When it comes to celebrating Black History Month in the US, Black culture is a brilliant starting point. One topic of fascination for me is the Harlem Renaissance, and the Black cultural icons who fuelled it.
This blossoming of African-American culture took place around 1918 – 1937, and was mainly concentrated on the creative arts, from literary and theatrical to visual and musical. Through embracing these, Black peoples’ relationships to their heritage and communities could be reconceptualised, rewriting stereotypes and combining Black intellect and talent. Though the Renaissance took place outside of Harlem, New York City, this area served as the symbolic capital of the artistic outpouring – by 1920, this neighbourhood had become 32.4% black. The Harlem Renaissance as a whole was a phase of a larger ‘New Negro’ movement, emerging in the early 20th century, spurred on by the migration of many African Americans from rural to urban areas. The movement also had close links to civil rights organisations, such as the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People). And within New York City existed a diverse and decentralised Black social world, rife with culture. The recent population shift and new communities resulted in a Black Pride movement, with leaders such as W.E.B Du Bois fighting for Black artists to get the cultural credit they deserved.
Early breakthroughs in the Renaissance were in poetry, with Claude McKay’s collection Harlem Shadows in 1922 and Jean Toomer’s Cane in 1923. Moreover, poet Countee Cullen was 15 when he arrived in Harlem, and after studying a master’s in poetry at Harvard, published his first volume of poetry : ‘Color.’ This was followed by ‘Copper Sun’ and ‘The Ballad of the Brown Girl.’ He later went on to publish plays and children’s books, before marrying Yolande Du Bois, the daughter of W.E.B Du Bois, in 1928. Civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson’s The Autobiography of An Ex-Colored Man in 1912 helped transform the white-dominated world of fiction.
During my research, I stumbled across an image of Gladys Bentley, an American blues singer, pianist and entertainer during the Harlem Renaissance. She was a pioneer of the Black LGBT community in New York, and was an unabashedly out lesbian. Bentley rose to fame for her lyrics and her attire, performing in a stereotypically masculine tuxedo accompanied by a top hat. She frequently played at venues such as The Cotton Club, and the gay speakeasy The Clam House. Though described by many as ‘ahead of her time’, and ‘a trailblazer for Black queer performance,’ at the time she was frequently harassed for wearing men’s clothing and expressing her identity. With the repeal of Prohibition signalling the decline of the Harlem speakeasies at the centre of the music movement, she relocated to California, trying to continue her musical career with limited success. Other musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington performed at similar venues as Bentley once did, often accompanied by elaborate floor shows and tap dancers. Many famous musicians who found their audience during the Harlem Renaissance are still beloved today, and you can find a playlist of Harlem Renaissance Jazz on Spotify.
Finally, upon viewing the hashtag #harlemrenaissance on Instagram, it’s possible to find several accounts dedicated to publishing photos, poetry and artwork to give you an insight into the time period—I encourage you to check it out!
