From Realism To The
Harlem Renaissance
Dizzy Gillespe
Zora Neal Hurston
Jacob Lawrence
Billie Holliay
Richard Wright
What is Realism Again?
Remember, literature written around the time of the Civil
War sought to present the details of actual life in as real
of terms as possible, hence the name of the movement,
Realism.
Realists preferred authenticity, real people, in their real
environment, facing their real situations.
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is a
perfect example of a realist text because of it’s
authentic portrayal of slavery
True Meaning of Freedom?
The Civil War truly change the face of America and
allowed for opportunity previously unknown.
From 1865 to the Early 1920’s, voices previously
unheard, begin speaking freely and sharing
the unique perspectives, histories, and
cultures of the different regions of America.
Some of the biggest and most powerful of
these voices came from the Harlem
through authors like Zora Neal Hurston.
Zora Neal Hurston
What is a Renaissance?
A “Renaissance” literally means “Rebirth.”
It refers to a rebirth of a cultural interest in learning,
discovery, and values.
The “Harlem Renaissance” refers to a literary/artistic
movement during which a group of talented AfricanAmerican writers produced a sizable body of literature
in the four prominent genres of poetry, fiction, drama,
and essay.
When was the Harlem Renaissance?
The Harlem Renaissance began at the end of World
War I and continued through the middle of the 1930s
Depression.
Its origins are rooted in the “Great Migration” when,
between 1890 and 1920, about two million African
Americans migrate from the rural southern states to the
northern cities, where they hope to find better
opportunities and less discrimination.
The Great Migration?
1911
1920
1930
Lets stop and think
about this…What
would cause such a
huge movement of
People? What was
happening historically
to drive this migration?
How did Harlem Renaissance Start?
The “Improved” living conditions of the North resulted
in improved education and employment opportunities.
These improvements lead to a growing African
American Middle Class.
Then…
African American leaders such as W.E.B. Du Bois and
Marcus Garvey as well as organizations like the
N.A.A.C.P. helped to inspire racial pride in the middle
and working class.
W.E.B. Du Bois
Marcus Garvey
Then…
Du Bois believed that artistic and literary work could be
used as a form of propaganda to help combat racial
stereotypes and gain new respect
for the race.
The NAACP published The Crisis,
a journal used to share the literary
works of African Americans.
But…
Du Bois also believed in the “talented tenth.”
This was the idea that a small percentage of the African
American population who were exceptionally skilled
should be designated and educated as artistic and
cultural leaders.
He proposed absolute equality for the "talented tenth" and
technical training for the black masses.
What Was the Response ?
In response to the gains by African Americans, many
whites fought back during the summer of 1919… “The
Red Summer”
There were 25 major race riots and at
least 83 African Americans were
lynched.
The Ku Klux Klan held over 200
meetings to increase enrollment.
What Did The Authors Write About?
Common themes in the Literature of the Harlem
Renaissance include…
– alienation - feeling separated or isolated by hostility
– marginality - being placed or forced outside the main
group or groups of society
– the use of folk material - art, dialect, stories, the blues
But for the writers themselves, acceptance by the white world
was less important, as Langston Hughes put it, than the
"expression of our individual dark-skinned selves."
For Example…
Incident
By Countee Cullen
Which theme(s) are
present in this
Renaissance Poem?
Once riding in old Baltimore,
Heart-filled, head-filled with glee,
I saw a Baltimorean
Keep looking straight at me.
Now I was eight and very small,
And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked out
His tongue, and called me,
"Nigger."
I saw the whole of Baltimore
From May until December;
Of all the things that happened
there
That's all that I remember.
Your Assignment…
1. Pick an artistic form for an original piece of art
2. Research Harlem Renaissance artists associated
with your chosen art form
3. Note themes and techniques used by these artists
4. Create your own work of art exploring similar
themes and using similar techniques
5. Write about your art
6. Present to the class