Topic > The Harlem Renaissance: A New Beginning for African American Culture

With the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments established in America, the rights of African Americans increased greatly and African Americans enjoyed many more freedoms. Even with these things in place, the confidence, passion, and acceptance of African Americans continued to be lacking. At the beginning of the change in the 1920s, it was time to celebrate the victory and culture of African Americans; Without a doubt, the Harlem Renaissance was a rebirth and new beginning of African American culture for life in America forever. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayIn the 1890s things began to change with the Great Migration. After the end of World War I, industrialism in cities was becoming more prominent in the United States. With more workers needed in factories, employers turned to African Americans to fill the positions. Newspaper ads were placed, and African Americans began to migrate from the Southern states. It was very difficult to find housing and many people were still against African Americans and believed that America should remain segregated. It was especially difficult for women to find work. As a result, there was extreme competition for women in the American workforce. Because housing was difficult to find, African Americans began building their own towns within larger cities. This includes places like Harlem in New York City. The migration experience shared by all African Americans has caused some to speak in ways you might not imagine. The Harlem Renaissance was about art, writing, poetry and music. This is how African Americans told their stories and how they embraced their culture. Claude McKay and Jean Toomer were two of the first discoveries in the category of Harlem Renaissance poetry. McKay's collection of “Harlem Shadows” and Jean Toomer's “Cane” started the movement in the expression of African-American culture. Later in 1924, Jessie Redmon Fauset's novel “There Is Confusion,” showed the struggle that African Americans faced as they tried to find their place in the predominantly white city of Manhattan. This highly successful novel gave great opportunities to other African American writers. It gave them the power to share their stories and as a result they were recognized by many famous magazines. Langston Hughes is one of the best-known writers of this period. His famous poem “I, Too,” gave a glimpse into the future, he hoped that one day segregation would not limit him from achieving his version of life and the American dream. This was the first time readers had seen a work by African Americans published on this scale. Writers like these really opened doors for the rest of the African American people. The music that resonated in Harlem was mostly jazz. Jazz was often played in speakeasies and became a great outlet for people to meet African Americans playing jazz in high-end restaurants filled with wealthy upper-middle-class whites. Many American musical sensations came from this period, including Louis Armstrong. Louis changed jazz music forever and was arguably the greatest trumpet player of all time. His charismatic spirit and impeccable talent were loved by many. Without a doubt, he played a major role in the revival of exceptional African-American culture. The booming music in Harlem has led to quite a lively nightlife. This created the Savoy, an integrated ballroom where whites and blacks could meet and unite. One of the most famous was the.