How Did Locke Contribute To The Harlem Renaissance

“The New Negro” written by Alain Locke illustrates a revolution in which one does not depend on older time-worn models, instead embodying a new psychology and new spirit. Harlem was essentially embraced as the ideal location for the creation of renewed conception of black racial identity because the landscape of Harlem has various representations of what being a black American represents. Additionally, Locke adds that Harlem is the home of Zionism and the pulse of the Negro. Furthermore, Locke makes an effort to shift the foundation of common black leadership towards innovative credibility to the “rank and file” of Negro life. According to Locke, the focus was that the ‘New Negro’ should eradicate radical, social, and psychological prejudices

Please share your thoughts and impressions about Alain Locke's explanation of the "New Negro. "(See page 343-348) Write two well developed paragraphs describing how and why one becomes "new?" Define architect. Share how you can/can-not identify with the concept of a “New Negro” presented by Locke.

Many great painters came about that time, one of which was Aaron Douglas. Aaron Douglas was a major figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Douglas incorporated geometric shapes drawn from African art. In addition to magazine illustrations, Douglas also made murals. Douglas illustrated how African-Americans have been all over the world.

They both were advocates for racial pride and equality. In the 1920s, America witnessed the flourishment of African-American culture in the fine arts. In music, black culture expressed itself through Jazz. Some famous jazz musicians were Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Bessie

The cultural impact of the Harlem Renaissance was paramount in creating a collective shift of consciousness in America. This shift was the byproduct of the Great Migration forcing a environment for art, philosophy and religion to proliferate. Furthermore, these driving factors provided an abundance of exposure of African American culture to the rest of America particularly white America. Moreover, this environment was teeming with creativity producing great music, poetry and actors. In addition, the environment also was intellectually driven from philosophers, writers and bloomed progressive sects of religion.

Harlem, after all, was the capital of jazz music. Jazz music united Blacks and whites because this was a new, fun type of music that they had never seen. Performers like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington would perform in the Cotton Club. The Cotton Club would only accept whites to go in, even though many of the performers were African American, but they would still perform. Jazz music was so new and unique to the country because it used many new beats, sounds, and rhythms that were unheard of to the whites.

With the old out in with the new, we can see the new actions African Americans took to create a world of black excellence, thus creating the start of thee Harlem Renaissance. Evidence: From the history editors of Harlem renaissance, they explain the “Outside factors [that] led to

“Musicians took their fame and music to promote racial equality” (Gross 1). Two of the many great jazz musicians during this time were Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker. Louis Armstrong lived a life of jazz and made a career of it from the 1920s to the 1960s. “...by performing for mainly white audiences, Louis Armstrong had a subtle way of dealing with racial issues” (Gross 1). Louis Armstrong became a face for the whole jazz community fighting against segregation.

This was “a period of celebration of the arts” for African Americans (Hayes 1). Some of the most famous Black artists began their career during this era. For example, Aaron Douglas embraced his African roots and “Looked for inspiration from Africa” in his art (Hayes 7). Douglas used cubism and murals to create unique African American art. His art style evoked emotions from people of all walks of life.

The fascination with Harlem was accompanied by the new objectification of the Negro as an exotic icon” (Watson, p.105). Although there was so much attention brought to the Harlem Renaissance from many, there wasn’t any changes on the need for economic equality nor racial inequality (Watson, p.

The Harlem Renaissance was the cultural explosion that took place in Manhattan during the 1920’s and 30’s after World War I, peaking at 1928. It was here where African-American culture bursted into a flurry of nightclubs, speakeasies, community centers, cafes, publishing houses, and galleries. 1920-1930 was a party that lasted a decade, and Manhattan was the center of it. The Harlem Renaissance resulted in what came to be the Jazz Age and the blues, introducing musicians such as Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong; all at the Cotton

The Harlem Renaissance was a burst on African American’s expression of culture, arts, and writings throughout the 1920’s. It was in Harlem, New York, the movement allowed many African American poets, painters, musicians, authors and philosophers to express the beliefs in their people's culture. They wanted to be equal to white people so they showed that through their talents. Louis Armstrong was a key asset to the Harlem Renaissance due to his inspiring music and playing his instruments for African Americans people during this period. Louis Armstrong was a pivotal musician in the twentieth century, but it was his contributions and his role he made during the Harlem Renaissance movement that is most substantial.

In the early twentieth century, the Harlem Renaissance flourished. This movement was an African American cultural awakening, especially in the creative arts. The movement was never controlled by a specific school of thought but distinguished through discourse and laid the groundwork for later African American literature. While much of the movement concentrated in the Harlem district of New York City it was not confined there. Many African American musicians, artists, and writers blossomed as instigators for this cultural awakening, like Zora Neale Hurston, Claude McKay, and of course Langston Hughes to name a few (Hutchinson, p.1).

In the reading “Enter the New Negro” by Alain Locke it details the different era that blacks find themselves in along with a new mindset. Among this era emerges a group of black intellectual beings where the mindset of oppression is gone and in comes a mindset of being equal or on the same level as whites. In the past everything associated with the term “Negro” was seen as America’s punchline and was seen as a race that needed to be controlled at every turn or else they would wreak havoc like animals. Locke is quoted as saying “the Negros minds have come out of the spell of tyranny of social intimidation and implied inferiority” which at the time I am pretty sure was an astounding thing. Our minds are very powerful so much that it can change

The representatives of Harlem Renaissance believed in democratic reforms, they thought that art and literature were means of changes and impact on white people. They believed in themselves and assisted to political organizations of that time – “National Association for the Advancement of Colored