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By: Elizabeth Guerrero
The Harlem Renaissance was a Golden Age for African American artists, writers, and musicians. It was a time of pride for the African American community as a whole. Between the 1920s and 30s, many brilliant people, most of which were brought by the Great Migration, demonstrated the potential of African Americans in all aspects of society. Poetry, painting, jazz, and opera are just a few of the leading aspects which flourished under the interest of Black artists. A new Black identity was formed; a new sense of determination and pride.
To escape the racism of the South, six million African Americans relocated themselves to the North and West of the United States. The most popular destinations were big cities, which were overflowing with fresh opportunities. Cities such as New York, Cleveland, and Los Angeles, became epicenters for African American voices. The most dramatic of developments occurred in Harlem and became known as the Harlem Renaissance.
Harlem was a haven for African Americans. Economic prosperity was possible, and a revolution was about to begin. The key figures of the Harlem Renaissance have left their imprint in history. They included the great writer and thinker Langston Hughes, groundbreaking author Zora Neale Hurston, the trumpeter Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, activist and founder Marcus Garvey, and so many more. You may recognize most if not all of these names. They became so well-known for their contributions that their names are still taught today.
The stock market crash of 1929 marked a checkpoint for the Harlem Renaissance. The decline began soon after due to economic instability as a result of the Great Depression. However, the impact of the Harlem Renaissance for the African American community and the rest of the world is very far from gone. The country learned to appreciate Black culture, and a revised representation of what it meant to be Black was possible. In all its glory of lights and music, booming Black-owned businesses, and overall richness, Harlem set the stage for the civil rights movement and spurned degrading stereotypes.
“To express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are
pleased we are glad. If they are not, it doesn't matter. We know we are beautiful. And ugly, too.
The tom-tom cries, and the tom-tom laughs. If colored people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, their displeasure doesn't matter either. We build our temples for tomorrow, strong as we know how, and we stand on top of the mountain free within ourselves.”
-Langston Hughes (1901-1967)
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