argument essay harlem renaissance

Issues and Debates in African American Literature

The Harlem Renaissance

While the Harlem Renaissance (or New Negro Renaissance) was largely an urban phenomenon of the 1920s and 30s, New York was far from the only place were African Americans came together to discuss ideas and collaborate. Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Chicago, and other places also saw the establishment of salons and literary magazines. What writers and artists in the various places shared was the aim of defining African Americans in a way that went against the numerous racial stereotypes that had been perpetrated against them. Establishing and defining “Negro Literature” and “Negro Art” were major aspects of the goal. At the same time, there were debates regarding just what aspects of Black life should be represented, and how.

Alain LeRoy Locke, 1885-1954

Winold reiss, 1886-1953, the new negro: an interpretation . new york: a. and c. boni, 1925. first edition..

According to the  Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance , “New Negroes were middle class, demanding of their civil rights and they wanted to develop new images to replace old stereotypes.” In  The New Negro , Alain Locke and his collaborators emphasized culture as the domain for this type of social redefinition. The lengthy book contains contributions by many writers, scholars, and artists. However, a certain tension around social class is evident. At certain points, the book suggests that less privileged members of the race were leaders in the new self-definition of Blacks. Langston Hughes was a champion of this vision. However, at other points emphasis is place on more elite Blacks, representatives of Dubois’ Talented Tenth.

Survey Graphic

Harlem: mecca of the new negro.  new york: survey associates, 1925..

In 1925 the magazine  Survey Graphic  devoted one issue to Harlem, “Mecca of the New Negro.” Containing poetry, essays, fiction, and artwork, it laid out some central themes of the Harlem Renaissance: the battle against racism, African Americans’ contribution to the arts, and their connection to nationalist movements in other countries. The list of contributors included Alain Locke (who also edited the issue), James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes, Angelina Weld Grimké, W.E.B. Dubois, Eunice Roberta Hunton, Anne Spencer, Countee Cullen, Claude McKay, J.A. Rogers, Elise Johnson McDougald, and others. The Harlem issue of  Survey Graphic  was the basis for the better-known anthology,  The New Negro , which can also be seen in this section of the exhibition.

Wallace Thurman, 1902-1934

Fire  metuchen, nj; fire press, 1092. facsimile edition, signed by richard bruce nugent..

Conceived by authors Langston Hughes and Richard Bruce Nugent,  Fire!!  was a statement of youth to their elders. By evoking topics such as homoeroticism and street life,  Fire!!  shifted from the middle-class focus of Dubois’ ideal, the Talented Tenth. The editorial team included novelist Wallace Thurman, Zora Neale Hurston, and artist Aaron Douglass, who created innovative illustrations. Poetry, fiction, drama, and essays were contributed by Hughes, Nugent, Countee Cullen, Dorothy West, and others. Dubois and other Black critics were displeased by Nugent’s homoerotic story “Smoke Lillies and Jade.” The magazine appeared only once and a large number of copies of the issue burned in a fire. However,  Fire!!  is now considered a key document of the Harlem Renaissance.

Jessie Redmon Fauset, 1882-1961

The chinaberry tree.  london: mathews & marrot, 1932. first edition..

As literary editor of the  Crisis  (the magazine of the NAACP), Fauset aided the development of many Harlem Renaissance writers, including Langston Hughes and Wallace Thurman. The  Chinaberry Tree  (the third of Fauset’s four novels) tells the story of Sal Strange, a Black woman who has a daughter with a wealthy white businessman, who refuses to marry her. The novel describes the search for love among the women of Sal’s family, which is privileged, but also set apart from the African American community by the interracial relationship which brought it into being. All of Fauset’s novels examine the intersection between race, class, and gender among members of the African American middle class.

Jean Toomer, 1894-1967

Cane . New York: Boni and Liveright, 1923. First edition.

Considered by many to be a masterpiece of the Harlem Renaissance,  Cane  is experimental in form, combining poetry and prose in a manner that had not been seen before (and that annoyed some critics, such as W.E. B. Dubois). The work is an exploration of southern, African American culture.  Liberating sensuality and spiritual wholeness are associated with the South, in contrast to the intellectualism of the North. Toomer believed that this vibrant southern culture was in the process of disappearing due to industrialization, and the novel presents African American characters who reflect various ways of being linked to this social transformation.

Richard Bruce Nugent, 1906-1987

Gentleman Jigger . Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo, 2008. First edition.

Gentleman Jigger  was first published in 2008, after the author’s death. It is the only known novel of Richard Bruce Nugent, a key figure in the core group of Harlem Renaissance writers, whose essay “Lilies, Smoke and Jade” appeared in the magazine  Fire!!  That story is the first by an African American to feature a bisexual character, as part of a creative exploration of sexuality and race.  Gentleman Jigger  (a roman à clef)describes the gatherings and interactions of the Harlem Renaissance group, but also relates the sexual (mostly gay) experiences of onemember of that group, the semi-autobiographical character Stuart Brennan.

Nella Larsen, 1891-1964

Quicksand . new york; london: a.a. knopf, 1928. first edition. from the library of alice dunbar-nelson..

Quicksand , Larsen’s first novel, was praised as one of the finest of its time, and it catapulted the author into prominence in Harlem Renaissance circles. The work is largely autobiographical, drawing on the author’s difficult experiences as the daughter of a white Danish American mother and a Black West Indian father, growing up in racially segregated Chicago.  Quicksand  describes the biracial protagonist Helga’s failed attempts to find a place in American society, either among whites or Blacks.

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Langston Hughes' Impact on the Harlem Renaissance

Hughes not only made his mark in this artistic movement by breaking boundaries with his poetry, he drew on international experiences, found kindred spirits amongst his fellow artists, took a stand for the possibilities of Black art and influenced how the Harlem Renaissance would be remembered.

Hughes stood up for Black artists

George Schuyler, the editor of a Black paper in Pittsburgh, wrote the article "The Negro-Art Hokum" for an edition of The Nation in June 1926.

