Harlem Renaissance is the name given to the period from the end of World War I through the middle of the 1930s Depression, during which a group of talented African- American writers produced a sizable body of literature in the four prominent genres of poetry, fiction, drama, and essay.

Common themes: alienation, marginality, the use of folk material, the use of the blues tradition, the problems of writing for an elite audience.

The Harlem Renaissance was more than just a literary movement, it included racial consciousness; “The Back to Africa" movement led by Marcus Garvey; racial integration; the explosion of music, particularly jazz, spirituals and blues; painting; and, dramatic revues among others.

HOW DID THE MOVEMENT BEGIN? In the early 1900s several middle class African American families, wishing to escape the decaying conditions of the inner city, moved into the newly-built suburb of Harlem.

In addition, during World War I, a shortage of labor occurred as the generous supply of the European unskilled workforce ceased to flow into New York City.

This began a move north of educated African Americans. They, in turn, created a foothold into Harlem. In 1910 a large block along 135th and Fifth Ave was bought up by various African American realtors and a church group. These purchases caused a "white flight" and lowered real estate prices in the area.

From the southern states came vast numbers of African Americans attracted not only by the prospect of good paying jobs, but an escape from the inherent inequities and blatant institutional racism of the South.

The Black migration, from south to north, changed the image of African Americans from rural to urban, peasant to sophisticate.

Harlem became a crossroads where Blacks interacted with and expanded their contacts internationally. faculty.weber.edu

Harlem Renaissance profited from a spirit of self- determination which was widespread after W.W.I.

1935 marks the end of the era known as the Harlem Renaissance. It was mostly the result of Depression economics.

Works cited eyeconart.net faculty.weber.edu ocw.mit.edu ephemerapress.com nfo.net