Free Essay On Black Slavery

The Harlem Renaissance era marked a period for the cultural revival of the African Americans. This cultural revival period began in the early 1920 and lasted until the close of the 1940s. Prior to this period, there was a great challenge in the view of racial discrimination against the blacks. In rise against this challenge, the black Americans generated a sense of identity and pride with the use of creative expression. Before this revival era, musical, literary and artistic innovation had been popular in Harlem New York, however, when the revival period began, these innovations gained popularity throughout the United States.
Several writers such as Zora Neale who was a poet, a prominent essayist and anthropologist of the Harlem Renaissance clearly embodied this attention in their work. However, the art that were produced during this period different in themes, with every writer, musician, or thinker addressing a different issue targeted at the revival of these African Americans. The themes that emerged from these arts ranged from focus on the deception of impressive urban lifestyle to the ordinary rural landscapes. Slavery and cultural origins in Africa also featured in the themes.
During this period, the African Americans believed that the black artists had a responsibility in political activism. They believed the black artists could rebel from the white political and artistic power structures.
During Booker T. Washington’s lifetime, he served as a leader for the betterment of African Americans in the post reconstruction coast. His major advocacy area was industrial and economic improvements for the blacks. His writings and speaking were majorly tailored to suit the race of his target audience. However the article “Up From Slavery”, which was published in the popular magazine Outlook was targeted to a more diverse audience compared to his prior writings. In this writing, which was later published as a book, gives an account of Washington’s life from the time when he was a slave and rising to an educator. When he was a small child, just as other young African Americans of his time, getting access to education was a rare thing and only a few managed to acquire education. However, as a young slave, he managed to get education, which he credits to his success in the community and nation in his adulthood.
In this book, he gives an account of his transmission from a student to an educator and achievements, which include founding the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He details the development of Tuskegee from holding classes in a shantytown to a campus that had new buildings. He also includes in the last chapter of this book the speech he gave at Atlanta Cotton States and international exposition, which saw him rise to a national figure. Finally, in this book, Washington details the various recognitions he received due to his work.
This book is viewed to be targeted to a broader audience since he explains the events of his life. For the African Americans, he meant to ensure them that they could also make it through determination. He wanted every African American reader to be sure that they can access education, even in their humble situations and improve they lives in future, and even become noticeable by the white population. Similarly, to the white audience, Washington wishes to inform them that the black population also has impact in the community and their dignity should be respected. He intends this audience to learn to accord respect to the African Americans and allow them the opportunities to explore.