The article discounted the existence of "Negro art," arguing that African-American artists shared European influences with their white counterparts, and were, therefore, producing the same kind of work. Spirituals and jazz, with their clear links to Black performers, were dismissed as folk art.

Invited to make a response, Hughes penned "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain." In it, he described Black artists rejecting their racial identity as "the mountain standing in the way of any true Negro art in America." But he declared that instead of ignoring their identity, "We younger Negro artists who create now intend to express our individual, dark-skinned selves without fear or shame."

This clarion call for the importance of pursuing art from a Black perspective was not only the philosophy behind much of Hughes' work, but it was also reflected throughout the Harlem Renaissance.

Some critics called Hughes' poems "low-rate"

Hughes broke new ground in poetry when he began to write verse that incorporated how Black people talked and the jazz and blues music they played. He led the way in harnessing the blues form in poetry with "The Weary Blues," which was written in 1923 and appeared in his 1926 collection The Weary Blues .

Hughes' next poetry collection — published in February 1927 under the controversial title Fine Clothes to the Jew — featured Black lives outside the educated upper and middle classes, including drunks and prostitutes.

A preponderance of Black critics objected to what they felt were negative characterizations of African Americans — many Black characters created by whites already consisted of caricatures and stereotypes, and these critics wanted to see positive depictions instead. Some were so incensed that they attacked Hughes in print, with one calling him "the poet low-rate of Harlem."

But Hughes believed in the worthiness of all Black people to appear in art, no matter their social status. He argued, "My poems are indelicate. But so is life." And though many of his contemporaries might not have seen the merits, the collection came to be viewed as one of Hughes' best. (The poet did end up agreeing that the title — a reference to selling clothes to Jewish pawnbrokers in hard times — was a bad choice.)

Hughes' travels helped give him different perspectives

Hughes came to Harlem in 1921, but was soon traveling the world as a sailor and taking different jobs across the globe. In fact, he spent more time outside Harlem than in it during the Harlem Renaissance.

His journeys, along with the fact that he'd lived in several different places as a child and had visited his father in Mexico, allowed Hughes to bring varied perspectives and approaches to the work he created.

In 1923, when the ship he was working on visited the west coast of Africa, Hughes, who described himself as having "copper-brown skin and straight black hair," had a member of the Kru tribe tell him he was a White man, not a Black one.

Hughes lived in Paris for part of 1924, where he eked out a living as a doorman and met Black jazz musicians. And in the fall of 1924, Hughes saw many white sailors get hired instead of him when he was desperate for a ship to take him home from Genoa, Italy. This led to his plaintive, powerful poem "I, Too," a meditation on the day that such unequal treatment would end.

Hughes and other young Black artists formed a support group

By 1925 Hughes was back in the United States, where he was greeted with acclaim. He was soon attending Lincoln University in Pennsylvania but returned to Harlem in the summer of 1926.

There, he and other young Harlem Renaissance artists like novelist Wallace Thurman, writer Zora Neale Hurston , artist Gwendolyn Bennett and painter Aaron Douglas formed a support group together.

Hughes was part of the group's decision to collaborate on Fire!! , a magazine intended for young Black artists like themselves. Instead of the limits on content they faced at more staid publications like the NAACP 's Crisis magazine, they aimed to tackle a broader, uncensored range of topics, including sex and race.

Unfortunately, the group only managed to put out a single issue of Fire!! . (And Hughes and Hurston had a falling out after a failed collaboration on a play called Mule Bone .) But by creating the magazine, Hughes and the others had still taken a stand for the kind of ideas they wanted to pursue going forward.

He continued to spread the word of the Harlem Renaissance long after it was over

In addition to what he wrote during the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes helped make the movement itself more well known. In 1931, he embarked on a tour to read his poetry across the South. His fee was ostensibly $50, but he would lower the amount, or forego it entirely, at places that couldn't afford it.

His tour and willingness to deliver free programs when necessary helped many get acquainted with the Harlem Renaissance.

And in his autobiography The Big Sea (1940), Hughes provided a firsthand account of the Harlem Renaissance in a section titled "Black Renaissance." His descriptions of the people, art and goings-on would influence how the movement was understood and remembered.

Hughes even played a part in shifting the name for the era from "Negro Renaissance" to "Harlem Renaissance," as his book was one of the first to use the latter term.

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87 Harlem Renaissance Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best harlem renaissance topic ideas & essay examples, ⭐ good research topics about harlem renaissance, 👍 simple & easy harlem renaissance essay titles, ❓ harlem renaissance research questions.

