Harlem+Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a time in US history that reflects the flourish of written, musical and artistic creativity among the African-American community during the 1920s and 1930s. The Great Migration of the Black Community contributed to this era. Although the time that the Harlem Renaissance began isn't specific but the "//Father of the Harlem Radicalism"// was Hubert Harrison (shown below) started the Liberty League and //The Voice// which was the 1st organization and newspaper of the "New Negro Movement", his work was political.

After this these accomplishments. The African-American community grew rapidly producing many poets, authors, singers, and artists. Such as.....

Langston Hughes... A poet and author born on Feb. 1st 1902 wrote many famous poems like his signature poem //"The Crisis//" and //"The Negro Speaks of Rivers"//.

Zora Neale Hurston... Another author during the Harlem Renaissance born on Jan. 7th 1891. Wrote more than 50 short stories, essays, and plays and also 4 novels. She is best known for //"Their Eyes Were Watching God".//

Bessie Smith... Born April 15th 1894, She was an American Blues Singer and she was the most popular in the 1920s and 1930s. She is known of one of the greatest blues singers of the era. media type="youtube" key="JpVCqXRlXx4" height="385" width="480"

Louis Armstrong... Born August 4 1901, He was a famous Jazz trumpist and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana. He along with Bessie Smith made an influence on jazz vocalists. media type="youtube" key="vnRqYMTpXHc" height="385" width="480"

Malvin Gray Johnson... Born January 28th 1896, He was a famous African-American painter born and raised in North Carolina. He was known for his use of Cubist painting. (This was one of his famous paintings below)

Laura Wheeler Waring... May 18th 1887, She was another famous African-American painter, best known for her paintings of prominent African-Americans during this time period.

This time period was a great time for the African-American community not just in the Harlem Community in New York but many other African-Americans in other countries like the Caribbean and Europe (mainly Paris). Many places and events began to encourage the Black Community to be creative but none was more famous than the....

Apollo Theater, Was one of the most famous music halls and the most famous club associated with the famous African-American preformers of the time also used for the Jazz and Swing dancing. The Apollo Theater is the most lasting physical legacy of this time. It opened on January 26th 1914, it has remained a symbol of African-American culture holding some of the most famous musicians known today such as... Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, James Brown, Luther Vandross, Lauryn Hill and even Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5. The Apollo Theater is still open today after close to 100 years.

media type="youtube" key="8m1X6y9Gzhs" height="385" width="480" (A preformance by Sarah Vaughan at the Apollo)

media type="youtube" key="bWtUzdI5hlE" height="385" width="480" (Billie Holiday featuring Louis Armstrong at the Apollo)

The Harlem Renaissance was a great time for African-Americans this time of intellect and creative prosperity helped uplift the African-American race and break the stereotypes and racism connected to the race. Each person of this time period helped to reform and shape the view of the average Black man or woman to not just a cotton picker in the feilds but beautiful men and women with extraordinary talents that ranged from singers of Jazz and the Blues to amazing painters and beautiful authors. All of the people seen above and more helped change American culture. All of these strides helped people to see the true talent of the African-American race and made it possible for Black men and woman today to be all they can be. People like Langston Hughes, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Laura Wheeler Waring, Zora Neale Hurston and Malvin Gray Johnson. Men and woman who created beautiful music with their voices and instruments, painting on a beauitful canvas, and even writing spectaclar stories and poems for the world to read today. If this era had never come the African-American race might not have the respect they do today in movies, recording studios, art galleries, sport and even book stores. This is one of the great time periods that led to the uplifting of the whole African-American race and led the way for future men and woman to do what they wanted to do and fight for what was right.

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