The Harlem Renaissance: An African American Cultural Movement

The Harlem Renaissance: An African American Cultural Movement — page 5
Introduction A GREAT AWAKENING Many cultures have experienced a golden age a time when culture and people thrived Writers created great literature artists made masterpieces songwriters created music that defined their generation and actors delighted audiences on the stage Readers listeners and crowds absorbed the richness of these moments and shared them People were enlightened or awakened For many black Americans that golden age arrived in the 1920s Harlem a neighborhood neighborhood in New York City was the focal point of this cultural awakening Hundreds Hundreds of thousands of black American workers headed north many to Harlem Between 1918 and the mid-1930s the neighborhood thrived as a centerpiece for black American culture and the movement movement known as the Harlem Renaissance Renaissance was an old French word that meant rebirth so it felt like the perfect title for the changes many black Americans Americans were experiencing The movement was primarily led by African American writers playwrights actors singers artists artists and jazz and blues musicians They came from many backgrounds but did not necessarily share the same beliefs about art politics or society However they all shared a common goal They wanted to provide a unifying voice for the 10 million black Americans trying to coexist with the 80 million white people living in the United United States at that time A Struggle for Equality The Harlem Renaissance began as World War I ended in 1918 and tapered off in the 1930s However the movement’s impact lingered for several decades In large part the Harlem Renaissance Renaissance resulted from the ongoing struggle struggle black Americans had with extreme poverty racism segregation and 8 The Harlem Renaissance An African American Cultural Movement