
The Harlem Renaissance • Began in Harlem NY in the 1920s • An increase in black pride led many black intellectuals to write work portraying the lives of the African American working class. • These writers used European literary styles to express their ideas.
Jazz, Blues, and Theatre • Jazz and Blues were an new form of music that was a product of the Harlem Renaissance. • During and after WWI, musician from New Orleans and Miss. Brought their talents to large cities of the North. • There they found a receptive audience of both whites and blacks.
Key Figures of the Renaissance • Langston Hughes (author) wrote memorable plays, poems, and short stories about the black experience in the US. • Zora Neal Hurston (writer) wrote the 1st major stories about African American women.
Racial Conflicts • African Americans were denied most all opportunities for advancement. • Eager for solution, many joined Marcus Garvey’s BACK TO AFRICA MOVEMENT • Though few left the US, the movement inspired unity among blacks. • Riots occurred in major Northern cities as mobs of whites invaded black neighborhoods and began killing blacks in anger for taking away low-paying jobs.