Literary Works Of The Harlem Renaissance - 1233 Words

As a young girl in Portland, Ore., Renà ©e Watson immersed herself in the words of Langston Hughes, discovering that his poems about black identity mirrored experiences in her own life. Since moving to Harlem more than a decade ago, she has often walked by his old home — a three-story brownstone on East 127th Street with cast-iron railings and overgrown ivy. The author spent his final 20 years, and wrote some of the most notable literary works of the Harlem Renaissance, in this house. It was designated a historic landmark in 1981. Yet in recent years, the property has remained empty. A performance space opened in 2007 but closed when the tenants were evicted about a year later. In 2010, the current owner listed the house for $1 million but found no buyers. With her neighborhood experiencing rapid gentrification, Ms. Watson, 38, an author and poet, felt that too many crucial landmarks of the Harlem Renaissance, like Mr. Hughes’s home, were disappearing or going unnoticed. â€Å"It feels like, whether it’s intentional or not, our stories are being erased,† Ms. Watson said. So, after a year’s worth of planning, she began to preserve the legacy of the house herself. She began a nonprofit organization, persuaded the owner to let her lease and renovate the brownstone, and started raising the money necessary to do so. If she can successfully open Mr. Hughes’s home and maintain it as a public space, it would be a notable feat, especially in New York City, some preservationists say.Show MoreRelated The Harlem Renaissance Essay1513 Words   |  7 PagesThe Harlem Renaissance      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chapter 1 Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harlem Renaissance, an African American cultural movement of the 1920s and early 1930s that was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. According to Wintz: The Harlem Renaissance was â€Å"variously known as the New Negro movement, the New Negro Renaissance, and the Negro Renaissance, the movement emerged toward the end of World War I in 1918, blossomed in the mid- to late 1920s, and then withered in the mid-1930sRead MoreExploring African American History : The Harlem Renaissance1521 Words   |  7 PagesTi’Anna Smith Period 1 AP World History 12-14-15 Exploring African American History: The Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance originally known as the New Negro Movement was an important part of African American culture and history, which helped African Americans express themselves and celebrate their heritage. Between the years of 1890-1920 close to two million African Americans traveled from the rural southern states to the northern cities. They traveled to these northern cities in hopesRead MoreLangston Hughes And The Harlem Renaissance1219 Words   |  5 PagesLangston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance The Harlem renaissance is an artistic revolutionary period that took place between 1917 and 1937. This was after the First World War. Harlem was a district in New York. The Harlem renaissance impacted the social, cultural as well as artistic aspects of the black community. Many black people were encouraged to flee the southern sides where the caste system continued to oppress the black people. At this period, racial inequalities as well as other social injusticesRead MoreRole Of Zora Neale Hrston In The Harlem Renaissance1237 Words   |  5 PagesRole of Zora Neale Hurston during the Harlem Renaissance Jasmine Graham Nichole Craig HUM2020 (178011) TR 3:30-4:45 The Harlem Renaissance was a very historical time for the African American community as a whole. The Harlem Renaissance helped to pave the way for the civil rights movements that began around the early 1950s. During this time there was an influx of people who decided to relocate from the south to the north. The Harlem Renaissance also sparked a rise in the literacy rateRead MoreSignificance of the Harlem Renaissance817 Words   |  3 PagesThe Harlem Renaissance was a pivotal point in history. While it did not break down the racial barriers associated with Jim Crow laws, the attitudes toward race did change. Most importantly, black pride became paramount as African Americans sought to express themselves artistically through art and literature, in an effort to create an identity for themselves equal to that of the white Americans. Many writers influenced this period with their works, and African Americans gained their rightful placeRead MoreThe Life Of Langston Hughes And The Ha rlem Renaissance868 Words   |  4 Pages The first African American to earn a living through writing, also known as Langston Hughes, is a significant figure in both the Harlem Renaissance and the poetry community. His post-school and childhood experiences influenced his writing. Hughes wrote about the lives of lower-class African Americans and racial injustice to increase awareness of the issue. Langston Hughes impacted the lives of many black communities through his writing; influenced by his childhood and experiences in New York, theRead MoreInfluence of the Harlem Renaissance on Society Essay1114 Words   |  5 Pages Influence of the Harlem Renaissance in Society A group of people who had at one point held no power and position in society were now thriving in the nation, as they spread their culture and ideas. It was the start of an era known as the Harlem Renaissance. This was a more than a literary movement, it was a cultural movement based on pride in the Africa-American life. They were demanded civil and political rights (Stewart). The Harlem Renaissance changed the way African Americans were viewed byRead MoreEssay on Surrealism and Harlem Renaissance Two Historical Art Periods973 Words   |  4 PagesRunning head: SURREALISM AND HARLEM RENAISSANCE Surrealism and Harlem Renaissance Two Historical Art Periods Elisa Montoya Western Governor’s University RIWT Task 1 May 13, 2013 SURREALISM AND HARLEM RENNAISANCE Comparing and Contrasting the Two Art Periods â€Å"Surrealism and Harlem Renaissance† 2 While there are many different historical art periods I will bring together two that I found to be extremely interesting. There are so many wonderful facts about all the different art periodsRead MoreThe Negro Movement1364 Words   |  6 Pagesback at the history of the culture that has risen from the ashes; one may be quite surprised just how far the African American culture has come. The progression of the African American culture is indeed one to be proud of. From cotton fields to Harlem, â€Å"The New Negro Movement†, sparked a sense of cultural self-determination, with a yearning to strive for economic, political equality, and civic participation. This was a movement that sparked a wide range of advancements in the African AmericanRead MoreHarlem Renaissance Essay1069 Words   |  5 PagesHARLEM RENAISSANCE Throughout the history of African Americans, there have been important historical figures as well as times. Revered and inspirational leaders and eras like, Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement, Nat Turner and the slave revolt, or Huey Newton and the Black Panther Party. One such period that will always remain a significant part of black art and culture is the Harlem Renaissance. It changed the meaning of art and poetry, as it was known then. Furthermore, the