Period 1
11/5/17
The Harlem Renaissance
Though the early 1900s until the 1930s there was an artistic movement taking place that represented the lifestyles and cultures of African Americans and what they went through. It originated when many black Americans moved to the town, Harlem forcing white Americans to become angry and leave. W.E.B Du Bois was a major political figure that represented black rights, and the movement that occurred in Harlem and the north. He represented black Americans that were tired of being mistreated with little to no right in the south and wanted to have a better lifestyle in the north. Throughout numerous riots from white Americans that felt black Americans should have no rights, black Americans were able to rise above this and depicted their struggle through Tv shows and music.
Jazz was originally rejected by black Americans, however, they soon came to realize that it was a type of music they thought represented them. It could be found anywhere in Harlem and other black communities during the 1920s, it went well with the illegal liquor that was sold and one example throughout the north to become a major face of the Harlem Renaissance. Along with Jazz, the Jim crow Laws was a TV show that depicted ways in which black Americans were discriminated against. One major way this was represented was the fact that all of the actors in the Jim Crow laws were white, showing how they didn't even trust black Americans enough to play as actors. Throughout the Harlem Renaissance major figures shaped the way that black Americans would be represented until modern days.
Great post Gavin. Its great to learn more about the history of Harlem and the people who made it the place it be. Harlem was not only a place where jazz was seemingly brought to life, but the place the cultivated black pride. I found it surprising that the black community initially rejected jazz music as they found it to be "classless" and of no importance trying to sever ties with it as they tried so intently to assimilate into white society. Even Du Bois who was such a prominent figure initially questioned it because he believed it to paint African Americans in a bad light, a music that he thought might have been interpreted as provocative and shrewd. I think something cool to look into would be a comparison between the old Harlem when it was a affluent white neighborhood to when it was the creativity center of New York.
ReplyDeleteHey Gavin great job! Also Leah, to add on when you and Gavin mention that "black Americans rejected jazz", to be correct more intelligent and hire class African Americans though education was not complex enough and set a low standard. They only began to accept Jazz because they realized the intelligence and musical sophistication it took to play those pieces in harmony. Jazz also was very important because not only was it beautiful and controversial and people liked it, it was one of the first steps to make the African American culture. This was special and many things that where done in Harlem at the time cultivated a culture that we still know today.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post Gavin. I liked how you combined the influence of Jazz to the black communities and how it connected back to what was going on in that era. I thought the post was very well researched and enjoyed learning a little more about the origin of modern music and Jazz. Cool illustration, also.
ReplyDeleteC. Shell