Beauty, Strength, and Intelligence of African Americans in The Harlem Renaissance

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The Harlem Renaissance was the period in history from 1919 to 1940 where the beauty, strength, and intelligence of the African American people shone brightly through profound cultural and artistic expression in literature, art, and theatre. There was a transformation in African American identity and history, but more importantly for the first time in American history, Americans read the thoughts of blacks and embraced their productions, literature, and art (Gates Jr. and McKay).

The Harlem Renaissance Revisited

Renaissance is used by historians to characterize some moment in culture that once dormant, has been reawakened. The Harlem Renaissance was a response to the African American people’s social conditions. It offered affirmation of their dignity and humanity in the face of their poverty and the racism that had become a part of their everyday lives. The growth of the Harlem Renaissance was fueled by two important factors. The first factor was the migration that began during World War I. African Americans were inspired by the war to develop responsibility and self confidence that they did not have previously (Harden, Jackson, and Pitts).

The second factor was that they achieved a level of articulation that allowed them to express themselves in literature, art, and theatre due to the defiance, bitterness, and impatience that they developed during the war: the aforementioned self confidence. The writers of the Harlem Renaissance did not use the expressive literature, art, and theatre to revolt against government and society; they used it to protest the unjust operation of government and as a vehicle to bring about equality for all races (Harden, Jackson, and Pitts).

Leading Figures of the Period

The Harlem Renaissance was an ...

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...s some felt he fostered racial distrust by emphasizing the negative traits of black Americans. His peaceful politics conflicted with the militancy of younger writers, but he continued to play a major role in the Harlem Renaissance without endorsing violent action (Valade III 105).

Works Cited

Gates Jr., Henry Louis, and Nellie Y. McKay. The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Company , Inc. , 2004. Print.

Harden, Renata, Christopher K. Jackson, and Dr. Berlethia J. Pitts. “Reading the Harlem Renaissance into Public Policy: Lessons from the Past to the Present.” Afro-Americans in New York Life and History (n.d): 7-36. JSTOR. Web. 7 Feb. 2014.

Valade III, Roger M. “A Black Literary Guide to the Harlem Renaissance.” The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education 11 (1996): 102-109. JSTOR. Web. 29 Jan. 2014.

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