The Harlem Renassiance

The Harlem Renassiance

Overview of the Harlem Renaissance

    The Harlem Renaissance is a time in

history that allowed African American artists

to come alive. After years of oppression and

segregation in the south, African Americans

journeyed north. They went in search of jobs,

but they found so much more. Their new

home gave their race an identity and a voice.

It gave them a new respect that they had

never experienced. Harlem became the birthplace of musical and poetic expression. The newly found independence of the race could be seen in the brushstrokes of artists like Aaron Douglas whose canvases whispered the stories of the culture.

Multiple Choice

Why is the name of the era, “Harlem Renaissance,” an appropriate name for the time?

• The city of Harlem kindly invited musicians to the area..

• Harlem is named for a prominent African American.

• Renaissance means rebirth, and many people of color felt they had been reborn in Harlem.

• It correctly identifies the group’s heritage.

Multiple Select

What were African Americans in search of on their journey north? click all that apply

• culture

• jobs

• relief from oppression and

  segregation

• Broadway

The Harlem Renaissance

The Great Migration

   Under the cloud of the Jim Crow laws and

hate crimes in the south, African Americans

yearned for a new life. The only opportunity

many had was sharecropping, a system

where a landowner rented out portions of his

land in exchange for a share of the crop or

profit. After a natural disaster caused severe

damage to the crops, many found themselves

drowning in debt.

    

The Great Migration

  Around this time, World War I caused

immigration to dwindle in the U.S. and more

jobs became available in the north. From

about 1910 to 1920, hundreds of thousands of

African Americans set out in search of new opportunities,

settling in various cities along the way, including Chicago, Philadelphia,

and Detroit.

     Harlem, a northern district of New York

City, was a popular place for many. The city

became a melting pot for African Americans

of all social classes. This ushered in a rich

development of African American culture.

They shared their talents in the arts: jazz, blues, theater,

dance, art, and writing.

Multiple Choice

Part A During the Great Migration, African-Americans...

• moved south seeking improved economic opportunities and better weather.

• moved north seeking job opportunities and an escape from racial terrorism.

• found new artistic outlets and an escape from racial terrorism in the west.

• enjoyed better weather and higher quality housing without moving.

Multiple Choice

When hundreds of thousands of African Americans moved north, this was called…

• the Harlem Renaissance.

• the Great Migration.

• the Roaring 20s.

• Jim Crow.

Multiple Choice

Part B:

Select the detail that best supports your answer to Part A.

• With these jobs came a new black middle class.

• Harlem, a northern district of New York

  City,

• From

  about 1910 to 1920, hundreds of thousands of

  African Americans set out in search of new opportunities,

• The only opportunity

  many had was sharecropping, a system

  where a landowner rented out portions of hisland in exchange for a share of the crop or

  profit.

Writing, Writing, Writing

The word renaissance means rebirth, andthat is exactly what happened. The painful

memories of the south inspired many artiststo celebrate the survival of their African culture. Famous writers like Langston Hughes wrote many poems, novels, and plays. Another notable author was Zora Neal Hurston, an award winning author of short stories, novels, and plays. Similarly, W.E.B.Dubois, an activist and leader of the GreatMigration, wrote many great works. They wrote about life as African Americans in the United States. Dubois published the works of

many authors of color in his magazine.

W.E.B.Dubois

The word renaissance means rebirth, andthat is exactly what happened. The painful memories of the south inspired many artiststo celebrate the survival of their African culture. Famous writers like Langston Hughes wrote many poems, novels, and plays. Another notable author was Zora Neal Hurston, an award winning author of short stories, novels, and plays. Similarly, W.E.B.Dubois, an activist and leader of the GreatMigration, wrote many great works. They wrote about life as African Americans in the United States. Dubois published the works of

many authors of color in his magazine.

Writing, Writing, Writing

New political ideas that focused on the African-American experience greatly impacted the Harlem Renaissance. W.E.B. Du Bois was a sociologist who developed the theory of double consciousness. Du Bois described this as the split that many African-Americans felt between their black identity and their American identity. Even though most African-Americans had been born and raised in the US, the discrimination they faced made many feel like outcasts. Double consciousness was later explored by many black artists and writers. Du Bois was an early supporter of the Harlem Renaissance. However, he was also concerned that negative depictions of African-American life through art or literature could feed the racist views of whites.

Multiple Choice

Which statement would W.E.B. Du Bois most likely agree with?

• Which statement would W.E.B. Du Bois most likely agree with?

• The Harlem Renaissance was bad for African-Americans.

• Many African-Americans felt conflicted about being both black and American.

• Black artists and writers should always have depicted their communities honestly, even if those depictions were negative.

Break A Leg

The buzzing African American culture of

Harlem opened the stage door to many

actors, playwrights, and singers. Actor Paul

Robeson paved the way for himself and

other talented African Americans. Harlem

became the epicenter of black musical

reviews. Talents such as Charles Gilpin,

Adelaide Hall, and Evelyn Preer

commanded the stage. Soon, the white

population would come in droves to witness

their performances, and these performers of color would be invited to perform on

Broadway alongside white actors.

Multiple Choice

Which actor paved the way for other African Americans?

• Evelyn Preer

• Adelaide Hall

• Charles Gilpin

• Paul Robeson

Joyous Jazz

The opening of the famous Cotton Club

in 1923 created a home for entertainment.

Jazz and blues, invented by African-Americans in the south, became hugely popular during the Harlem Renaissance. These genres were new and exciting.The most famous were the jazz and blues artists who played there each night.

Pioneers of jazz music such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, Jelly Roll Morton, and Willy “The Lion” Smith played each night. The hopping rhythms coming from the music halls began to attract whites and people of color alike. The African American culture had gained a new respect in New York City, and Harlem was jumping. The era was

coined The New Negro Movement

Multiple Choice

During the Harlem Renaissance,

• black entertainers no longer faced discrimination.

• black performers pioneered new genres of music.

• white Americans stopped listening to jazz and blues.

• the south desegregated all schools and public places.

Multiple Choice

What other name was the era called?

• The United Negro Movement

• The Jazz Movement

• The New Negro Movement

• The Harlem Age

The End

The Stock Market Crash of 1929 brought

an end to the time known as the Roaring 20s as well as the Harlem Renaissance.

Struggling Americans could no longer

afford to dress up and hit the town. The

music halls began to close and poverty crept in. The big city had other things on its mindbesides Harlem nights. As racial tensions began to rise, Harlem felt forgotten. In 1935, a riot caused millions of dollars in property damage to Harlem. Three people were

killed, and hundreds were injured. This

served as the final nail in the coffin for the

Harlem Renaissance.

Multiple Select

What factors contributed to the end of the Harlem Renassiance? Check all that apply!

• Raising racial tensions in the city.

• The Stock Market Crash

• A riot caused millions of dollars in property damage to Harlem.

• The growing African American population in Chicago!

Multiple Choice

The author’s main purpose in this article is to…

• persuade the reader to read more about the Age of Jazz

• inform the reader of the great suffering endured by a specific population

• entertain the reader with a story about a trip to New York

• inform the reader of an important time in American history