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Harlem Rensisian

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Submitted By Mheath1
Words 749
Pages 3
Jon Williams
History 102
Historical Paper
3-2-09
Effectiveness of the Harlem Renaissance There has been plenty of talk about our nation’s history and how America became what it is today, and the Harlem Renaissance has been one of the most understated eras of our country’s history. The Harlem Renaissance not only boosted the quality of life for African Americans, but it also sparked tremendous progress with how all of America viewed the once hidden talents of African Americans during that time period. Also, it influenced a whole new generation of African American arts and literature in the United States. The Harlem Renaissance was an African cultural movement that was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Some historians say that it is unclear as to when it actually started, but Dr. Cary Wintz, chair of the department of history at Texas Southern University, claims that the Harlem Renaissance began in 1919 and lasted until the mid-1930’s. (Wintz) It began when many socially conscious and intellectual African Americans moved from the economically depressed south to the industrial cities of the north to take advantage of the employment opportunities that had risen because of World War I. As more and more socially conscious and educated blacks moved to Harlem, it started to become the cultural center for black people in America. The Harlem Renaissance had a huge impact on African American literature. Most blacks during that time period had a sense of wanting to take part in a common goal in giving artistic expression to the experiences that African Americans had been through. Black writers told the facts of black Americans. If it were not for brilliant black writers such as Claude McKay, Jean Toomer, and Jessie Faucet, the rest of America would probably not be as open to African American literature as they are today. If Langston Hughes and Paul

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