The Harlem Renaissance is a cultural and intellectual movement born in the 1920's in Harlem. This movement led to the creation of all types of art : painting, literature, music, sculpture.
Many painters like Palmer Hayden , Lois Mailou Jones , Charles Henry Alston , Aron Douglas... just to name a few were inspired by Harlem and the life of Afro-americans in Harlem to make their masterpieces.
Here are Some paintings from the Harlem Renaissance.
Painters and poets too !
But during the Harlem Renaissance many writers, novelists, poets denounced the racism and discrimination experienced by black people. I will present a poem written by Langston Hughes.
Langston Hughes is a poet, novelist, activist who wrote about the life of Afro-americans.
In 1926 he wrote a poem entlited "I,Too".
In this poem he describes how waiters were discriminated by white people and a black man's hopes to be considered as equal one day and to sit at his employer's table when company comes. Indeed this man feels American and wishes equality for black people.
JAZZ MUSIC
In Harlem music was at the centre of the Harlem Renaissance. This music was jazz music, present in bars, clubs or theatres. In the evening jazz musicians played music and people danced as we can see on the painting entitled Nightlife by Archibald Motley.
This video is a clip of a music entlited "St.Louis Blues soundtrack" by Louis armstrong
Let's discover East Harlem or El Barrio!
In East Harlem every year is celebrated the 116th street festival. This celebration is a celebration of latino culture and traditions. Hundreds of people come to this festival to enjoy the ambiance , the activities (dancing, singing) , the tasty food and discover or rediscover latino culture.
This celebration was planned by Nick Lugo the president of New York City Hispanic chamber of commerce. It is now celebrated every second weekend of June. There is a big parade on the second day and you may even see Miss Puerto Rico there.