Big Apple History . Arts and Entertainment . The Harlem Renaissance


	Langston Hughes (left) at a party in his honor, c. 1926

For aspiring African-American writers in the 1920s, Harlem was the place to be. Never before in America had there been such a creative environment for black poets, playwrights, novelists, essayists, artists, and musicians. While blacks in other cities faced race riots, many in Harlem were able to thrive in a supportive community. This neighborhood gave birth to a lively cultural movement called the Harlem Renaissance.

One aspect of the Harlem Renaissance was a literary flowering. Countless black writers eagerly moved to Harlem to nurture their talent and help define the African-American experience. Coming to Manhattan enabled them to meet with powerful white editors and patrons who wanted to publish and support their work. White American intellectuals became enchanted with the so-called "New Negro." Furthermore, since many jobs in New York discriminated against blacks, the arts provided a way for them to achieve tremendous success, as well as a forum for commenting on racial injustices.

Important figures from the period include Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, and A'Lelia Walker. African-American writers believed that by writing stories, plays, and poems based on their personal experiences, they could unite black Americans and change people's attitudes about racism.

Illustration: Courtesy of the Photographs and Prints Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations.