The Harlem Renaissance - Assignment Example

Assignment 02 Question Paul Laurence Dunbar – was an African American poet, playwright and novelist. He was the first African American to get national reputation. His first poem was “Oak and Ivy” W. E. B. Du Bois – On DuBois was a prolific writer who came up with the first scientific paper in the sociology. In all his works, DuBois believed that capitalism was the main cause of segregation and racism in the United States of America. His essays were sympathetic with socialists and this made him an ardent advocate for reforms and the abolishment of capitalistic practices. Alain Locke- Locke was one of the central figures in the Harlem Renaissance whose philosophies were grounded on the concept and idea of race building. He therefore called on the blacks to be aware of the potential. He encouraged them not to comply with unreasonable white requirements. Despite the fact that Locke’s philosophy was sophisticated, it was still very popular and inspiring in the Harlem Renaissance period. James Weldon Johnson – he was one of the first Blacks to be admitted to the Florida Bar. He is however best remembered for his leadership in the National Association for Advancement of Colored People. He also established his reputation as a writer in the Harlem Renaissance. He wrote poems, anthologies and novels on spirituality and culture of the blacks. Charles S. Johnson - Johnson was a Life advocate of racial equality and the first black president of Fisk University. Zora Neale Hurston - Zora was an American anthropologist, author and folklorist. He published novels with more than 50 stories, essay and plays. She is best remembered for “Their Eyes Were Catching God” novel. She is known during this era for her wit, irreverence, and folk writing style, as she won 2nd prize in the 1925 literary contest of the Urban League’s journal. Langston Hughes – Hughes was one of the first innovators of a new form of art called jazz poetry. He was a leader of the Harlem Renaissances. He is famous for describing the period as a time when “negro was vogue” Bessie Smith - She was the most popular female singer in the 1920 and the 1930s. She influence other jazz vocalist in her time. During 1923 she signed with Columbia Records and in time was among the highest-paid black performers of her era with hits like "Downhearted Blues" and “T’Aint Nobody’s Bizness.” “King” Oliver (Joseph “king” Oliver) – He was a jazz cornet player and also a band leader. He is recognized for his play style which pioneered the use of mutes in US jazz. He was also a popular composer with some of his works being "Sweet Like This", "Dippermouth Blues", "Canal Street, "Doctor Jazz" and “Blues” Countee Cullen- Cullen published four volumes of poetry. The poem The Black Christ and Other Poems (1929) is remembered because of the criticism it brought by using religious imagery. Apart from his work, Cullen also promoted the work done by other black artists. Question 2 “Negrotarians,” – they were the people who followed the group of blacks who were not ashamed of their blackness in the Harlem Renaissance. “Niggerati,” The Niggerati was a name which was being deliberately used by Wallace Thurman to refer to a group of Young African American intellectuals and artists. These people had a strong bond between them. The Niggerati were neither ashamed of their blackness nor were they bothered by how the whites reacted to it. Those who rallied behind them and their ideas were referred to as the Negrotarians.  “Opportunity” -Referred to of the annual awards ceremony created by the NAACP and NUL for accomplished artist of the Harlem Renaissance. “The Crisis,” -It was an official publication of the NAACP and acted as the voice of the civil rights movement. “New negro”- The new Negro was a term used in several African American discourses from 1895. The concept evolved to become the cornerstone of the Negro struggles. The New Negroes viewed themselves to be economical and intellectually empowered and could not let the white Americans despise them or violate their rights. "The Talented Tenth"- it is a phrase which called for the education and training black teachers and elites. The term was popularized by DuBois in his essay, “The Talented Tenth”. DuBois made it clear that the black people were only going to be saved from their problems and troubles by exceptional men from within their communities. He therefore believed that the members of the talented tenth must first of all deal with the issue of education so as to be able to counter the racism threat. Question 3 I disagree with the suggestion that DuBois was the most significant leader for the Harlem Renaissance. To me, Alain Locke was the most significant person in the Harlem Renaissance. Locke supported education by taking up the position of assistant professorship in Howard University. From this positions, he was able influence the thinking of many black Americans during the struggle against racism. Locke wrote more that 20 works during his time at the university. Through the essays, he was able to influence African American power in the Harlem Renaissance more than any other individual. His work touched on almost every subject related to the wellbeing of the African Americans. The other reason why I believe that Alain Locke was the most significant person in the Harlem Renaissance movement is because he was one of the most known intellectuals his time. Locke’s authority formed the basis of the African American struggles. He came up with the phase “New Negro” and considered to be the Dean of the Harlem Renaissance as an American writer, educator, and philosopher. He is also famous for his thesis “The Problem of Classification in the Theory of Value” this discusses the causes of biases and social opinions. All these works were critical in the Harlem Renaissance. Question 4 On the lasts posts about Harlem Renaissance, I would like to add that the period is considered to be the rebirth of the African American artists. The blacks were refusing to play 2nd class and used poems, music, plays, art and dance to propagate the rebirth. It is also important to remember that the movement was centered in New York City. However, its influence was seen as far as Paris. Assignment 03B CLASSMATE #1 SAYS: “Criteria of Negro Art” – Dubois disputes the perceived inferiority of Black Art.  He also believes that the answer to the “color problem” is in the new recognition given to Black artists.   "The Negro-Art Hokum"- Denounces the separatism in what is widely accepted as art in the society of the day.  The theory that Blacks use the “race card” to separate themselves. “Negro Art and America” - The desire for an interracial working alliance and the sense of what African Americans would bring to a progressive coalition.  I most agree with "criteria of negro art" where Dubois disagrees with the perceived inferiority of the black art. : In “Criteria of Negro Art”, DuBois states that the art which is coming from the black people was as beautiful as those coming from the white people. However, it is only after the art becomes more compelling that the creators and the black community at large will be taken as humans. Secondly, it is true that the blacks had been pushed aside and if this is over turned, then the world would become as very beautiful place. Part 2 CLASSMATE #2: “Criteria of Negro Art” by W.E.B. DuBois (1926) – The thesis is:   “We have, to be sure, a few recognized and successful Negro artists; but they are not all those fit to survive or even a good minority. They are but the remnants of that ability and genius among us whom the accidents of education and opportunity have raised on the tidal waves of chance. We black folk are not altogether peculiar in this. After all, in the world at large, it is only the accident, the remnant, that gets the chance to make the most of itself; but if this is true of the white world it is infinitely more true of the colored world. It is not simply the great clear tenor of Roland Hayes that opened the ears of America. We have had many voices of all kinds as fine as his and America was and is as deaf as she was for years to him. Then a foreign land heard Hayes and put its imprint on him and immediately America with all its imitative snobbery woke up. We approved Hayes because London, Paris and Berlin approved him and not simply because he was a great singer.” “The Negro-Art Hokum” by George S. Schuyler (1926) – The thesis is:  “Negro art “made in America” is as non-existent as the widely advertised profundity of Cal Coolidge, the “seven years of progress” of Mayor Hylan, or the reported sophistication of New Yorkers. Negro art there has been, is, and will be among the numerous black nations of Africa; but to suggest the possibility of any such development among the ten million colored people in this republic is self-evident foolishness. Eager apostles from Greenwich Village, Harlem, and environs proclaimed a great renaissance of Negro art just around the corner waiting to be ushered on the scene by those whose hobby is taking races, nations, peoples, and movements under their wing. New art forms expressing the “peculiar” psychology of the Negro were about to flood the market. In short, the art of Homo Africanus was about to electrify the waiting world. Skeptics patiently waited. They still wait.” “Negro Art and America” by Albert C. Barnes – The thesis is:  This mystic whom we have treated as a vagrant has proved his possession of a power to create out of his own soul and our own America, moving beauty of an individual character whose existence we never knew. We are beginning to recognize that what the Negro singers and sages have said is only what the ordinary Negro feels and thinks, in his own measure, every day of his life. We have paid more attention to that everyday Negro and have been surprised to learn that nearly all of his activities are shot through and through with music and poetry. When we take to heart the obvious fact that what our prosaic civilization needs most is precisely the poetry which average Negro actually lives, it is incredible that we should not offer the consideration which we have consistently denied to him. If at that time, he is the simple, ingenuous, forgiving, good-natured, wise and obliging person that he has been in the past, he may consent to form a working alliance with us for the development of a richer American civilization to which he will contribute his full share. I disagree with the thesis in “The Negro-Art Hokum” by George S. Schuyler (1926). In the post the thesis is identified as: “Negro art “made in America” is as non-existent as the widely advertised profundity of Cal Coolidge, the “seven years of progress”. I disagree with this because in the essay, George Schuyler argue that the Negro art is great art as it embodies the individual traits of the artists and reflected on their feelings, joy, aspirations and suffering. In an attempt to support his main argument he states that: “that the thought that there is a distinctive type of art, entitled “Negro Art,” is “self-evident foolishness.” Therefore, the most agreeable thesis would be: Negro art there has been, is, and will be among the numerous black nations of Africa; but to suggest the possibility of any such development among the ten million colored people in this republic is self-evident foolishness” (96). Assignment 04B Question 1 From the posts I read, the thesis statement that I most agree with is that identified for the essay “Returning Soldiers” by W.E.B. Du Bois. In the selected post, the thesis has been identified as shown below: Thesis: In this essay, Du Bois tries to convey the message that we have stood up for democracy and freedom for our country. We have sacrificed, dedicated ourselves, and fought mercilessly for America’s “highest ideals.” Du Bois goes on telling us since we have now fought our battle outside of this country, we need to fight the battle of our own people to which we have returned to. From the above post, it is apparent that DuBois was arguing that achieving democracy was possible. He was reflecting on the spirit of the Negros who had been at war in Europe. He talks about returning from war and how the Negro soldiers had returned with the same zeal to fight for democracy in their own county. The entire piece appears to support the idea that the challenges that the blacks were facing both within the US and in the outside, they still believed that they would attain their goals one day and this is in line with the stated thesis. Question 2 The thesis which I did not agree with is that stated for the essay “The Negro Digs up His Past” by Arturo Schomburg. In the selected post, the writer fails to identify the specific sentence which shows the central them in the essay. Instead, mere description of events which were taking place has been done in the post. The best way that this could have been done is be considering the line where Arturo Schomburg says “The American Negro must remake his past in order to make his future” (61). Schomburg argued that “Negro must remake his past in order to make his future” (61). Schomburg had spent most of his life collecting credible evidence to show that people with Africa decent had a very rich history. The author acknowledges that the negative aspects of the Negro history cannot be done away with. However, it is still important to human development as there were a lot of things that the blacks could learn from it. Assignment 07C The selected classmate’s paragraph which most challenged my own thinking is where he talks about Robesons statement "I honestly believe that perhaps never will I portray a nobler type than "Jim Harris"" (59). The writer of the post has gone ahead to explain that Robeson believed that "Jim Harris" was a role that he poured his soul into because Jim was a man with a soul of gold as he sacrificed his life for his Ellas. This is the reason why Robeson had to reconstruct his life to a "heroically tragic figure," Jim. (59). The mere fact that very few people directly addressed the miscogention problem using a black character also backs up the claim made by Robeson. Moreover, it is not ideologically agreeable to expect the Negro artists to reject certain role just because they were being discriminated against by the whites. The post has therefore strengthened my belief that the inclusion of the black character in the play facilitated the passage of the intended message. My classmate has therefore supported by initial idea that With the Jim character being included in “All God’s Chillum Got Wings”, the Negros could not be denied are denied the chance to be part of the American stage. Assignment 8B Question 1 I agree with the post on “Cordelia the Crude” (1929), where my classmate identified the thesis as: “Physically, if not mentally, Cordelia was a potential prostitute”. The creator of the post went ahead to say that that even though she had not yet comprehended the moral impact of her wanton behavior nor become acquisitive, she had, nevertheless, turned out to be quite blasé and bountiful in the matter of bestowing sexual favors upon persuasive and likely young men.” This view is in line with what Wallace Thurman talks about in the essay. The author explores the issue of prostitution which had become a problem in the black community through a story of a16 year old African American who became a prostitute because of her environment. When she is left to take care of her siblings, prostitution becomes the only way out. The blacks were engaging in the vice not because of choice but rather due to the circumstances they faced. Question 2 In do not agree with the thesis statement which has been identified for the essay “The Blacker the Berry” My classmate has identified the thesis as: “Then, too, since black is the favorite color of vaudeville comedians and jokesters, and conversely, as intimately associated with tragedy, it is no wonder that when the blackest individual will seek out some one more black than himself to laugh at.” (644).By doing so, I believe he has missed the main theme. The main argument in this work is that dark skin has always presented more problems to the women than the men. The black woman tends to struggle more with how people react towards her skin colour than the male counterparts. Skin colour has made the Negros target for social and political prejudice. It has made them extra conspicuous in the society. Works Cited Levering, David. The Harlem Renaissance. London: Penguin Books, 2007. Print. Read More