• Harlem Renaissance: “Dream Boogie” Poem by Langston Hughes Therefore, the selected work represents the ideals of the Harlem Renaissance and can be used for improving the understanding of the movement.
• The Harlem Renaissance and American Culture The Harlem Renaissance was born as a result of the significant events which occurred in the lives of Afro-Americans at the beginning of the 20th century. We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• Harlem Renaissance: Historical Roots and Climate Harlem Renaissance is, undoubtedly, a phenomenon unmatched in the strength of its impact both on the contemporary culture of the 1920s and 1930s, but also on the very identity of all African-Americans to this day.
• Harlem Renaissance and African American Culture The Harlem Reissuance grew after the abolition of slavery and later culminated into a greater force with the consequences brought about by WWI and the change in the cultural and social structure in the American […]
• Harlem Renaissance Influence on Afro-American Culture The Harlem Renaissance is widely known as a period in the history of the United States that greatly influenced the general development of American society and in particular the development of Afro-American culture.
• Harlem Renaissance Movement Analysis It was around this time that they began to advocate racial equality with the Americans and with the birth of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1909 their struggle for the […]
• Harlem Renaissance and Its Role for Afro-Americans The movement also helped to pave the way for the further struggle of the African-American population for their rights because now they emerged as educated and talented people.
• The Harlem Renaissance and the Struggle for a Black Identity The failure of Reconstruction and the implementation of the racial segregation threw the Afro-Americans into a difficult dilemma. Booker Washington was a prominent figure of the Post-Reconstruction Era and the leader of the Afro-American community.
• Harlem Renaissance: African American Art The use of OBSCURA cameras was one of the strategies that advanced the works of art that several artists of the time executed.
• Harlem Renaissance’ History: Issues of Negro Writers The Harlem Renaissance, also known as the ‘New Negro Movement,’ refers to the blossoming of African American intellectual and cultural life in the decade of the 1920s.
• Harlem Renaissance and Astonishing Literary Creativity Nevertheless, one of the most vital changes that laced the Harem Renaissance was the culture of music as explored in the remaining section of the paper.
• Harlem Renaissance Poets Overview The poet describes how the musician sways to the rhythm of the blues and the emotional uplifting he gets out of the experience.
• Literary Works of Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance was a term used collectively by social thinkers to represent the efforts by African-Americans to transcend the white-favored government systems in the new states, especially New York, from the southern states where […]
• Angelina Grimke’s Contribution to the Harlem Renaissance Grimke’s play was one of the first to be written by black authors highlighting the plight of blacks in the US.
• Harlem Renaissance: Historical and Social Background It was a period of social integration and the development of literary and artistic skills by the African Americans. The Harlem Renaissance was a period of artistic explosion of the African Americans and an opportunity […]
• Harlem Renaissance: The Cultural Movement In 1931, she collaborated with Langston Hughes in the production of the play “Mule Bone,” which was never published because of the tension between the two writers, and in 1934, she authored her first novel, […]
• Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance Within a short period, Harlem was transformed in to one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the whole of New York. Although Langston’s poems, spoke of the experiences of black Americans in light of a white […]
• Creative Movement, Harlem Renaissance, Helped Black People Express Themselves
• Harlem Renaissance Poets: Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Countee Cullen
• The Harlem Renaissance: Creation of a New Nation
• Self Identity During the Harlem Renaissance
• Description, Analysis, Interpretation, and Judgment of the Harlem Renaissance
• Harlem Renaissance and Zora Neale Hurston
• The Harlem Renaissance and the Golden Age for African
• Coleman Hawkins’ Reign During the Harlem Renaissance
• Harlem Renaissance: The Center of the Urban Black Life
• Modernism and the Harlem Renaissance Summary
• Exploring African American Culture: The Harlem Renaissance
• James Langston Hughes and the Influence of the Harlem Renaissance
• Harlem Renaissance Art and the Birth of Black Identity
• The Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement
• Harlem Renaissance and White Literary Movements
• The Modernist Movement Harlem Renaissance Emerged Early 20th Century Both
• Surrealism and Harlem Renaissance Two Historical Art Periods
• The Harlem Renaissance and Its Role in American Literature
• The Poets and Writers of the Harlem Renaissance
• Colorism Within the Harlem Renaissance
• Harlem Renaissance Promotes Creative Development Among African-Americans
• African Drumming and Dance, Spirituals, Minstrel Shows and Harlem Renaissance
• The Harlem Renaissance and the Literature of Black America
• Harlem Renaissance and the Example of Duke Ellington, a Jazz Musician
• Black Music During the Harlem Renaissance
• Harlem Renaissance and the Influence of the Irish Renaissance
• The Harlem Renaissance Changed America Through Literature
• Slave Culture Into the Harlem Renaissance: Finding a Home in Modernism
• Christianity Through Harlem Renaissance Literature
• Langston Hughes, Prolific Writer of Black Pride During the Harlem Renaissance
• Harlem Renaissance and the Surrealism Historical Periods
• The Harlem Renaissance Popularized American Vernacular Dance
• The Past and Present Influence of the Harlem Renaissance
• Modern Day Racial Passing of the Harlem Renaissance
• Hurston and Her Novel’s Critics: Racism, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Disputed Merits of the Eyes Were Watching God
• Beauty, Strength, and Intelligence of African Americans in the Harlem Renaissance
• Black Art Movement and the Harlem Renaissance
• The People, Art, and Literary Movement of the Harlem Renaissance
• Harlem Renaissance Period Transformed African-American Identity and History in the US
• African American Paintings During the Harlem Renaissance
• What Are Key Aspects of the Harlem Renaissance?
• How Did the Great Migration Impact the Harlem Renaissance?
• Did the Harlem Renaissance Make Important Contributions to the African American Experience?
• What Was the Overall Impact of the Harlem Renaissance?
• How Did Harlem Renaissance Lead to Many Social Changes?
• Was the Harlem Renaissance a Failure or Not?
• How Did the Harlem Renaissance Shape Literature?
• Did the Harlem Renaissance Represent Everyone or Was It an Elitist Movement?
• How Was the Harlem Renaissance Reflected in Toni Morrison’s Jazz?
• Who Did the Harlem Renaissance Movement Appeal to and How?
• How Did the Harlem Renaissance Writer Zora Neale Hurston Influence America?
• What Historical, Social, and Cultural Forces Shaped the Harlem Renaissance?
• How Did the Irish Renaissance Influence the Harlem Renaissance?
• Why Was Harlem the Center of the Renaissance of African American Arts in the 1920s and 1930s?
• How Did the Harlem Renaissance Affect Future African American Artists in America?
• Who Do You See as the Most Major Player in the Harlem Renaissance, and Why?
• How Did the Harlem Renaissance Impact American Society During the 1920S and Beyond?
• What Similarities and Differences of Theme, Imagery, Tone and Style Are Demonstrated in the Works of Harlem Renaissance Authors?
• How Did the Creative Expression of African Americans in the 1920s and 1930s Lead to a New Black Cultural Identity?
• What Does the Harlem Renaissance Reveal About U.S. History?
• How Did the Harlem Renaissance Help Americans to Understand the History and Culture of African Americans?
• What Were the Key Concerns of the Harlem Renaissance?
• Why Did the Harlem Renaissance End?
• How Did the Harlem Renaissance Influence Art Today?
• Who Was the Most Important Contributor to the Harlem Renaissance and Why?
• Why Is the Harlem Renaissance Important to America?
• How Did Harlem Become Black?
• Why Did Harlem Become the Capital of Black America?
• How Did Jazz Influence the Harlem Renaissance?
• Where Did the Harlem Renaissance Get Its Name?
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The Harlem Renaissance Essay

How it works

The Harlem Renaissance was an era of massive growth in art, music, poetry, and dancing during the 1920s. Many started to enjoy this upbeat music and empowering literature. This is what is well known about the Harlem Renaissance. This all originated after The Great Migration. These forms were very influential, even the white Americans started to use them. They used them even though they usually discriminated them. This art form lasted from The Great War to The Great Depression. This period of time has had a boom in popular literature was and performed in many places today.

