The Beginning Of The Harlem Renaissance

Full Name Professor Subject Date Beginning of the Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance was a social, artistic and intellectual explosion and a major period in African-American history that lasted from 1918 until 1938. Though it was centered in Harlem neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan, New York City, various francophone black authors from the Caribbean and African colonies who lived in Paris for several years were greatly influenced by the Harlem Renaissance. Because of Jim Crow’s strong and complex rules and regulations in the South, many people suffered from economic depression, and a large number of African Americans found themselves moving from their current cities to industrialized and well-versed northern towns. After facing lots of problems, years of slavery, staunch prejudice and segregation rules, a couple of African Americans found hope in the northern side of the country. Unfortunately, they observed that prejudice still existed in the northern cities, and there was no way to get rid of it. Segregationist views had been forcing migrants to forge strong bonds with each other. As a result, white neighborhoods and black neighborhoods starting emerging throughout the towns (Herringshaw and DeAnn 15). During the Reconstruction Era, the emancipated people started demanding civic participation, cultural and economic self-determination and political equality. When the Civil War was over, Ku Klux Klan Act gave rise to group discussions and speeches by African Americans addressing their main issues and highlighting the solutions. In 1870, liberal whites successfully regained power in the southern areas. From 1891 to 1907, they continued working on different projects and passed legislation disenfranchised poor whites and various Negros. Then the democratic whites refused to give African Americans their rights and terrorized the community with lynch mobs and different forms of vigilante violence. Sometimes, they used to insult the convict labor system that had forced hundreds of African Americans to fight for their rights and raise their voices. Convict laborers were supposed senseless, and lifeless and democratic whites felt that they deserved severe, brutal and odd forms of corporal punishment. In such circumstances, life in the south and north became impossible, and African Americans started migrating to the safe areas in a large number (Rochkind, Arline and Simon 17). It’s true that most of the literary movements took place after this incident, and a generation shared its memories and let everyone know about its losses. I don’t think any society in the world permits violence, terrorism or another form of destruction. In those days, African Americans could not take severe measures against democratic whites, so they had to live their lives according to the rules and regulations of liberal whites. However, things started changing with time, and humans got to know what their rights are. More and more children received education and awareness among African Americans was created through different social media campaigns. Today, there is no system of slavery, and every person lives his life according to his own rules and regulations. There are no democratic and selfish whites to create a mess for others; instead, people have become more cooperative, coordinated, organized and well-mannered. It should be noticed that Christianity played a significant role in the Harlem Renaissance (Wintz, and Cary 16). Various social critics and writers claim that Christianity helped African Americans polish their lives. For instance, religious books were taught to the children, and they got to know about their duties and rights. Additionally, poems were written to motivate the immigrants. Langston Hughes’ Madam and the Minister is an excellent example of that and reflects the mood and temperature towards culture and tradition in the Harlem Renaissance. Even some Christian publications explained how vital Christianity was for African Americans during the Harlem Renaissance period. Different controversial questions were raised regarding the formation of a Union. In 1920, an article published in The Crisis demonstrated the problems African American priests had to face during their stay in the Catholic Church. The same report confronted what it saw as rules and regulations based on races that used to exclude African Americans from high positions in the churches (Herringshaw and DeAnn 15). Born in September 1885 in Philadelphia, Alain Leroy Locke was the only child of Mary Hawkins Locke and Pliny Ishmael Locke. He fought with rheumatic fever in his childhood and recovered from the illness by 17. Later on, he continued his high school education and finally completed his post-graduation degree from Harvard University. During his days at college, Alain Leroy Locke used to participate in speeches and competitions....