friends. Sentimentality lost its importance in civilization and materialism took over. Society in the 1920s wrongly fixated on the assembly line and consumerism, so much so that industries illustrated a world where the assembly line is the source of human life and consumerism is the foundation of their civilization, to caution people of the risks of consumerism. conditioning that molds them into the World State’s ideal citizens. To keep civilization in a structured manner, conditioning is used to keep the public under the command of the World Controllers. Children endure electric shocks to be taught to hate the country but also love all country sports requiring the use of elaborate apparatus that requires them to consume manufactured articles as well as transport industries 16. Conditioning is a form of manipulation to ensure that people continue to purchase goods and care for nothing other than consumerism. The conditioning is perceived to be justifiable to World Controllers, as society would unravel if the cycle of purchasing goods ceased. Since consumerism is practically instilled in the citizens since childhood and contributes to the stabilization of society, people do not realize the disadvantages. Therefore, the World Controllers use consumerism as a distraction to the public to ensure that people will not detach from societal norms. Instead of questioning the ethics and fairness of the World State, people are conditioned to focus on consumerism.

Corporations and producers made consumerism an endless cycle. In the 1920s, companies encouraged people to purchase goods—even when they did not have a sufficient amount of funds through the allowance of credit and installment plans. The notion of buy now, pay later enabled people to continuously buy items without any concerns of not being able to pay the full product price A Consumer Economy. With the ability to buy numerous goods using credit and payment plans, the population kept increasing the amount of money that they owed to manufacturers. Eventually, people’s recklessness caught up to them, as they could no longer pay off their goods and producers began to demand the amount that was owed. Corporations had allowed credit and installment plans to achieve their goal of trapping consumers in the world of consumption Spierings and Houtum 902. Companies deceived people by glamorizing credit and payment plans to better their product sales.

With Brave New World, industries depicted the lack of care that manufacturers in the 20s had for consumers and companies’ true intentions behind credit and payment plans. The use of credit and installment plans were forms of manipulation that compelled the public to continue purchasing goods. Credit and installment plans were created, not to help shoppers buy more products, but for shoppers to owe more money. People unknowingly fell under the thumb of manufacturers, all while under the pretense that corporations were providing advantageous opportunities to consumers. industries wanted people to stop wasting their funds buying unnecessary objects under the belief that credit and payment plans were made to be helpful systems. The use of credit and installment plans created a parasitic cycle, as corporations benefited from feeding off of consumers’ purchases and consumers suffered as they were eventually left with financial issues.

Another significant aspect of the World State that aids in sustaining social order is soma. Since consumerism is essential to the World States’ functionality, the World Controllers use soma to impel the public to continually purchase goods, ensuring that the civilization does not unravel. Soma induces pleasure in its users and assures that the public’s minds do not wander away from their fictional happy world. With soma, the World Controllers can render the population docile and secure the people’s obedience to their conditioning and society’s norms Hickman. As soma makes people more pliable and installs them in a world of comfort and pleasure, they heedlessly fulfill the stipulation to shop as nothing else is of consequence, Sawyer. People have no doubts as to why they are shopping or if they need to shop, rather their soma-induced minds make them susceptible to believing that shopping is what they have to do and is the only activity they should do other than having sex. The World Controllers manipulate the public through soma as the drug compels people to believe that buying goods is their purpose in life, but in actuality, soma is what allows the World Controllers to control their lives.

Money doesn’t buy happiness we cannot just assume that because we can buy what we want it is a good thing and we should focus on what we need to buy. The essentials in our life not just our wants. The things that will keep us alive and well instead of nice-looking and popular.