The Harlem Renaissance: 1920-1935

· The Harlem Renaissance, or “the New Negro Movement”, was a period of great creativity in literary, poetic, and musical fields from 1920 to 1935, in the New York City neighborhood of Harlem.

· “New Negro Movement” was applied to this event by a title of an anthology by Alain Locke, an African American writer, philosopher and educator, which was published in 1925.

· Some of the most important poets of the Harlem Renaissance were: James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes, Jean Toomer, and Gwendolyn Brooks.

· The works of Langston Hughes, and Gwendolyn Brooks are included in Vendlers “Poems, Poets, Poetry.” Gwendolyn Brooks’ “The Bean Eaters,” (p.405) “Beverly Hills, Chicago,” (p.406) and “We Real Cool” (p.89) are featured along with Langston Hughes “Dream Variation” (p.500), “Genius Child” (p.221), “Harlem” (p.501), “High to Low” (p.223), “I, Too” (p.501), “Me and the Mule” (p.222), “Theme for English B” (p.19), “The Weary Blues” (p.502), and “World War II” (p.245)

· It was at this time of the early 20^th century that many African Americans migrated north to find opportunities in hopes of a better life. Many ended up in cities like Washington D.C., Chicago, and New York City. African Americans were encouraged to celebrate their culture and heritage and the Harlem Renaissance was its result.

Langston Hughes (1902-1967) James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938)

Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) Jean Toomer (1894-1967)

· The school has no specific manifesto on the style of the poets during this period. But it was said that Langston Hughes used to write his works to jazz music.

· The reason the Harlem renaissance existed was to show that African Americans had a voice and hand in the arts, by producing some of the most cherished works in American History.

· The best example of works of the Harlem Renaissance is Langston Hughes’, “Harlem” which talks about a dream and how people let the dream either die or let it explode. Meaning an explosion of ideas and creations from this little place called Harlem.

- Colin Lazorka