Harlem Renaissance By: Lauren Reimers and Tracy Meichsner

Introduction After African Americans were freed, they searched for their new identities The movement centered around Harlem, New York African American production of art, poetry, theatre, and music flourished

Poets Countee Cullen Claude McKay Jean Toomer Langston Hughes Ida B. Wells-Barnett

Countee Cullen Known for his poetry, fiction, and plays – Color, Copper Sun, The Ballad of a Brown Girl Awards – City Wide Poetry competition in high school – Witter Bynner Poetry Prize in college Harvard University Graduate Influenced by John Keats, Percy Shelley, and A.E. Housman He wrote in traditional European structures and verse including African American racial ideas

Claude McKay Established himself as a literary voice for social justice during the Harlem Renaissance Known for If We Must Die and Harlem Shadows Educated by his older brother, who possessed a library of English novels, poetry, and scientific texts Awards – Jamaican Institute of Arts and Sciences, gold medal, 1912, for two volumes of poetry, Songs of Jamaica and Constab Ballads – Harmon Foundation Award for distinguished literary achievement, NAACP, 1929, for Harlem Shadows and Home to Harlem – James Weldon Johnson Literary Guild Award, 1937 Influenced by his Jamaican culture background

Langston Hughes Known poet, play writer – Not Without Laughter (debut novel), The Ways of White Folks (short stories), Street Scene (lyrics for Broadway Musical) The leading voice of the Harlem Renaissance – Poetry showcased dignity and beauty in ordinary black life – One of the innovators of Jazz Poetry Inspired by Carl Sandburg and Walt Whitman

Inspirations Protested against background of race riots Write of racial stereotyping and of beauty and emotions of African Americans Romantic heritage of English poetry Modern influences such as Jazz and Blues – “The Weary Blues” –Langston Hughes

Inspiration Cont. Re-identify themselves as an entire population with their own culture Goal was to paint a picture of transition from cotton fields to big cities Religion-Christianity flourished in African Americans culture Philosophers – W.E.B. DuBois – Education The Great Gatsby By: Fitzgerald

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Poetry Scheme/Composition Repetitive structure and recurring themes Interplay among musicians Call-and-Response structure Reference black American past and experience of slavery Partnered with the Blues and Jazz (spiritual music)

Tracy’s Poem A Prayer 'Mid the discordant noises of the day I hear thee calling; I stumble as I fare along Earth's way; keep me from falling. Mine eyes are open but they cannot see for gloom of night: I can no more than lift my heart to thee for inward light. The wild and fiery passion of my youth consumes my soul; In agony I turn to thee for truth and self-control. For Passion and all the pleasures it can give will die the death; But this of me eternally must live, thy borrowed breath. 'Mid the discordant noises of the day I hear thee calling; I stumble as I fare along Earth's way; keep me from falling. Claude McKay

Lauren’s Poem Dinner Guest: Me I know I am The Negro Problem Being wined and dined, Answering the usual questions That come to white mind Which seeks demurely To Probe in polite way The why and wherewithal Of darkness U.S.A.-- Wondering how things got this way In current democratic night, Murmuring gently Over fraises du bois, "I'm so ashamed of being white.” The lobster is delicious, The wine divine, And center of attention At the damask table, mine. To be a Problem on Park Avenue at eight Is not so bad. Solutions to the Problem, Of course, wait. Langston Hughes