Kaley M.'s English Blog: Okay guys this could become a problem I have fallen in love with the Harlem Renaissance and there's nothing anyone can do to stop me

An Overview of the Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement of the African American community of Harlem, New York.
This movement lasted from the 1920s to the early 1930s, emerging towards the end of World War I.
The Harlem Renaissance was primarily a literary movement, but it also helped develop theater, art, music, and politics.
The Renaissance in Harlem sprung from increased education and employment opportunities following the Civil War.
The more educated and socially conscious people settled in Harlem, the more the political and cultural central of black America was developed.
As the middle class grew, the advocation of racial equality grew too.
African American literature and arts (performing, visual, etc.) grew more popular during the Harlem Renaissance.
The factor that united the participants was their sense of taking action for the same purpose and giving more expression of the arts to African American culture in Harlem.
A strong sense of racial pride was one of the major push factors to make the Harlem Renaissance happen, but a want for both social and political equality.
There was much diversity shown during the Harlem Renaissance, which allowed it to appeal to a wide variety of people. Advances in literature, theater, music, visual arts, and many other fields offered something for everyone.

Bessie Smith

During the Harlem Renaissance she was also known as the Empress of the Blues.
Bessie Smith was an American singer
She recorded with many famous and accomplished musicians, such as Benny Goodman and Louis Armstrong, in the early 1920s.
She was the most popular blues singer of her time
The "emotional power of her voice" really contributed to her popularity, along with the content of the songs she sang.

A link to Bessie's song "Nobody Knows When You're Down and Out": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MzU8xM99Uo&feature=related

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes was an American writer
He wrote many poems, plays, short stories, and novels
He also wrote for a newspaper column
His character Simple, which he created for his newspaper column, was very popular
Simple depicted everyday experiences of black citizens

Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker was both a singer and a dancer
Her career began around the time that mainstream America began to take a serious interest in African American culture
She was one of the most prominent figures of the Harlem Renaissance
She moved to Paris in the mid-1920s
Josephine helped introduce European audiences to African American dance styles and music

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Kaley M.'s English Blog