Literary Creativity and Cultural Expression
This era sees major contributions by African Americans to poetry and prose, which defined the Harlem and Chicago Renaissance Movements. The primary distinction between these two movements is their time periods and forums for expression. Since the Harlem Renaissance traces its start date to the Roaring Twenties, the prosperity of the decade allows for a flourishing of art, often sponsored by wealthy white patrons. These factors contribute to the misconception that the Harlem Renaissance is an era of 'higher' art than the 'proletarian' production of the Depression-era Chicago Renaissance. In reality, they are responding to related, but different circumstances during overlapping time periods. Both movements receive significant support from the Federal Writers Project, which aims to capture American culture with an emphasis on folklife. The Harlem Renaissance showcases primitivism, rooted in its ties to Pan-Africanism, expatriatism after WW1, and the cultural contributions of Caribbean immigrants. In comparison, the Chicago Renaissance draws upon its ties to the agrarian South and Midwest in addition to illuminating the redlining, racial violence, and efforts to generate a governmental response to poverty which characterize its urban landscapes. The exact dates of the end of this era are unclear, as many of the writers of both the Harlem and Chicago Renaissances are active in the institutions, organizations, and social circles which serve as driving forces during the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements.
Key Concepts
The Harlem Renaissance encompasses the figures and production of the literary enclave of Harlem, New York. The imagery and inspiration for these works draws from urban scenes as well as elements of African heritage. Notably remembered for its contributions to American culture during the 1920s, the jazz aesthetic features prominently in authors' stylistic choices. This period sees a peak in interest by white audiences of African-American culture, which contributes to its popularity and is a substantial source of patronage. Many writers of this period are the first Black students and/ or graduates at Ivy League colleges and universities. The Great Depression shifts the mood of the literature to depictions of families in poverty, but the tone is still aspirational and pushes for political and social advancements for African Americans. However, homophobia negatively impacts the critical reception of some of these works and suppresses further analysis of the expression of gender and sexuality during this period.
Beginning a bit later than its predecessor, the Chicago Renaissance starts in the 1930s and is grounded in Black Chicagoans' experiences of the Great Depression. Also strongly influenced by the Great Migration, it mirrors the Harlem Renaissance but contains elements of a distinct midwestern attitude. There is an emphasis on hard work, domestic elements, and family life. Compared to the east coast, educational opportunities are more limited and communities are farther spread out; whether by landscape, infrastructure, or segregation. Many writers of the era find an audience through local newspapers instead of literary magazines, strengthening ties between urban midwestern communities and remaining families in the south. Another significant contributor to African-American scholarship of the period is the sociology department of the University of Chicago, structuring the movement in the genre of social realism. In addition, the Federal Writers Project provides support to many poets and playwrights of the period.
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belles lettres
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Black bohemia
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expatriatism and Caribbean immigration
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jazz aesthetic
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race men
Representative Texts
The Crisis reader : stories, poetry, and essays from the N.A.A.C.P.'s Crisis magazine by Call Number: 810.80896 W753CAfter its start in 1910, The Crisis: A Record of the Darker Races magazine became the major outlet for works by African American writers and intellectuals. In 1920, Langston Hughes's poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" was published in The Crisis and W.E.B. Du Bois, the magazine's editor, wrote about the coming "renaissance of American Negro literature," beginning what is now known as the Harlem Renaissance."
Home to Harlem by A novel that gives voice to the alienation and frustration of urban blacks during an era when Harlem was in vogue.
Quicksand and Passing by Call Number: 813.52 L343Q2Two novels of 1920s Harlem describe Helga Crane's search for freedom and personal expression, and Irene's friendship with Clare, who attempts to pass for white.
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blues aesthetic
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Bronzeville
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Federal Writers Project
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literary naturalism
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sociology
Representative Texts
Maud Martha by Call Number: 813.54 B873MISBN: 9780404113681The life of a young black woman growing up in Chicago is a constant effort to find status in an unsympathetic environment.In poet Gwendolyn Brooks's only novel, we meet Maud Martha Brown, a young Black woman who sees the poetry in everyday life despite pervasive racism and sexism, as she grows up and starts a family on the South Side of Chicago.
A raisin in the sun : a drama in three acts by ISBN: 284581Publication Date: 1959The title comes from the poem "Harlem" (also known as "A Dream Deferred") by Langston Hughes. The story tells of a Black family's experiences in south Chicago, as they attempt to improve their financial circumstances with an insurance payout following the death of the father, and deals with matters of housing discrimination, racism, and assimilation.
Writings of Frank Marshall Davis by ISBN: 9781604731491Publication Date: 2007-01-01Frank Marshall Davis (1905-1987) was a central figure in the black press, working as reporter and editor for the Atlanta World, the Associated Negro Press, the Chicago Star, and the Honolulu Record. Writings of Frank Marshall Davis presents a selection of Davis's nonfiction, providing an unprecedented insight into one journalist's ability to reset the terms of public conversation and frame the news to open up debate among African Americans and all Americans. During the middle of the twentieth century, Davis set forth a radical vision that challenged the status quo. His commentary on race relations, music, literature, and American culture was precise, impassioned, and engaged. At the height of World War II, Davis boldly questioned the nature of America's potential postwar relations and what they meant for African Americans and the nation. His work challenged the usefulness of race as a social construct, and he eventually disavowed the idea of race altogether. Throughout his career, he championed the struggles of African Americans for equal rights and laboring people seeking fair wages and other benefits. In his reviews on music, he argued that blues and jazz were responses to social conditions and served as weapons of racial integration. His book reviews complemented his radical vision by commenting on how literature reshapes one's understanding of the world. Even his travel writings on Hawaii called for cultural pluralism and tolerance for racial and economic difference. Writings of Frank Marshall Davis reveals a writer in touch with the most salient issues defining his era and his desire to insert them into the public sphere.
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