There was much dancing and everyone was very happy during this time. There were also many artists that are still famous for their work.

The Harlem Renaissance was a boom in the arts and literature. After the great migration, African Americans shared their culture with the world during the 1920s. This all took place in Harlem, a popular neighborhood in New York City. There were many popular places that were used during the Harlem Renaissance. The Apollo Theater was a place where African Americans expressed their culture through music. The Savoy Ballroom was another important place in Harlem. It was used to dance the most modern dances of the time mixed with their African American way of dancing. Minton’s Playhouse was a very popular theater where jazz was mostly performed. Artists such as Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald sang jazz songs in these theaters.

There were many popular figures during this time. Bessie Smith was a blues singer during the Harlem Renaissance. She wrote songs such as I ain’t got nobody and Nobody knows you when you are down. Claude Mckay was a poet during this time. He wrote If we must die and Harlem Shadows.

Langston Hughes was another famous person during the Harlem Renaissance. He wrote many inspiring books and poems that we still read today. He showed the nation that he is a person too. One cannot define him because of his skin color.

Langston Hughes was born in 1902. He was born in Joplin, Missouri. His parents were James and Caroline Hughes, who got divorced when he was very young. His father moved to Mexico and his mother was always looking for a steady job, so Langston Hughes always lived with his grandmother. After his grandmother died, he and his mother moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1921. He started to write poetry in high school when one of his teachers suggested it. He often published poems in the school newspaper. Between the times of when he graduated high school and when he started college, he wrote his most famous poem, The Negro Speaks of Rivers. He went to Columbia University to become a mining engineer just like his father wanted for him. But, Langston Hughes did not want to become a mining engineer, so he dropped out.

Langston Hughes started his career in high school when he first wrote his first poem, The Negro Speaks of Rivers. He continued to write more poems about discrimination and racial equality. There were many people who were courageous at this time. They had to express their culture in a white world. The Harlem Renaissance allowed them to express themselves freely. Everyone loved this type of poetry and music. This boom in arts and literature allowed more people to allow themselves to get excited over the music. Everyone loves this type of music. They are also starting to realize that the people whom they exclude the most is making this art. In this period whites and blacks are starting to come together, collaborating to make this music and art. More people want to look at their artwork. They are all starting to see the blacks as equals. But, they are not considered people until 1954. Between that time and the Harlem Renaissance, there was segregation happening all over the United States.

The Harlem Renaissance was an era of massive growth in art, music, poetry, and dancing during the 1920s. This all originated after The Great Migration. These forms were very influential, even the white Americans started to use them. They used them even though they usually discriminated them. This art form lasted from The Great War to The Great Depression.

The Harlem Renaissance was a boom in the arts and literature. After the great migration, African Americans shared their culture with the world during the 1920s. This all took place in Harlem, a popular neighborhood in New York City.

Even though African Americans were discriminated, they were not afraid to show their customs. The Harlem Renaissance ended when the Great Depression began. They were not as excited to make music as they were before the Depression. The Harlem Renaissance was such a significant time, we still remember it today. African Americans continued to show their way of life, even though they faced discrimination.

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The Harlem Renaissance

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Can we "find fuel for the future in the past"? Poet Nikki Grimes asks this question in her poem "Emergency Measures," the first in her collection One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance . As Grimes does in her book, students will spend the module pondering the wisdom from works created during the Harlem Renaissance. First, students will explore scenes and songs from a play, poems, and artwork to experience the explosion of creativity and ideas of collaboration and innovation. Then, students examine political artwork and cartoons, informative articles, and short stories to explore the social and political context of the Harlem Renaissance. Finally, students explore the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance, turning back to Nikki Grimes and her collection of poems crafted with lines from Harlem Renaissance poets. Students consider whether they and contemporary writers, singers, and musicians truly can "find fuel for the future in the past."

In Unit 1, students explore collaboration in the Harlem Renaissance, noting how the Harlem Renaissance was an explosion and confluence of art, music, and literature. Students first examine scenes and songs from the Broadway musical Shuffle Along , experiencing this celebratory text that transformed American musical theater and was created through the collaboration of Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle, F. E. Miller, and Aubrey Lyles. Students analyze how the musical and textual techniques in the play affect meaning and develop themes such as love persevering through tough times. Similarly, students explore the thematic connections of triumph over hardships in the poem "Lift Every Voice and Sing" by James Weldon Johnson and the song and sculpture inspired by the text. Students then analyze iconic poems such as "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes, "Calling Dreams" and "Hope" by Georgia Douglas Johnson, and Claude McKay's "I Shall Return." In each of these poems, students analyze the structure, figurative language, and themes such as drawing strength from the past and overcoming adversity to fulfill one's dreams. Students conclude their exploration of collaboration and cultural confluence in a collaborative discussion comparing McKay's poem to artwork by Meta Warrick Fuller and Winold Reiss for thematic connections around drawing strength from and longing for home or Africa.

In Unit 2, students explore the social and political context of the Harlem Renaissance by reading short informational texts and examining visual art. Students learn how the Harlem Renaissance occurred during the era of the Great Migration, Jim Crow laws, and the racial violence of post-Civil War America. They then read two short stories, "His Motto" by Lottie Burrell Dixon and "The Boy and the Bayonet" by Paul Laurence Dunbar, analyzing point of view and the interactions between story elements, such as character, plot, and setting. Additionally, students discuss how both stories develop themes about working hard to achieve dreams and how community helps to bring out our best selves. Students continue their exploration of the Harlem Renaissance context by engaging with literary argument writing. Students examine a model literary argument essay then write pair and independent essays, discussing how three pieces of work from the Harlem Renaissance are connected by themes such as looking to the past for strength, collaboration and community to bring out one's best self, and dreams giving life meaning and purpose.

