Essay On The Harlem Renaissance

Few people have heard of the Harlem Renaissance, let alone know what a large impact it had on society today. During World War One, African Americans had fought alongside whites to defeat their enemies. However, they were welcomed home with the same cruel, unfair prejudice as before the war. Although slavery had been abolished long ago, many Caucasians still held a serious grudge against the black population in general. Very little of African American culture had trickled through the enormous racial dam built by Caucasians at that time. However, the 1920’s was a time of extreme cultural reformation for society where blacks began to share their work in art, literature, and other cultural aspects with the changing world. Despite the severe oppression enforced by the white population of America, a period of cultural rebirth occurred in the 1920’s, more commonly known as the Harlem Renaissance.

When black soldiers began to return to their old daily lives after World War One, they sought a new home where they could be accepted as equals. They knew that there was no hope for that in the South, where racism was the strongest, so many traveled North in a large movement known as the Great Migration. Other factors played a role in this movement, such as natural disasters and the need for education and employment. The most popular destination for negroes looking for a better place to live was Harlem, New York. Harlem provided decent, nonsegregated education, and also better hope for good employment opportunities. However, this city was flooded with new African Americans, and it, like many others, became an identifiably black city. Even nonsegregated schools consisted of mostly black students. The white population began to dwindle in these c...

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...bvious that the Caucasians were slowly easing into the idea that blacks could be treated as equals. However, African Americans still had a long way to go before that could be achieved.

Despite the prejudicial laws and feeling cast towards African Americans, their culture began to flourish during the revolutionary period of time known as the Harlem Renaissance. They were able to excel in all areas, including literature, education, art and music. Their work was soon exposed to the world. Although there were many struggles along the way, Caucasians gradually began to accept that the status of blacks was slowly rising in society. The various aspects of culture introduced by black people in the 1920’s was a big step towards equality for African Americans. Without the many new ideas presented throughout the Harlem Renaissance, America would be in a different place today.