HARLEM RENAISSANCE1920s – 1940s

MIGRATION

Beginning after Civil War, African Americans began moving out of the South, where they were surrounded by continuing discrimination, to the north, where there were significantly more opportunities

Early 20th century: technological advancements/WWI many opportunities for African Americans to prosper in the north

Most of this movement was toward major metropolitan cities (New York, Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington, D.C.)

RENAISSANCE

African American heritage celebrated in these cities; this spread to cities across the country

Centered in Harlem, in northern Manhattan “New Negro” (A. Locke): in literature, music,

art Countee Cullen, Gwendolyn Brooks, Langston

Hughes, Jean Toomer

POETRY: WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Tone: what is the author’s mood? These poems typically have a clear emotional message (anger, frustration, impatience, hope, etc.)

Sound: this is the jazz age. Poetry and songs are closely related, and many of the poets during this time were heavily influenced by music.

Audience: who is the audience? This is likely going to be related to the emotion of the poem (if the poem is angry, who is the poet angry at? Why?)