the great migration & the harlem renaissance mr. daniel lazar
TRANSCRIPT
The Great Migration The Great Migration & The Harlem & The Harlem RenaissanceRenaissance
Mr. Daniel LazarMr. Daniel Lazar
The Great MigrationThe Great Migration
• Push FactorsPush Factors• Racial ViolenceRacial Violence
• Rise of the KKKRise of the KKK• LynchingLynching
• Economic Repression Economic Repression • Share croppingShare cropping• Tenant FarmingTenant Farming
• KKK: Boycotts and IntimidationKKK: Boycotts and Intimidation• Political RepressionPolitical Repression
• Jim Crow LawsJim Crow Laws• Sundown TownsSundown Towns
• Environmental DevastationEnvironmental Devastation• Volatile Weather of 1915-16 (drought and flood)Volatile Weather of 1915-16 (drought and flood)• Boll WeevilBoll Weevil
The Great MigrationThe Great Migration
• Pull FactorsPull Factors• Economic Opportunity?Economic Opportunity?• Political RightsPolitical Rights• Unity and SolidarityUnity and Solidarity• HopeHope• Mystery, Adventure and MythsMystery, Adventure and Myths
The Great MigrationThe Great Migration
• What Migrants Brought With ThemWhat Migrants Brought With Them• Economic DespairEconomic Despair• IlliteracyIlliteracy• Political inexperiencePolitical inexperience• Experiences & MemoriesExperiences & Memories
• Hopes and DreamsHopes and Dreams• Fear & DespairFear & Despair• Racism & PrejudiceRacism & Prejudice
• Culture: music, poetry, prose, visual art…Culture: music, poetry, prose, visual art…
The Great MigrationThe Great Migration
Where African-Americans Migrated To & WhyWhere African-Americans Migrated To & Why
• Primarily Chicago, Detroit and NY Primarily Chicago, Detroit and NY
• Also: St. Louis, Indianapolis, PhiladelphiaAlso: St. Louis, Indianapolis, Philadelphia
• Industrial Towns with Booming Industrial Towns with Booming IndustriesIndustries
• Towns With Supportive NetworksTowns With Supportive Networks
Robert Johnson is the most important blues musician who ever lived. Robert Johnson is the most important blues musician who ever lived. I have never found anything more deeply soulful. His music remains I have never found anything more deeply soulful. His music remains the most powerful cry that I think you can find in the human voice.the most powerful cry that I think you can find in the human voice.
---Eric Clapton---Eric Clapton
The Twelve-Bar BluesThe Twelve-Bar Blues
{1----2----3----4----}{1----2----3----4----}
{5----6----7----8----}{5----6----7----8----}
{9----10----11----12----}{9----10----11----12----}
*12 Bar and Repeat*12 Bar and Repeat*Bars 11-12 are turnaround to Bar 1 (The Top)*Bars 11-12 are turnaround to Bar 1 (The Top)
The Harlem RenaissanceThe Harlem Renaissance
"We younger Negro artists now intend to "We younger Negro artists now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves express our individual dark-skinned selves
without fear or shame. . . . We build our without fear or shame. . . . We build our temples for tomorrow, as strong as we know temples for tomorrow, as strong as we know
how and we stand on the top of the how and we stand on the top of the mountain, free within ourselves." mountain, free within ourselves."
--Langston Hughes, "The Negro Artist --Langston Hughes, "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain"and the Racial Mountain"
The Harlem RenaissanceThe Harlem Renaissance
"Harlem is romantic in its own right. And it is "Harlem is romantic in its own right. And it is hard and strong, its noise, heat, cold, cries hard and strong, its noise, heat, cold, cries
and colours are so. And the nostalgia is and colours are so. And the nostalgia is violent too; the eternal radio seeping violent too; the eternal radio seeping
through everything day and night, indoors through everything day and night, indoors and out, becomes somehow the and out, becomes somehow the
personification of restlessness, desire, personification of restlessness, desire, brooding."brooding."
--Nancy Cunard “Harlem Review”--Nancy Cunard “Harlem Review”
The Harlem RenaissanceThe Harlem Renaissance
"The true spirit of jazz is a joyous revolt from "The true spirit of jazz is a joyous revolt from convention, custom, authority, boredom, convention, custom, authority, boredom, even sorrow--from everything that would even sorrow--from everything that would
confine the soul of man and hinder its riding confine the soul of man and hinder its riding free on the air." free on the air."
