When Harlem Was Rogue - Essay Example

A review of the reconstruction (1865-1877) reveals that there were so many laws that were passed by most Southern states with the aim of deterring African-Americans from investing and owning material property. There were so many restrictions in that Africans had limited movements and could only access limited areas of the states. By 1877, reconstruction was no more because Africans had been separated and thus were considered second-class citizens. These were some of the things that the author explains that had influenced Africans to fight for their positions.

During the 1920s, there were lots of negative socio-political perceptions about blacks. This was readily evident when blacks were stripped of their rights to access medical rights among others after the First World War. They had a rough time fighting for equality and good treatment which, however, increased the cultural and social drift. The continuous fight depicts education as an important tool that can shape leadership skills (Lewis, 1987). For instance, W.E.B. Du Bois used such skills in fighting against racism.

He supported Pan Africanism since it was in favor of African ideologies in terms of culture, language and ethnicity. Racial and political equality was a major concern for most African Americans. Even though some radical American whites considered it a myth, a good number of them ganged up to help in the fight for equal rights.Washington’s philosophy was a major contributor to African oppression. For this reason, Africans had to rely on paternalism in which the Southern whites offered sympathy.

All in all, they had to accept the oppression and admit the superiority of whites. The Africans, while in the south took education seriously, began to save money and made investments. This was the only means through which they could get their equal rights and identity.Even while trying to popularize the African culture, some key aspects must have been forgotten especially the stereotype associated with “tap-dancing Negro” (Lewis, 1987). This was something that most visual artists like Stuart Davies embraced all along.

However, African elites considered such a move to be a racial joke since it gave room to the rapid use of abusive images and displays. The Black Identity became a public discussion with everyone talking negatively about itConclusionThe Harlem Renaissance was greatly influenced by Civil Rights of the 1940s and 50s, Black Arts, and the Black Power Movement. From the discussion above, it is clear the Africans had a rough time fighting for the failed reconstruction of 1865.