Arts and Media REMEMBERING THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE By Cortland Jones
Are you familiar with the time period in American history known as the Harlem Renaissance? This year marks the 104-year anniversary of a forgotten but significant moment in our nation’s history where African Americans engaged in the celebration of culture, history, the visual and performing arts, music, literature, and fashion. Though much about that time period from 1919-1930’s is not acknowledged, promoted, or recognized today, there are many familiar names and individuals from that time period who are highlighted, celebrated, and remembered for their contributions to society and our community as African Americans. I consider the time period to be significant simply because it took place less than one hundred years after slavery and less than one hundred years before the Civil Rights Movement. The purpose of the historical and cultural movement was to control the narrative of who we are as people and all that we are to refute the negative stereotypes being portrayed about the American Negro by those who controlled the national mainstream media. At the end of World War 1 through the time period known as the Great Depression, along with the Great Migration, the Harlem Renaissance began in the city of Harlem in New York, but spread far beyond Harlem. The historical and cultural movement reached the city of Manhattan in New York, Paris, France and as far south as the Carribean Islands. At a time not too long after slavery ended, the Negro in America was empowered, in the face of great opposition, degradation, oppression, and suppression, to celebrate who they saw themselves to be. Intelligent, articulate, creative, expressive, passionate, talented, resilient, courageous, proud, beautiful, handsome, fashionable, inspirational, influential, and impactful are some of the words that come to mind when I reflect upon what I have learned about this time period and the people who contributed to it and come from it. It is the Black Lives Matter movement of its day that we have become familiar with in the present today.
52 Vision & Purpose Community Magazine