--J.A. Rogers, "Jazz at Home,"--J.A. Rogers, "Jazz at Home,"
Causes of The Harlem Renaissance
• The Migration & Overcrowding• Harlem 1920-1929 = 150,000 to 330,000• An international movement: The South, West
Indies, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica• Overcrowding and Poverty (a mixed
blessing?)
• Economic Bubble of 1920’s• Liberation of Women in 1920’s• Growth of Cities & New Urban Scene• Media: Radio & Newspapers
African-American WritersAfrican-American Writers
Claude McKay Claude McKay
““If We Must Die”If We Must Die”
If we must die, let it not be like hogsIf we must die, let it not be like hogsHunted and penned in an inglorious spot,Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,Making their mock at our accursed lot.Making their mock at our accursed lot.
If we must die, O let us nobly die,If we must die, O let us nobly die,So that our precious blood may not be shedSo that our precious blood may not be shed
In vain; then even the monsters we defyIn vain; then even the monsters we defyShall be constrained to honor us though dead!Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!
O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe!O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe!Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,
And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow!And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow!What though before us lies the open grave?What though before us lies the open grave?
Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack,Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack,Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!
African-American WritersAfrican-American Writers
Claude McKayClaude McKay““White Houses”White Houses”
Your door is shut against my tightened face,Your door is shut against my tightened face,And I am sharp as steel with discontent;And I am sharp as steel with discontent;But I possess the courage and the graceBut I possess the courage and the graceTo bear my anger proudly and unbent.To bear my anger proudly and unbent.
The pavement slabs burn loose beneath my feet,The pavement slabs burn loose beneath my feet,A chafing savage, down the decent street;A chafing savage, down the decent street;
And passion rends my vitals as I pass,And passion rends my vitals as I pass,Where boldly shines your shuttered door of glass.Where boldly shines your shuttered door of glass.
Oh, I must search for wisdom every hour,Oh, I must search for wisdom every hour,Deep in my wrathful bosom sore and raw,Deep in my wrathful bosom sore and raw,
And find in it the superhuman powerAnd find in it the superhuman powerTo hold me to the letter of your law!To hold me to the letter of your law!Oh, I must keep my heart inviolateOh, I must keep my heart inviolate
Against the potent poison of your hate.Against the potent poison of your hate.
African-American WritersAfrican-American Writers
Langston Hughes Langston Hughes ““Dream Deferred”Dream Deferred”
What happens to a dream deferred?What happens to a dream deferred?Does it dry upDoes it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?Like a raisin in the sun?Or fester like a sore--Or fester like a sore--
And then run?And then run?Does it stink like rotten meat?Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--Or crust and sugar over--like a syrupy sweet?like a syrupy sweet?Maybe it just sagsMaybe it just sagslike a heavy load.like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?Or does it explode?
“ “If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never understand”understand”--Armstrong--Armstrong
Louis Armstrong Quotes and Louis Armstrong Quotes and TributesTributes
"Armstrong is to music what Einstein is to "Armstrong is to music what Einstein is to physics and the Wright Brothers are to physics and the Wright Brothers are to travel."travel."
-- Ken Burns-- Ken Burns"He left an undying testimony to the human "He left an undying testimony to the human
condition in the America of his time"condition in the America of his time"-- Wynton Marsalis-- Wynton Marsalis
"Americans, unknowingly, live part of every "Americans, unknowingly, live part of every day in the house that Satch built"day in the house that Satch built"
--Leonard Feather--Leonard Feather
Louis Armstrong Quotes and Louis Armstrong Quotes and TributesTributes
"I think that anybody from the 20th century, "I think that anybody from the 20th century, up to now, has to be aware that if it wasn't up to now, has to be aware that if it wasn't for Louis Armstrong, we'd all be wearing for Louis Armstrong, we'd all be wearing powdered wigs. I think that Louis powdered wigs. I think that Louis Armstrong loosened the world, helped Armstrong loosened the world, helped people to be able to say "Yeah," and to walk people to be able to say "Yeah," and to walk with a little dip in their hip. Before Louis with a little dip in their hip. Before Louis Armstrong, the world was definitely square, Armstrong, the world was definitely square, just like Christopher Columbus thought."just like Christopher Columbus thought."-- South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela-- South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela
Duke EllingtonDuke Ellington
Ellington the QuotableEllington the Quotable
““It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.”It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.”