In Unit 3, students explore the contemporary legacy of the Harlem Renaissance by examining short informational and literary texts, visual art, and performances to further develop their sense of how the Harlem Renaissance continues to impact us today. To develop their background knowledge about this legacy, students analyze Nikki Grimes' poem "Emergency Measures," original artwork associated with the poem, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's ballet, "Uptown," which was inspired by the people, places, art, music, and writing of the Harlem Renaissance. Then students study several of Nikki Grimes' poems in conjunction with the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance, learning how Grimes uses lines from poets such as Langston Hughes and Georgia Douglas Johnson to create her own poems which develop themes similar to those of the Harlem Renaissance but in a contemporary context. Students continue their exploration of the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance by creating a museum exhibit, which includes three pieces from the Harlem Renaissance and one contemporary piece that they have studied or created themselves. Students write a curator's statement explaining how the works are connected by theme and create labels discussing the details of structure, language, and theme in each piece. Students practice and revise the presentation of their curator's statements and labels preparing for the Harlem Renaissance museum, in which students contribute to making a better world by sharing these important works with their community.

Notes from the Designer

The texts for the module contain references to sensitive topics such as racism, oppression, racial violence, and life challenges. The poems, short stories, and artwork address these complex issues of racism. The supplemental texts examined throughout the module help to explain the collaboration, socio-political context, and legacy of the Harlem Renaissance. In tackling issues of racism, oppression, racial violence, and life challenges, the texts examined across this module raise issues that may be upsetting, painful, or confusing for students. The design of this module aims to support students as they process sensitive or challenging passages. Across lessons, teaching notes call attention to specific passages that may be especially troubling for students and offer suggestions for helping students process the content of these passages with strength and compassion. Instructional decisions throughout the module, too, equip students with the literacy skills necessary to interpret the writers' choices and their development of themes around hope and perseverance.

How does collaboration influence an artistic renaissance?

• Innovation occurs through collaboration and community.
• The academic mindset of belonging is a critical aspect to creating a common identity and strong community during the Harlem Renaissance.
• There are common themes, practices, and structures across the art, music, and literature of the Harlem Renaissance.

What are some of the historical factors surrounding and contributing to the Harlem Renaissance?  

• Some societal factors that contributed to the movement and its art are the Great Migration, Jim Crow laws, and the racial violence of post-Civil War America. This migration, struggle, and oppression create urgency and frustration, out of which comes an expression of culture and identity. Out of the migration came a new freedom to create.

What are some of the lasting legacies of the Harlem Renaissance?

• The Harlem Renaissance has contributed to contemporary art, music, literature, and politics.

This module is designed to address English Language Arts standards and to be taught during the literacy block. But the module intentionally incorporates Social Studies content that may align to additional teaching during other parts of the day. These intentional connections are described below.

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards

• D2.Civ.14.6-8. Compare historical and contemporary means of changing societies, and promoting the common good.
• D2.His.4.6-8. Analyze multiple factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.
• D2.His.14.6-8. Explain multiple causes and effects of events and developments in the past.

Devices to access the internet:  To enable students to listen to or view audio, video, and artwork collections.  Analyze and present music, visual, and performance art.

Laminators and computers :  To make professional museum signage.  Create signs for the performance task museum.

Devices to record presentations: T o enable teachers and students to review presentations for formative and summative assessments.  Record presentations for learning and assessment purposes.

Refer to each Unit Overview for more details, including information about what to prepare in advance.

• Consider arranging meetings either with the experts in the fields listed below, or other artists, musicians, or writers. Also, begin planning for the Harlem Renaissance Museum performance task early, so that students can invite community members such as the experts who have visited class, friends, family members, and other classes or schools.
• The students explore contemporary art, music, dance, and literature inspired by the Harlem Renaissance. Consider contacting local art and music universities, studios, and authors to arrange meetings with those who have also been inspired by the Harlem Renaissance. Consider using the artist biographies from Nikki Grimes' One Last Word as a starting point.
• Students also create a museum exhibit and Harlem Renaissance museum collection. Consider reaching out to local museum directors, curators, and other docents to share their experience writing statements and labels as well as setting up exhibits.
• Consider visiting sites of interest, or the organizations associated with the experts above to meet with artists who have been inspired by the Harlem Renaissance or to see exhibits of Harlem Renaissance works at museums or libraries.
• Throughout the module, students are provided with extension opportunities in the context of the classroom, but students eager to expand their engagement with the topic can record videos of their interviews with community members and work on "mini documentaries" or write stories of the people they interview in order to share with larger audiences.

Each unit file includes supporting materials for teachers and students, including guidance for supporting English language learners throughout this unit.

ELA 2019 G7:M3:U1

Collaboration in the harlem renaissance, ela 2019 g7:m3:u2, the context of the harlem renaissance, ela 2019 g7:m3:u3, the legacy of the harlem renaissance.

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Harlem Renaissance Museum Collection

Throughout the module, students read poems and stories, listen to songs, and view visual and performing art from the Harlem Renaissance. For the performance task, students will share these works with an audience beyond their classroom, in a Harlem Renaissance Museum. Sharing this museum with others is important because these are seminal works and yet there are so few middle school resources on the Harlem Renaissance. In Unit 3, students curate a set of texts, songs, and artwork connected by a theme from the Harlem Renaissance. Additionally, they curate a contemporary piece that they either found or made themselves. Together with their classmates, students will present their set to a wider audience in a Harlem Renaissance Museum. Both their written and oral presentation of their curator's statement, labels, and the works themselves are part of their museum exhibit.  

Texts and resources that need to be procured. Please download the Required Trade Books and Resources Procurement List for procurement guidance.

