In this essay, I will demonstrate the effects of the Harlem Renaissance on society in the United States using different modes of expression such as poetry, religion and music. Centralized around the Harlem neighborhood of New York, a flourishing of cultural progress would use music to bridge social divisions, religion to institutionalize, and poetry as a mode of political and economic progress. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay The 1920s were a decade of extraordinary artistic creativity for black Americans and much of that creativity found its center in the activities of African-Americans living in New York, particularly in the Harlem district. The second half of the decade witnessed an unprecedented explosion of publications by African Americans. It was here that the term “Renaissance” was coined, marking the revival of art and literature. Although the term Harlem Renaissance is convenient, it is important to remember that what happened in New York was an unusual cultural enlightenment, unseen anywhere else. Because Harlem was imagined as “a district…distinctly devoted to the residences of the rich, the homes of the well-to-do, and the places of business of the trades which meet their needs.” The neighborhood began to take shape with the idea that black people had a chance to succeed and realize their true identities, and to develop new ways of thinking that would thrive. Expressed in multiple ways, the creativity of Black Americans came from a common source: the need to create bold, expressive, high-quality art in response to their social conditions. What happened in the United States must also be linked to certain radical trends. the country. Between 1890 and 1910, New York's black population nearly tripled as the first generation of blacks born after the Emancipation Proclamation gradually moved away from the South, fleeing racial violence and seeking a different, better way of life. In the aftermath of World War I, the black population began to gain an unexpected community, a sense of connection between events within the nation. Much of this thinking has come from environmental changes, such as new technologies (mass transportation and media) and new ideas developed by influencers such as Langston Hughes, Alain Locke and Duke Ellington. Accelerated ideas seen through the eyes of 350,000 African Americans who fought in World War I. In the Harlem neighborhood, the idea that black people had a chance to succeed and realize their identity with a new way of thinking that could flourish began to take shape. For black writers and intellectuals, theological ideas became attractive because of the belief that art could transcend political divisions. While an optimistic sense of progress and opportunity remained the general mood, some of them were nevertheless convinced that class consciousness would not work without racial consciousness. Thus, in 1920, when Hubert Henry Harrison, a radical newspaper editor and street speaker from Harlem, advised that "before the Negroes of the Western world can play an effective role, they must first familiarize themselves with what is happening in this larger world of which millions of people are on the move.” .” On the other hand, even black intellectuals who avoided direct involvement in politics were drawn to international concerns because of the belief that artistic achievementsBlack people could pave the way for other minorities. Thus, the philosopher Alain Locke noted that “as with the Jews, persecution makes the Black man international.” Traditionally, in discussions of African American literature and culture, "modernism" involves the work of British, Irish, and Anglo-American writers and artists. from the beginning of the 20th century. Although this may stem from a tendency among critics to view African-American literature as distinct from Anglo-American, British, and Irish literature, the Harlem Renaissance's connection to the modernist movement reflects the conceptualization of the racial identity and consciousness. Therefore, Harlem Renaissance poetry attempts to capture the perspective of African American writers in the context of the modern world. Like their Anglo-American, British, and Irish counterparts of the early 20th century, Harlem Renaissance writers created poems exhibiting modernist characteristics such as fragmentation, multiple narrative voices/speakers, stream of consciousness, narrative non-linear and a highly experimental language. However, Harlem poets also transformed modernist themes, techniques, and strategies to convey the African American experience in America. This was accomplished by creating poetry that also incorporated aspects of black heritage in the United States, including black vernacular, blues/jazz rhythms, and the oral storytelling tradition. Harlem Renaissance poetry represents the diversity of perspectives and aesthetics based on different lifestyles. The intertwined connection of social and political forces that created this movement left a poetic legacy that continues to influence contemporary African American writers today. The relationship between the Harlem Renaissance and modernism is complex, capturing the attempt of African American writers and