““Art is dangerous. It is one of the attractions: when Art is dangerous. It is one of the attractions: when it ceases to be dangerous you don't want it.”it ceases to be dangerous you don't want it.”
““Put it this way: Jazz is a good barometer of Put it this way: Jazz is a good barometer of freedom… In its beginnings, the United States of freedom… In its beginnings, the United States of America spawned certain ideals of freedom and America spawned certain ideals of freedom and independence through which, eventually, jazz independence through which, eventually, jazz was evolved, and the music is so free that many was evolved, and the music is so free that many people say it is the only unhampered, unhindered people say it is the only unhampered, unhindered expression of complete freedom yet produced in expression of complete freedom yet produced in this country.”this country.”
Themes of Harlem Themes of Harlem Renaissance Visual ArtRenaissance Visual Art
1. The exoticizing of Africa and Africanness. 1. The exoticizing of Africa and Africanness. Glorification of BlacknessGlorification of Blackness
2. African-American History, Slavery Identity and Pride 2. African-American History, Slavery Identity and Pride 3. Primitivist theme: used for and against the black 3. Primitivist theme: used for and against the black
race.race.4. Vitality of African-American Community 4. Vitality of African-American Community 5. Racism and Discrimination5. Racism and Discrimination6. The exploring of sexual themes6. The exploring of sexual themes7. Religion7. Religion8. Night Life8. Night Life9. Family Life9. Family Life10. Other Arts: dance, music, poetry10. Other Arts: dance, music, poetry11. International Perspective11. International Perspective
AARON DOUGLASAARON DOUGLAS“ASPECTS OF NEGRO LIFE FROM “ASPECTS OF NEGRO LIFE FROM SLAVERY TO RECONSTRUCTION”SLAVERY TO RECONSTRUCTION”
Aaron DouglasAaron Douglas“In an African Setting”“In an African Setting”
WILLIAM H. JOHNSONWILLIAM H. JOHNSON“GOING TO CHURCH”“GOING TO CHURCH”
William H. JohnsonWilliam H. Johnson“Mount Calvary”“Mount Calvary”
William H. JohnsonWilliam H. Johnson““Chain Gang”Chain Gang”
Palmer HaydenPalmer Hayden“Nous Quatre a Paris”“Nous Quatre a Paris”
Palmer HaydenPalmer Hayden““Jeunesse”Jeunesse”
Paul ColinPaul Colin“Ball Negre”“Ball Negre”
Archibald MotleyArchibald Motley“Street Scene in Chicago”“Street Scene in Chicago”
Archibald MotleyArchibald Motley“Blues”“Blues”
Why Did The Harlem Renaissance End?
• The Great DepressionThe Great Depression• The Migration toned down and communities settledThe Migration toned down and communities settled• Gentrification of CommunitiesGentrification of Communities• Fundamentalists cursed the devil’s music and art Fundamentalists cursed the devil’s music and art • It didn’t…it evolvedIt didn’t…it evolved
• Rock & Roll, Motown, Hip Hop, RapRock & Roll, Motown, Hip Hop, Rap• Commercialization: Elvis, Gershwin, Sinatra, etc.Commercialization: Elvis, Gershwin, Sinatra, etc.
• Intellectual movements ever end. They live on in Intellectual movements ever end. They live on in the minds of men and women.the minds of men and women.
Legacy of the Harlem RenaissanceLegacy of the Harlem Renaissance
Paradox: art as a release of, and contributor to, Paradox: art as a release of, and contributor to, tensionstensions
The white audience The white audience Glorification & sophistication of African-American Glorification & sophistication of African-American
life and culture life and culture A perplexing sense of optimism in HR art A perplexing sense of optimism in HR art Cultivation of AfrocentrismCultivation of Afrocentrism Black Pride & The Civil Rights MovementBlack Pride & The Civil Rights Movement Cultivation of economic vitality Cultivation of economic vitality A Revolution in American Art, Music and CultureA Revolution in American Art, Music and Culture An International Phenomenon An International Phenomenon
The EndThe End