Each module is approximately 6-8 weeks of instruction, broken into 3 units. The Module-at-a-Glance charts, available on the grade level landing pages, provide a big picture view of the module, breaking down the module into a week-by-week outline. It shows how the module unfolds, the focus of each week of instruction, and where the six assessments and the performance task occur.

View the module-at-a-glance chart

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Home — Essay Samples — History — History of the United States — Harlem Renaissance

Essays on Harlem Renaissance

What makes a good harlem renaissance essay topics.

When it comes to writing an essay on the Harlem Renaissance, choosing the right topic is crucial. The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural, social, and artistic explosion that took place in Harlem, New York, during the 1920s. It was a time of great creativity and expression for African American artists, writers, musicians, and thinkers. In order to write a successful essay on this topic, it is important to choose a topic that is not only interesting and engaging, but also allows for in-depth analysis and discussion. In this article, we will discuss What Makes a Good Harlem Renaissance essay topic and provide some recommendations for topics that stand out.

How to Brainstorm and Choose an Essay Topic

When brainstorming and choosing a Harlem Renaissance essay topic, it is important to consider a few key factors. First, consider your own interests and passions. What aspect of the Harlem Renaissance do you find most intriguing? Is it the art, literature, music, or social movements? By choosing a topic that resonates with you personally, you are more likely to produce a compelling and well-researched essay.

Next, consider the availability of sources and research material. The Harlem Renaissance is a well-documented period in history, and there is a wealth of information available for research. Choose a topic that has plenty of primary and secondary sources to draw from, as this will make the writing process much smoother.

Finally, consider the potential for analysis and discussion. A good Harlem Renaissance essay topic should allow for critical thinking and analysis. Choose a topic that is open to interpretation and discussion, rather than one that is purely factual.

A good Harlem Renaissance essay topic should be thought-provoking, engaging, and relevant. It should encourage critical thinking and analysis, and allow for in-depth exploration of the topic. Additionally, a good essay topic should be well-researched and supported by a variety of sources. It should also be original and unique, standing out from the typical essay topics on the Harlem Renaissance.

Best Harlem Renaissance Essay Topics

• The impact of the Harlem Renaissance on African American literature
• The role of music in the Harlem Renaissance
• The representation of women in Harlem Renaissance art and literature
• The influence of the Harlem Renaissance on the Civil Rights Movement
• The relationship between the Harlem Renaissance and the Great Migration
• The evolution of African American identity during the Harlem Renaissance
• The impact of the Harlem Renaissance on American popular culture
• The portrayal of race and identity in Harlem Renaissance literature
• The role of the Harlem Renaissance in shaping modern African American art
• The legacy of the Harlem Renaissance in contemporary society
• The influence of Harlem Renaissance on modern hip-hop music
• The intersection of race and gender in Harlem Renaissance literature
• The impact of the Harlem Renaissance on the Harlem community
• The significance of the Harlem Renaissance in shaping African American political thought
• The representation of African American history in Harlem Renaissance art
• The role of the Harlem Renaissance in challenging racial stereotypes
• The influence of Harlem Renaissance on modern fashion and design
• The portrayal of African American spirituality in Harlem Renaissance art and literature
• The relationship between Harlem Renaissance and the Jazz Age
• The artistic and literary contributions of women during the Harlem Renaissance

Harlem Renaissance essay topics prompts

• Imagine you are a writer during the Harlem Renaissance. Write a short story or poem that reflects the spirit of the era.
• Create a playlist of music that captures the essence of the Harlem Renaissance. Explain the significance of each song and its connection to the movement.
• Choose a piece of art from the Harlem Renaissance and analyze its cultural and social significance.
• Research a lesser-known figure from the Harlem Renaissance and write a biographical essay about their contributions to the movement.
• Write a critical analysis of a specific Harlem Renaissance literary work, exploring its themes, symbolism, and impact on the movement.

The Harlem Renaissance offers a wealth of fascinating and thought-provoking essay topics. By choosing a topic that is engaging, well-researched, and open to analysis, you can create a compelling and insightful essay that sheds light on this important period in history. Whether you choose to explore the literature, art, music, or social movements of the Harlem Renaissance, there are plenty of unique and creative topics to choose from. So, take the time to brainstorm and choose a topic that resonates with you, and get ready to dive into the rich and vibrant world of the Harlem Renaissance.

Harlem: a Community Profile Examination

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The Harlem Renaissance and Its Role in African American Culture

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1918 – mid 1930s

Harlem, New York City, United States

New Negro Movement

Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, James VanDerZee, Dorothy West, Aaron Douglas

The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural revival of African American culture, particularly in the creative arts, centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning the 1920s and 1930s. The period is considered a golden age in African American culture, manifesting in literature, music, stage performance and art.

In the early 1900s, a few middle-class Black families moved to Harlem, and other Black families followed. From 1910 to 1920, African American populations migrated in large numbers from the South to the North.

With the Harlem Renaissance came a sense of acceptance for African-American writers. "The New Negro" written by Alain Locke, was considered the cornerstone of this cultural revolution.

Many of the writers discussed the role of Christianity in African-American lives. Christianity played a major role in the Harlem Renaissance.

During the Harlem Renaissance was created a new way of playing the piano called the Harlem Stride. The traditional jazz band was considered a symbol of the south. During this period, the music of blacks was becoming more and more attractive to whites.

The end of Harlem’s creative boom began with the stock market crash of 1929 and The Great Depression. The Harlem Renaissance was a golden age for African American artists, writers and musicians.

Relevant topics

• Civil Rights Movement
• American Revolution
• Industrial Revolution
• Manifest Destiny
• Florence Kelley
• Boston Massacre
• Articles of Confederation
• Trail of Tears

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Eng 102 - The Argumentative Essay: Home

• CQ Researcher
• Issues and Controversies
• Harlem Renaissance

Introduction

The “ Argumentative Paper”

English 102  

Here’s what to consider—carefully!

