Langston Hughes and The Harlem Renaissance

1. LangstonHughes and The Harlem Renaissance Presented By: LizbethOrtega Javier Magallanes Shian Adams

2. Life Time • Born: February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. • Attended Columbia University; which he left for his own personal reason in 1922. • Felt that he was discriminated against because he was African American. • Discovered Harlem • During lifetime he lived in several places aside from where he was born. • Illinois, Kansas, Ohio and Mexico • His positive reputation earned him the classification of being ‘one of the major black voices of the 1900s.’ • Death: May 22, 1967 • Post surgical heart failure

3. Was there a specific focus? “To create a market for your writing you have to be consistent, professional, a continuing writer - not just a one-article or a one-story or a one-book man.” • Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. • One of Best known works: The Weary Blues • Published over 3 dozen books • Started with poetry and expanded into novels, short stories, and plays

4. Major Influences • The following are what is said to be major influences in Langston Hughes Career: • Walt Whitman-American journalist in 19th century • Carl Sandburg- American writer and editor and was best known for his poetry in the 19th and 20th century. • Hughes referred to Sandburg as “My Guiding Star.” • Paul Lawrence Dunbar- African American poet, novelist, play writer of the late 19th century and early 20th century. • Clyde McKay- Radical socialist who also wrote accomplished lyric poetry.

5. Harlem Renaissance

6. Harlem Renaissance • The Harlem Renaissance is a Cultural Movement that began after World War 1; in the 1920’s and 1930’s • It is also known as the “New Negro Movement” • The Harlem Renaissance is known as the times where Africa America expressed themselves through literature, art, music, drama, movies, politics and protests. • The Harlem Renaissance is centered on Harlem, New York, but quickly influenced African- American artist and other artists of the Africa Diaspora, such as the Afro- Caribbean and the black living in Paris at the time.

7. Harlem Renaissance • The birth of Jazz is generally considered a separate movement- the Harlem Renaissance, according to Locke, transformed “social disillusionment to race pride.” • Between the 1920 and the 1930, almost 750,000 African Americans left the South, and many of them migrated to urban areas in the North to take advantage of the prosperity and the more racially tolerant environment. • The Harlem section of Manhattan, covers 3 sq mi, and drew nearly 175,000 African Americans, turning the neighborhood into the largest concentration of black people in the world

8. Music during the Harlem Renaissance • Renaissance means rebirth • Discrimination against African Americans was a major problem in America. • This was great time period for African Americans because of the opportunities of jobs and the chance to become recognize as an artist. • During the Harlem Renaissance the musical style of blacks was becoming more attractive to whites.

9. Music • Many African Americans took this time to challenge racism and stereotypes in their music. • White composers started to exploit the musical style tendencies and themes of African American in their works. • Composers used poems written by African American poets in their songs

10. Music • Many of the music by African Americans had rhythms, harmonies, and melodies that incorporated the blues, spiritual and jazz. • A theme represented in music during the Harlem Renaissance was the influence of slavery. • A place called the Cotton Club, located in Harlem, New York City was were many famous black musicians performed.

11. Music • Some things that affected the • music during the Harlem • Renaissance: • > The Industrialization of America • > The Great Migration > Prohibition >Clubs and Cabarets > racism, inequality, and discrimination