The Harlem Renaissance was an artistic, literary, musical and theatrical movement that began in the late 1920s and lasted for about 10 years. A blossoming of the African American culture is also called the Negro Renaissance, the New Negro Movement, or the Jazz Age. (1) This creative activity occupied almost all spheres of art and demonstrated the unique culture of African Americans. The movement influenced the later African American literature and had a significant impact on consciousness worldwide. The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural awakening, the reborn and rise of the intellectuals and great artists.
The Harlem Renaissance was a part of a larger movement that had begun in the early 20th century. It was caused by several factors: the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural places to urban spaces, the rise of literacy, creation of socioeconomic opportunities and various organizations aimed at defending the civil rights. (2) The movement is unusual among other artistic and literary activities for its close relationship to the reform groups and civil rights. The migration, combined with the trends in American society and the activity of the radical intellectuals (including Locke, Marcus Garvey, W.E.B. Du Bois) contributed to the success of black artists. Writers, artists, actors, musicians praised African American traditions and created the new ones at the same time.
Situating the Harlem Renaissance in space can be quite difficult. Surely, Harlem is central to the movement, but it doesn’t serve as its only location. The New Negro Movement spread across the USA, the Caribbean, and the world. Harlem was the artistic capital of black America, it contained the infrastructure to develop and support the arts. However, despite its size, infrastructure and physical presence, the relation of Harlem to Renaissance is really complex. It was a rapidly growing black metropolis, but its residents lived on the edge of poverty experiencing crimes, drug addiction and debts. The problem was that talented young people migrated to the north to find a better life, but Harlem failed to resolve their problems and fulfill their dreams. In spite of this, the city continued to be a center of nightlife, a fertile place for cultural experiments.
The most popular writer of the movement was Langston Hughes. He wrote with the rhythmic meter of blues and jazz. Claude Mckey asked African Americans to stand up for their rights. Lean Toomer wrote plays and poems that demonstrated the spirit of his time. No aspect of the Renaissance shaped America as jazz. The citizens visited concerts every night to see the same performers. Harlem’s Cotton Club was a popular place for improvisation performances that were so beloved by the city dwellers. Such talented singers as Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith popularized the blues and jazz vocals. (3)
The Harlem Renaissance was primarily a literary movement that later influenced all African American creative arts. The artists aimed to show the African American experience and believed in racial equality, however, they had no common artistic style, political or social beliefs. This movement was free of any general manifesto. The Harlem Renaissance was the first time when critics and publishers took the African American literature seriously and it was the first time when it attracted so much attention of the public. The end of the movement varies from one artistic field to another. In musical theatre, black performers and musicians continued to work till the World War II era. In art, the artist continued to work after the 1930th, but their work was not associated with the Harlem Renaissance. In literature, a number of figures went silent, left Harlem, or died. Surely, some continued to write and publish their works, but there was no feeling that they belonged to the movement. In any case, few people were talking about the Harlem Renaissance by the mid-1930s. (4)
Harlem Renaissance is considered as the “golden age” of the black art. The level of cultural production and artistic rise cannot be overestimated. The movement influenced the future generations of writers, musicians and artists, and laid the groundwork for future art.
References:
1. http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/harlem-renaissance
2. https://www.britannica.com/event/Harlem-Renaissance-American-literature-and-art
3. http://www.ushistory.org/us/46e.asp
4. http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-renaissance.html