Harlem Renaissance facts for kids
The Harlem Renaissance was an exciting time for African-American culture in the 1920s and 1930s. It had a huge impact on their literature, philosophy (ways of thinking), and music. This movement is also known by other names, like the "Black Literary Renaissance" or "The New Negro Movement."
This special time began in Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City, right after World War I. In 1925, a very important book was published called "The New Negro." It was put together by a writer named Alain Locke. This book was a collection of writings by African-Americans. It explored their lives and experiences since the American Civil War. After this book came out, the movement was often called the "New Negro Movement."
The Harlem Renaissance changed how many African-American writers and artists thought. They started to challenge old ideas that some white Americans had about black Americans. They strongly believed they were equal and deserved respect. They didn't want to just copy the art, writing, or music of white Americans. Instead, they wanted to celebrate their unique African culture. They felt like their culture was being "reborn" after the difficult years of slavery. The word "Renaissance" actually means "rebirth." It's often used to describe a period in Europe from about 1400 to 1600.
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Creative Minds of the Harlem Renaissance
During this time, many talented people created amazing works of art, music, and literature. They helped to shape the new cultural identity.
Writers of Novels
Many authors wrote novels that explored the lives and challenges of African-Americans.
- Jessie Redmon Fauset – Wrote books like There is Confusion (1924) and Plum Bun (1928).
- Rudolph Fisher – Known for The Walls of Jericho (1928).
- Langston Hughes – Wrote Not Without Laughter (1930).
- Zora Neale Hurston – Famous for Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937).
- Nella Larsen – Wrote Quicksand (1928) and Passing (1929).
- Claude McKay – Author of Home to Harlem (1927).
- George Schuyler – Wrote Black No More (1930).
- Wallace Thurman – Known for The Blacker the Berry (1929).
- Jean Toomer – Wrote Cane (1923).
- Eric Walrond – Author of Tropic Death (1926).
- Walter White – Wrote The Fire in the Flint (1924).
Playwrights and Actors
Theater was also a big part of the Harlem Renaissance.
- Charles Gilpin – A talented actor.
- Eugene O'Neill – A playwright who wrote plays like Emperor Jones.
- Paul Robeson – A famous actor and singer.
Poets
Poetry was a powerful way for artists to express their feelings and ideas.
- Langston Hughes – A very well-known poet.
- Jessie Redmon Fauset – An editor, poet, and novelist.
- Countee Cullen – Wrote The Black Christ and Other Poems (1929).
- Claude McKay – Also a poet, in addition to writing novels.
- James Weldon Johnson – A poet and civil rights activist.
- Arna Bontemps – A poet and novelist.
- Richard Bruce Nugent – A poet and artist.
Musicians and Composers
Music, especially jazz and blues, was at the heart of the Harlem Renaissance.
- Nora Douglas Holt Ray
- Billie Holiday
- Duke Ellington
- Count Basie
- Louis Armstrong
- Eubie Blake
- Bessie Smith
- Fats Waller
- Aretha Franklin
- Ella Fitzgerald
Popular Entertainment Spots
Harlem was full of exciting places where people could enjoy music, dancing, and shows.
- Cotton Club
- Apollo Theater
- Black Swan Records – An important record label.
- Small's Paradise
- Connie's Inn
- Speakeasies – Secret bars during the time of Prohibition.
- Rent party – Parties held to help pay rent.
Images for kids
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Religion and Evolution Ad
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The multi-talented Adelaide Hall and Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson in the musical comedy Brown Buddies on Broadway, 1930
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Poster for Run, Little Chillun
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Trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie is emblematic of the mixture of high class society, popular art, and virtuosity of jazz.
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Langston Hughes, communist novelist and poet, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1936
See also
In Spanish: Renacimiento de Harlem para niños
