The Harlem Renaissance: An American Experience

The Harlem Renaissance: An American Experience

Painter Aaron Douglas, the "father" of African Art, stated in 1925, "Let's bare our arms and plunge them deep through laughter, through pain, through sorrow, through hope, through disappointment, into the very depths of the souls of our people and drag forth material crude, rough, neglected. Then let's sing it, dance it, write it, paint it" ("Harlem Renaissance" 1, par. 4). These words of triumph and strife epitomize the state of living during the Harlem Renaissance in the United States. Liberation, cultural pride, and expression in the arts embodied this period in American history. Beginning at the end of World War I and continuing on until the brink of the Great Depression of the 1930's, feelings of both acceptance and segregation contrived discord between blacks and whites living among one another. Effecting black Americans as well as America in general, this movement had a profound impact on our country that to this day is apparent in everyday life.

During the time that coined the term, "The Roaring 20's," hot nightclubs were filled with both blacks and whites, dancing and socializing to the latest blues and jazz tunes. This movement brought black Americans to a whole new realm of opportunity. Blacks began to make their "mark in politics, art, literature, music, science, the social sciences and every aspect of American life into which they could win their way" ("Harlem Renaissance" 2, par. 1). In the urbanized northern cities such as New York, Chicago, and Detroit, blacks had the chance to live without the constant fear of the KKK, lynching, or extreme poverty that engulfed the South. Also, because of overbuilt apartment houses, blacks could rent or buy new housing, with white neighbors, for the first time in history. With newly created industry jobs, blacks lived comfortably as members of the working class. The spirit and lifestyle of the black American was greatly changed by the Harlem Renaissance movement.

Along with the effect on the lives of black Americans, the country in general was changed by this movement. There was a growing acceptance for blacks living among whites in places such as Harlem, however a racial barrier stood between the people. Often times, whites would go to the black nightlife gathering places in order to feed their inquisitiveness of the "primitive" and "inferior" way of living the blacks carried on. Many white people, especially white celebrities, flocked to Harlem for the chance to catch a glimpse of black poets, painters, and musicians. This created a sense of excitement and freshness around the country that many favored. For white people living in apartment houses that neighbored black tenants, it was difficult accepting this as how it was going to be. With more than two hundred thousand blacks, the highest concentration of black people anywhere on earth, living in two square-mile neighborhood in Harlem, learning to live among one another was a necessity. America saw many changes as a result of the Harlem Renaissance movement that impacted the lives of everyone surrounded by the issues of the time.

Analyzing past mindset and decisions helps one to see what is and is not acceptable for contributing to a multicultural society. Americans must understand the glories and downfalls of the Harlem Renaissance