The arrival of the black history in Harlem! In 1930, Central Harlem was about 70% black. How did we get to this point when there was only a 10% black population in 1910? (Wikipedia) It started with the Harlem Renaissance. This time period became known as a golden age for literature, music, stage performance, and art for African Americans. It was a time of cultural expression for African Americans. When WWI started, there were very few workers working in factories. Many black people down south saw this as an opportunity and decided to go up north for a better life. This was known as the Great Migration. Many African American’s who migrated to the north found themselves in different run down areas. They moved to places such as Harlem, Detroit, Chicago, etc. Harlem was one of the largest. White people were not happy about this migration because they blamed those who migrated to the north for flooding the employment market and lowering wages. Therefore, conditions were still bad for black people who were now up north. With the majority of Harlem being black, writers, actors, artists, and musicians embraced their African American culture and traditions, and even created new ones. Out of this experience, we got some of the greatest talent that the world has ever seen.
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