Harlem Renaissance
In the early 1900s, particularly in the 1920s, African-American literature, art, music, dance, and social commentary began to flourish in Harlem, a section of New York City. This African-American cultural movement became known as "The New Negro Movement" and later as the Harlem Renaissance. More than a literary movement, the Harlem Renaissance elevated the unique culture of African-Americans and redefined African-American expression. African-Americans were encouraged to celebrate their heritage. The main factors contributing to the development of the Harlem Renaissance were African-American urban migration, trends toward experimentation throughout the country, and the rise of radical African-American intellectuals. The Harlem Renaissance has long been considered by many to be the high point in African American writing. It probably had its foundation in the works of W.E. B. Du Bois, influential editor of The Crisis from 1910 to 1934; DuBois believed that an educated Black elite should lead Blacks to liberation. He further believed that his people could not achieve social equality by emulating white ideals, that equality could be achieved only by teaching Black racial pride with an emphasis on an African cultural heritage.
When segregation was abolished many theaters in the Harlem area flourished, especially the Lafayette theater. The African-American musical-comedies that showed there became popular very quickly. The first theater group of Harlem, the Lafayette Players, was founded at this theater in 1916 by Charles Gilpin. It was an African-American company, but it only performed plays written by whites because plays written by African-Americans were not yet allowed. It was a unique experience for African-Americans to see African-American actors playing roles that were serious instead of comedic. Other theater groups of the time included the Harlem Experimental Players, the Krigwa Players, the Negro Art Theater, the Utopia Players, and the Harlem Community Players. The groups were mostly small and amateur. In Harlem, jazz music was extremely popular and influential. One of the most popular ideas was the way to play the piano called "stride piano". From this style of playing the piano rose a jazz powerhouse named "Fatts" Waller. He himself started another jazz technique called the " boogie-woogie". Though this style did not become extremely popular until the latter part of the 1940's, it, along with the style of Earl "Fatha" Fines
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Approximate Word count = 824
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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