1. Avoid Pre-formed conclusions about your issue .

• This is our emotional intelligence informing us what we should think about the issue.  While important, it is only a part of the picture/ your argument.

2. So, what to do?

• Examine the data, the facts, and the opposing viewpoints carefully .  With an iceberg, we only see the top— the smallest surface area.  Below lies the mass—the bigger picture. The same holds true for an issue. Below the surface of emotional intelligence is the truer perspective. The one you want to bring to your research. The one that gets you closer to a carefully reasoned conclusion.

3. So, what else to do?

• Set aside sweeping conclusions , be they political, historical, cultural, or social.
• Strive for an objective understanding of the pros and cons of an argument. As such, it is best to examine both sides fairly in your paper, for one cannot be 100% right or 100% wrong. 
• Look for a “middle ground” compromise. This is how you come about to a truly reasoned opinion that builds critical thinking and analytical skills.

This LibGuide embraces a number of helpful library databases, each with different strengths and weaknesses.

CQ Researcher and Issues and Controversies

The CQ Researcher and Issues and Controversies databases serve as an introduction to an issue.  Essentially these two databases are the Walmart of databases for they provide the skeleton essence for the issues they cover in 15 page articles.   

CQ Researcher and Issues and Controversies host only a select few articles related to your issue and the few articles are generally spread out by a number of years for you to witness the evolution in tackling the issue. Both these databases cover the Who, What, Where, When, How, Past, Present, Future, Pro/Con, Statistics and Quotes from Authorities in the Field and Political Figures. Both provide MLA citations for you to copy/paste.

EBSCO   &  JSTOR

Both EBSCO and JSTOR differ from CQ Researcher and Issues and Controversies in that hundreds, if not thousands of articles, will be retrieved by a search.  As such, combinations of keywords using AND to link these keywords will assist in narrowing your search. 

In addition, you may wish to further narrow your search by

• Date of publication,
• Source type (magazine, journal, book, report) or other variables.

An Advanced Search option is also available to assist you in narrowing your search results.

Most EBSCO and all JSTOR articles are available in PDF format.  PDF allows you to cite the exact page for your quotes, statistics, and other data you used from the source material.

• Important Note : As with CQ and Issues and Controversies, JSTOR and EBSCO provide MLA citations to copy/paste. 

Finally, just select your topic and begin to research it in the various databases:

• Take accurate notes
• Identify important “QUOTES”
• Look for telling analogies
• Note relevant examples
• Develop correct citations
• Build your Works Cited or References as a “separate” page
• Organize your paper around your central “for or against” position [thesis]
• Organize your paragraphs using individual paragraph topic ideas to support your thesis

All these databases can be found through the library catalog or the  Library Databases and Journals page .

• Access to the databases is your Canvas/MyTMCC login and password.

Here are 12 Research Paper subjects below.

NOTE: You can argue FOR or AGAINST  either side  of the issue; make sure you adjust the key word[s] accordingly ...

1. A Single Payer Health System is or is not  the best alternative for the United States.  [Key words--"best alternative"]

3. Term Limits for all Senators and Congressmen will or will not insure "real" democracy.  [Key Word--"insure"]

3. Drone Strikes are immoral actions.  [Key Word--"immoral"]

4. Alternative Health Care should be or should not be a vital part of mainstream medicine.  [Key Words--"vital part"]

5. If you study past history, you are studying future history.  Key Words--["past & future"]

6. A College Education is or is not necessary for Happiness.  [Key word--"necessary"]

7.   A Mission to Mars is or is not a waste of Money.  [Key word--"waste"]

8.   Nature must be preserved if we, as a species, expect to survive.  [Key word-- "preserved"]

9. The Internet will or will not create a better world.  [Key word--"Better"]

10. Overpopulation does or does not threaten the world's resources.  [Key word--"threaten"]

11. The Harlem Renaissance added important cultural diversity to America  [Key words--"important cultural diversity"]

12. The Mayan Civilization was less or more advanced than the Egyptian Civilization.  [Key words--"less or more advanced"—pick one] 

SUPER HELPFUL :

USE the  ESSAY OR RESEARCH PAPER "OUTLINE" FORM  located on your Home Page to help write your paper

English 102: Research Paper Assignment  

TYPE OF PAPER: AN ARGUMENT PAPER

Elements of an Argument paper are:

1. Facts, which represent about 75% of the argument

2. Persuasive appeals, which represent no more than 25% of the argument

Primary  “Modes of Paragraph Development” ( ways to illustrate, explain, prove, or argue):

a. Definitions

b. Examples

c. Narration [stories]

d. Descriptions

e. Comparison and Contrast

f. Facts, Statistics, Authority [experts] testimony

g. Persuasive appeals--“emotional-appealing” language

h. Also, discuss OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS for balanced arguments

Reference Librarian

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• Last Updated: Jul 6, 2021 11:12 AM
• URL: https://libguides.tmcc.edu/c.php?g=1026094

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Guest Essay

The Fantasy of Reviving Nuclear Energy

By Stephanie Cooke

Ms. Cooke is a former editor of Nuclear Intelligence Weekly and the author of “In Mortal Hands: A Cautionary History of the Nuclear Age.”

World leaders are not unaware of the nuclear industry’s long history of failing to deliver on its promises or of its weakening vital signs. Yet many continue to act as if a nuclear renaissance could be around the corner, even though nuclear energy’s share of global electricity generation has fallen by almost half from its high of roughly 17 percent in 1996.

In search of that revival, representatives from more than 30 countries gathered in Brussels in March at a nuclear summit hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Belgian government. Thirty-four nations, including the United States and China, agreed “to work to fully unlock the potential of nuclear energy,” including extending the lifetimes of existing reactors, building nuclear power plants and deploying advanced reactors.

Yet even as they did so, there was an acknowledgment of the difficulty of their undertaking. “Nuclear technology can play an important role in the clean energy transition,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, told summit attendees. But she added that “the reality today, in most markets, is a reality of a slow but steady decline in market share” for nuclear power.

