The African Americans living in the south decided to move in large numbers towards North and mid west in search for better living and good education. In the south, they had faced a lot of mistreat and discrimination. This mass movement was referred to as The Great Migration. These people later converged at Harlem, New York City.
The celebration of African American culture through music, art, dance and literature were the activities that went on throughout the moment of Harlem Renaissance in the year 1924 to 1929. It was a moment when the African Americans learnt to accept their origin and embrace their culture. It all began after the premier of “Three Plays for a Negro theatre” was acted. The play was written by white playwright, Ridgeley Torrance but had African American actors. It portrayed a complex human emotions and yearnings in life. A poet Claude McKay published a sonnet “If We Must Die” which was describing the reality of how the life of African Americans was in America. Some of the genres previously reserved for only the whites were later realized that it can better be performed by the blacks. Artists: Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Roland Hayes; together with musicians: Fats Waller, Duke Ellington and Jelly Roll Morton were involved in the cultural movement. Let me focus on Roland Hayes.(Nettles ,D.G 2003)
Roland Hayes was born on June 3, 1887 at a place where his parents were once slaves. His grandfather, Aba Ougi, was among the Africans who were forcefully shipped from Cote d’Ivoire to America in 1790. Ronald’s talent of music was nurtured by his father at a tender age .His father’s simple step of training began as he taught him to appreciate the musical sounds of nature. He did this as he went for hunting with Ronald. At age 11 his father, his whole time music teacher died. This was saddening to his music ambitions. Despite this, Roland decided to join a music school at Fisk University in Nashville in 1905 although he only had a grade 6 level of study. His mother was pessimistic about this decision. She was of the idea that African Americans cannot be able to earn a living though stage performances. Ronald was not moved, he continued with his studies in Boston with Arthur Hubbard who preferred to teach him from his home rather than Ronald attending his Classes with the other white students.
He had acute urge for success and not at any moment in time did wish he was a white man.
He strongly believed in his ability. At the time of Harlem Renaissance, Roland had already made an influence to other African Americans to join the field of entertainment. At one moment in Germany when he appeared on the stage to perform, the audience mocked him angrily for 10 minutes. His dark skin was the reason behind the rebuking. His outstanding performance, especially his vocal strength proved to the whites that Africans too could present quality work. His overall confidence had great contribution, paving ways for the success of other African American artists and musicians. (RR, Booker. Company,2008)
Richard M. Jones, a jazz wizard had recorded an audiovisual song named ‘Dusty bottom blue’ on 24th November 1926. It was recorded in Chicago. This is actually the only recordings of M. Jones where Jones voice is heard. The song can be found in the link below: www.youtube.com/i4Is1pgEjRU.
Gentrification is a situation that occurs in poor urban areas when town planning and other factors affect the population composition of the inhabitant. It mostly involves migration of a population after the poor residents are replaced by a group of people who are able to pay increased taxes and rents. Harlem has been facing a social and economic gentrification over time. This has led to the coming back of the middle class blacks to the neighborhoods.
Harlem is within the northern side of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It stretches from East River to Hudson River between 155 street. It is a place where most of its residents are African-Americans. It is both a business and a cultural centre.
Harlem has had a very negative past but it is now slowly overcoming this bad reputation. It has large actively working art and cultural community at the moment. Institutions such as Harlem school of arts, Apollo theatre, Lenox lounge, National black theatre and National Jazz museum has been put up. This institution has enabled more and more students to engage in art. Harlem school is at the moment proud that the number of students had doubled within a single year. Recent changing of zones has led to further growth of Harlem’s art and cultural community by availing incentives to come up with dedicated space. (Soto, M. 2008)
Finally it’s worth noting that I have learnt a lot about Harlem Renaissance. It was a platform through which the African Americans showed their focus on the new black cultural identity. They also used this means to express their advocacy for a free nation with no racism. They did this by performing all kind of art. Most of the African American showed impressive performance in the field that were earlier specialized in by the whites only.
WORDLE ON THE HARLEM RENEISSANCE:
Harlem poet Mc Kay, Lenox Lounge the Great Migration,
Culture Cultural movement, American Theatre, Jazz Music
Duke Ellington, New Negro Movement Ella Fitzgerald
Cultural identity, Harlem school of art, Roland Hayes, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington
National Blacks Theatre, Racism, Richard M.Jones, Apollo Theatre,
Gentrification, Three Plays for a Negro Theatre,
Ridgeley Torrance, ’’If We Must Die’’, Harlem Renaissance,
Hudson River, Dusty bottom blues
References:
R.R. Bowker Company. (1960). American book publishing record. New York: Bowker
Nettles, D. G. (2003). African American concert singers before 1950. Jefferson, NC [u.a.: McFarland.
Soto, M. (2008). Teaching the Harlem Renaissance: Course design and classroom strategies. New York, NY: Lan
