Throughout the 1920s, Harlem experienced a cultural and intellectual explosion that became known as the Harlem Renaissance. Who was involved in the Harlem Renaissance? What was its ultimate impact?
Harlem is a neighborhood in New York City which has a very large African American community. Harlem became a destination for African Americans throughout the early 1900s as part of the Great Migration. As more blacks made Harlem their home, it increasingly became well-known as an African American cultural center.
Poets, writers, artists, musicians, and philosophers were all key parts of the movement. One of the key components of the Harlem Renaissance was music. Jazz performers including Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong perfected their music, which became very popular amongst white audiences.
It was also during this era when the piano was incorporated into the jazz style of music. Traditionally, jazz bands had included primarily brass instruments. Intellectuals such as WEB DuBois and Marcus Garvey argued and debated issues of racism, ethnic pride, and other topics related to modern African American life.
Poets such as Langston Hughes introduced a new form of poetry known as jazz poetry. African American literature of the era included themes such as how slavery had affected the African American culture, as well as combatting stereotypes of blacks. African American clothing also drastically changed during the Harlem Renaissance.
Black men started wearing zoot suits. These were suits which featured long coats with padded shoulders and wide lapels. Women wore low-slung dresses, silk stockings, and open-toed slippers.
Both genders wore hats with wide brims. Leopard skin items also became popular, as they were seen as a connection to traditional African garb. The Harlem Renaissance had a profound impact on the United States, and the world.
African American artists, musicians, and writers began to be respected on an international level. Not only were white audiences listening and enjoying black music, but white composers and musicians began incorporating African American rhythms and harmonies into their own pieces. The Renaissance also helped to change the world's perception of African Americans.
Prior to the 1920, blacks were thought of as uneducated farmers. However, thanks to the Harlem Renaissance, a new image of sophisticated and intellectual African Americans began to emerge.
