During the Harlem Renaissance, Music was the most influential form of creativity
In the Reconstruction Era, the white supremacist regimes in the South of the United States of America denounced the Civil Rights Act that was passed in 1875 to protect African Americans. The whites denied individuals from the origin of Africa their political and civil rights. They did this by conducting vigilante violence like terrorizing African Americans with killing mobs. The victims on realizing the potential in the North and Midwest regions – their economies had grown drastically, and individuals in these areas were not as racist as compared to those in the South- embarked on a journey to these areas. At the beginning of the 20th century, thousands of African Americans relocated to these regions, and the journey got coined the Great Migration. Most of them settled in Harlem, and brought a cultural revolution in the locality, termed as Harlem Renaissance (Hutchinson 20). Many forms of art developed at this period; however, music was the most influential.
Music
The migration led to the concentration of people with great minds and talents. The individuals engaged in different forms of art, although music was the first to be noticed and served as a foundation for the rest. The music fell under the jazz and blues genres and expressed the philosophical perspectives and longings of the African American. The reception of the music increased to urban centers in the northern sides like New York City and Chicago during and post World War I. The bands incorporated new dance forms and instruments like tap dance and Charleston.
In 1921, the music had an international appeal and, coupled with sheer virtuosity, encouraged black intellectuals to be innovative. This led to developments in choral programs, Broadway musicals, concert music, and literature. For instance, Noble Sissle’s and Eubie Blake’s musical show, Shuffle, which was launched in 1921 in Broadway, shaped the black musicals for around 50 years. Also, Josephine Baker, who began as a chorus girl in a renown revue became an international star in a Paris show, titled La Revue negre.
Music also influenced literature development, mostly in poems and books. The likes of Jean Toomer were inspired by the Jazz and Southern folk songs and consequently resulted in them modifying the lyrics into a multigeneric book, Cane. In the book, the author restrains himself from depicting and moralizing disputes but instead integrates the phrases, symbols, and rhythms of the African- American songs. In 1927, Langston Hughes transformed the blues to poetic forms in his book, Fine Clothes to the Jews. The poems gave answers to the needs and desires of the adult African American. It was closely followed by Sterling Brown’s poems and ballads that incorporated the folk heritage’s spirit. Overall, music resulted in the growth of other arts like poetry, fashion, and drama. (Hutchinson 23)
Impact
The Harlem Renaissance changed the nation in numerous ways. Although the socioeconomic conditions were worsening – Ku Klux Klan had the maximum number of membership and managed to politically persuade regions in Midwest and South – during the renaissance, the black leaders believed that artistry would promote the relations of races in tandem with improving relations between the African Americans (Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.p.). Individuals, mostly African Americans, were instilled new social consciousness, a new spirit of pride and self-determination, and obligation to political activism. The jazz band at that time utilized the Harlem Stride Style, which entailed a piano and instruments made from brass. The former musical instrument was linked with the wealthy people, while the latter symbolized the South. Due to this, the poor and elite African Americans became connected.
Apart from bringing together musicians, poets, and writers, the renaissance also attracted political activists and philosophers. The activists, together with the help of white social reformers, fought for social justice. For instance, William Dubois, the leader of the Great Migration and a writer, played a significant role in the organization of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) at the beginning of the 20th century.
Further, the Harlem Renaissance (mostly between 1918 to 1930) produced the finest known black musicians, authors, and entertainers, with a substantial number of them being women. It, in turn, gave the women the notion of being “respectable women” (Wall 58). Ultimately this resulted in club women and blues women. The wants of the latter consisted of economic independence and partaking in certain luxuries like gambling, whereas the former’s motives were to create equality between the African Americans and whites, as well as in females and males. Here, they tackled problems ranging from lynching, women’s suffrage, and family planning. Additionally, Jazz songs and Jazz clubs – coupled with other factors like World War I, the implementation of the 19th Amendment, and Henry Ford’s mass production of cars – led to the rise of the Flappers (Wall 94). These were mostly young women who were popular for their energetic freedom and queer lifestyle, which was regarded as immoral by many people. Nonetheless, these independent women advocated for the independence of women by pushing barriers in political, economic, and sexual freedom aspects.
Works Cited
Encyclopedia Britannica, I. (2003). The new encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Harlem-Renaissance-American-literature-and-art/Poetry
Hutchinson, George. The Harlem Renaissance in black and white. Harvard University Press, 1995.
Wall, Cheryl A. Women of the Harlem renaissance. Indiana University Press, 1995.
Wilson, Matthew A. “Historic jazz piano styles in live performance, 1900-1940: an honors recital (HONRS 499).” 1992.