intellectuals to reflect a black cultural perspective through the use of African American vernacular, jazz/blues, tradition oral storytelling and Afrocentric themes. Through poetry and literature, the Harlem Renaissance symbolizes the collective voice of African American authors in the era of modernity. Rachel Blau DuPlessis argues that there was an institutionalization of the Renaissance in the black church and that this institutionalization manifested itself in the form of the social gospel movement, a social Christianity movement, which began among white Protestants north around 1880 and spread to the United States. black church. She argues that the connection between the Harlem Renaissance and the black church did not depend on the religious faith of Renaissance artists and intellectuals. For example, it doesn't matter that Claude McKay considered himself a "pagan" or that Langston Hughes denied his adherence to Christianity. Although artists sometimes attended or performed in black churches, the fact is that black churches that themselves practiced the social gospel were an individual part of the Renaissance, components that collectively created an entire social norm. Under the pastorate of Rev. Hutchins C. Bishop, St. Philip's became the largest black congregation in the Protestant Episcopal denomination and the wealthiest of any black church in the country. The Church owned a significant amount of property in Harlem and its financial gains were only increasing in capacity. This happened because more New Blacks were able to find educational and financial means because there were more members there than in any other black church in the city. The Harlem Renaissance has been treated primarily as a literary movement with jazz and jazz artistsconcert considered as secondary elements of the movement. However, the role of music was much more fundamental in the movement. Whether unifying a community, integrating social groups, or providing a universal platform for change, the music of the Harlem Renaissance acted as a force for change. Commentaries by prominent figures on the music and jazz of the period suggest the authority of music in Renaissance philosophy and practice. The idea that black music was America's only distinctive contribution to American and global musical culture was accepted and emphasized by Renaissance leaders and some of the rank and file. The cultural environment created by Renaissance leaders primarily advocated literature, while music served as a network of physical elements consisting of nightlife, cocktail parties, or everyday interactions. The music of black theater performances, the dance music of cabarets, the blues and ragtime of speakeasies, and spiritual songs all created an ambiance conducive to Renaissance activity and contemplation. Additionally, the activities of black musicians before the Renaissance had created an environment in which the movement could stem and receive continued sustenance. Renaissance leaders were determined to create a “new Negro,” someone who would attend concerts and operas in the hope that an ideally integrated society would be economically and socially prepared for the spread of cultures. At first, “lower forms,” such as blues and jazz, of black music were frowned upon. Jazz and performance artists were seen by whites as symbols of primitive indulgence, as symbols “of that freedom from constraint to which the white intellectual so ardently aspired.” These leaders realized that a new stereotype was developing alongside their efforts to destroy the old ones. In efforts to create a homogeneous sound that could permeate the social walls of America, this stereotype was reinforced by "primitive" African-American culture and the rise of jazz during the Renaissance years. In the New Negro's attempt to define and build a culture, music provided much of the color, spirit, and quality of the movement. It provided a basis for the general mood and style of intellectual thought of the time. This fact is reflected in some of Hughes' writings when he describes jazz as the "tom-tom of revolt." In his experience, music played an important and indispensable role, even though it was taken for granted by most other black intellectuals. In some cases, there were divisions between African American musicians and intellectuals, sometimes referred to as "the talented tenth." The Talented Tenth refers to a class of designated leaders of African Americans in the Harlem Renaissance. Black jazz musicians helped, or in some cases made the situation worse. Duke Ellington's set "Dicty" and Henderson's song "Dicty's Glide" both served as inspiration for poking fun at tenth-minded talented people. Studies by George Redd suggest that it was the more educated jazz musicians who helped bring the two philosophical camps together.[footnoteRef:14] He points out that Ellington, Henderson and other jazz musicians presented an image acceptable to the eyes of intellectuals. Ellington was able to present this image by displaying a dignified demeanor, aristocratic flair, and self-assurance in any endeavor, which would exemplify the new Negro in and outside the jazz world. In the midst of the controversy between intellectuals and,, 1983.