Harlem Renaissance Research Paper

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The Harlem Renaissance evolved from the racial injustices of the early 1900s, which were sparked by socioeconomic issues including the Great Migration and racial tensions following World War I. This led to a new era of African American cultural and artistic expression. The resurgence in antebellum policies in the South led many African Americans to migrate North in search of economic freedom, ultimately setting the stage for the Harlem Renaissance. Beginning in the 1910s, hundreds and thousands of people of color moved from the rural South to urban cities in the North, such as Harlem and St.Louis, in response to the myriad of racial barriers that prohibited the economic and social freedoms of African Americans. One of these obstacles was sharecropping. …show more content…
Through World War I, many African Americans fought not only for their country but for respect. Ultimately, all of these new ideas and voices catalyzed the Harlem Renaissance movement. African American veterans serving during the First World War were allowed to reap the social benefits from the war. As they migrated to northern cities, many of them were in need of a job in hopes of supporting themselves and their families. Consequently, the height of World War One was fast approaching, and many industries were in desperate need of employees to manufacture weapons and work in factories. This ultimately led many African Americans to "[find] labor in manufacturing, automobile, and food industries,” with some being assigned "labor battalions and units that were in charge of road work, digging holes, and transporting supplies overseas, particularly to France." Now that African Americans were able to find and sustain jobs, many aspiring artists were given opportunities to pursue their art on the side. However, even though there were positive benefits, African Americans returning from the Great War encountered a number of obstacles and adversity at …show more content…
One haven is literary salons. Literary salons where African American artists gather to discuss new writings, publications, music, and current events. A'Leila Walker, daughter of the first African American female millionaire, Madame CJ Walker, hosted events at her own home. Dubbed "the Dark Tower," the walls were "festooned with poems by Hughes and Cullen.” According to Hughes himself, Aelia became the "joy goddess of the Harlem 1920's". These "salons facilitated a forum for artists to evaluate each other's work." Likewise, salons also became places of cultural expression, allowing previously excluded minorities to have places to express themselves, present their work, and meet new people. African American women "had an opportunity to become part of a literary salon." Artists not only gained emotional support through salons, but also gained financial support as well. For instance, as the Great Depression hit right towards the end of the Harlem Renaissance, many artists became unemployed. They did not have the money and finances to support their careers and themselves. Thus, as one of five New Deal programs, the Work Progress Administration's federal art project, abbreviated as the WPA, was created to relieve the economic calamities of artists. The country was immediately divided into “regions,” with each region having local
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