Harlem Rennaissance

The Harlem Renaissance

The 1920's were a time when society was dancing its way to the future. In the 20's

dancing was a favorite hobby of most Americans. One that was given a great leap

forward by the invention of the radio and it's first broadcast. America also discovered

penicilin and insulin, as well as holding the first Miss America Pageant. But the most

important accomplishment, or movement, was by far the Harlem Renaissance. It took

place during the entire decade and was an artistic movement by and for African

Americans. It was a time when they were liberating themselves and creating some of the

best art America will ever see. With work done by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston

and Palmer Hayden, as well as many others. The Harlem Renaissance's influence is alive

and well in most art today. The 20's saw many new things ending in '29 with the stock

market crash, but it was a very successful decade in American history. The biggest

movement, however, was the Harlem Renaissance.

During the 1920's a movement occurred that became a huge step forward for African

Americans in a time in which their freedoms were severely restricted, the Harlem

Renaissance. After World War I the north was a place where African Americans had more

freedoms and could be paid to work so naturally the north, especially New York City,

was filled with African Americans who were trying to define themselves and flourish. The

Harlem Renaissance began as literary discussions in Greenwich Village and Harlem, New York. It became known as "The New Negro Movement" because of the huge amount of creativity that suddenly struck the African Americans. It later became know as we know it today, the Harlem Renaissance. It was a way for the African Americans to fight back against racism as well as creatively express themselves. It was a way for them to define their culture. America saw a huge burst of poetry and painting as well as a huge

contribution to music by way of Jazz and Blues. And the artists that created these works

will be remembered forever. Artists like Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Jacob

Lawrence, John T. Biggers Eubie Blake. The art was a definition of who these people

were that America was trying to keep them from flourishing.

The Harlem Renaissance was a period in the 19th century that gave power to the

powerless. It was a movement that allowed African Americans, who had very little, to

express themselves and enjoy this amazing country. It gave white Americans an idea of