The numbers underscore that downturn. Solar and wind power together began outperforming nuclear power globally in 2021, and that trend continues as nuclear staggers along. Solar alone added more than 400 gigawatts of capacity worldwide last year, two-thirds more than the previous year. That’s more than the roughly 375 gigawatts of combined capacity of the world’s 415 nuclear reactors, which remained relatively unchanged last year. At the same time, investment in energy storage technology is rapidly accelerating. In 2023, BloombergNEF reported that investors for the first time put more money into stationary energy storage than they did into nuclear.

Still, the drumbeat for nuclear power has become pronounced. At the United Nations climate conference in Dubai in December, the Biden administration persuaded two dozen countries to pledge to triple their nuclear energy capacity by 2050. Those countries included allies of the United States with troubled nuclear programs, most notably France , Britain , Japan and South Korea , whose nuclear bureaucracies will be propped up by the declaration as well as the domestic nuclear industries they are trying to save.

“We are not making the argument to anybody that this is absolutely going to be a sweeping alternative to every other energy source,” John Kerry, the Biden administration climate envoy at the time, said. “But we know because the science and the reality of facts and evidence tell us that you can’t get to net zero 2050 without some nuclear.”

That view has gained traction with energy planners in Eastern Europe who see nuclear as a means of replacing coal, and several countries — including Canada, Sweden, Britain and France — are pushing to extend the operating lifetimes of existing nuclear plants or build additional ones. Some see smaller or more advanced reactors as a means of providing electricity in remote areas or as a means of decarbonizing sectors such as heat, industry and transportation.

So far, most of this remains in early stages, with only three nuclear reactors under construction in Western Europe, two in Britain and one in France, each more than a decade behind schedule. Of the approximately 54 other reactors under construction worldwide as of March, 23 are in China, seven are in India, and three are in Russia, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The total is less than a quarter of the 234 reactors under construction in the peak year of 1979, although 48 of those were later suspended or abandoned.

Even if you agree with Mr. Kerry’s argument, and many energy experts do not, pledging to triple nuclear capacity by 2050 is a little like promising to win the lottery. For the United States, it would mean adding 200 gigawatts of nuclear operating capacity (almost double what the country has ever built) to the current 100 gigawatts or so, generated by more than 90 commercial reactors that have been running an average of 42 years. Globally it would mean tripling the existing capacity built over the past 70 years in less than half that time, in addition to replacing reactors that will shut down before 2050.

The Energy Department estimates the total cost of such an effort in the United States at roughly $700 billion. But David Schlissel , a director at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis , has calculated that the two new reactors at the Vogtle plant in Georgia — the only new reactors built in the United States in a generation — on average, cost $21.2 billion per gigawatt in today’s dollars. Using that figure as a yardstick, the cost of building 200 gigawatts of new capacity would be far higher: at least $4 trillion, or $6 trillion if you count the additional cost of replacing existing reactors as they age out.

For much less money and in less time, the world could reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of renewables like solar, wind, hydropower and geothermal power and by transmitting, storing and using electricity more efficiently. A recent analysis by the German Environment Agency examined multiple global climate scenarios in which Paris climate agreement targets are met, and it found that renewable energy “is the crucial and primary driver.”

The logic of this approach was attested to at the climate meeting in Dubai, where more than 120 countries signed a more realistic commitment to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.

There’s a certain inevitability about the U.S. Energy Department’s latest push for more nuclear energy. An agency predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission, brought us Atoms for Peace under President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s in a bid to develop the peaceful side of the atom, hoping it would gain public acceptance of an expanding arsenal of nuclear weapons while supplying electricity too cheap to meter.

Fast-forward 70 years, and you hear a variation on the same theme. Most notably, Ernest Moniz, the energy secretary under President Barack Obama, argues that a vibrant commercial nuclear sector is necessary to sustain U.S. influence in nuclear weapons nonproliferation efforts and global strategic stability. As a policy driver, this argument might explain in part why the government continues to push nuclear power as a climate solution, despite its enormous cost and lengthy delivery time.

China and Russia are conspicuously absent from the list of signatories to the Dubai pledge to triple nuclear power, although China signed the declaration in Brussels. China’s nuclear program is growing faster than that of any other country, and Russia dominates the global export market for reactors with projects in countries new to commercial nuclear energy, such as Turkey, Egypt and Bangladesh, as well as Iran.

Pledges and declarations on a global stage allow world leaders a platform to be seen to be doing something to address climate change, even if, as is the case with nuclear, they lack the financing and infrastructure to succeed. But their support most likely means that substantial sums of money — much of it from taxpayers and ratepayers — will be wasted on perpetuating the fantasy that nuclear energy will make a difference in a meaningful time frame to slow global warming.

The U.S. government is already poised to spend billions of dollars building small modular and advanced reactors and keeping aging large ones running. But two such small reactor projects based on conventional technologies have already failed. Which raises the question: Will future projects based on far more complex technologies be more viable? Money for such projects — provided mainly under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act — could be redirected in ways that do more for the climate and do it faster, particularly if planned new nuclear projects fail to materialize.

There is already enough potential generation capacity in the United States seeking access to the grid to come close to achieving President Biden’s 2035 goal of a zero-carbon electricity sector, and 95 percent of it is solar, battery storage and wind. But these projects face a hugely constrained transmission system, regulatory and financial roadblocks and entrenched utility interests, enough to prevent many of them from ever providing electricity, according to a report released last year by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Even so, existing transmission capacity can be doubled by retrofitting transmission lines with advanced conductors, which would offer at least a partial way out of the gridlock for renewables, in addition to storage, localized distribution and improved management of supply and demand.

What’s missing are leaders willing to buck their own powerful nuclear bureaucracies and choose paths that are far cheaper, less dangerous and quicker to deploy. Without them, we are doomed to more promises and wasteful spending by nuclear proponents who have repeatedly shown that they can talk but can’t deliver.

Stephanie Cooke is a former editor of Nuclear Intelligence Weekly and the author of “In Mortal Hands: A Cautionary History of the Nuclear Age.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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