Harlem Renaissance Research Paper
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Assignment 2: Harlem Renaissance Poets
Strayer University
HUM 112
August 23, 2014
Early in the 1900’s, there was a large movement of the African American population from their homes in the Southern states of America to the more industrialized and urban states of the North. This movement was known as the Great Migration. They relocated to new cities to seek out jobs and a better way of life for their families. This was a major factor that contributed to the rise of what is called the Harlem Renaissance. This migration sparked a cultural renewal for the people in New York City. The cultural renewal was celebrated by African American writers, artists, actors, and musicians. The Harlem Renaissance was not only an important part of the African American cultural history, but also that of the United States of America. CITATION The11 \l 1033 (The Harlem Renaissance, 2011)The Harlem Renaissance had a major impact on America because prior to the movement, almost all published material was written and performed by white people. The Renaissance was able to give a voice to those who had been slaves a mere decades earlier. It allowed them to attack the black stereotypes and to write about how they felt to be left out of mainstream society. CITATION Nat14 \l 1033 (Boyd, 2014)This essay will focus on two …show more content…
poets that stand out on a list of impressive authors. Both Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen were leaders of the Harlem Renaissance and highly influential.
Langston Hughes was one of the most notable names of the period.
He wrote novels, plays, short stories, and many other types of works. He is most well-known for his poetry, however. He seemed to be successful in high school and college but schooling didn’t really interest him. After he dropped out of Columbia University he began to spend all of his time in Harlem. He supported himself on his writing and various odd jobs. His writing shows that he believed that black culture was one that should be celebrated as being as valuable as white culture. CITATION The11 \l 1033 (The Harlem Renaissance, 2011)Democracy: By Langston
Hughes
Democracy will not comeToday, this yearNor everThrough compromise and fear.I have as much right As the other fellow hasTo standOn my two feet And own the land.I tire so of hearing people say, Let things take their course.Tomorrow is another day.I do not need my freedom when I 'm dead.I cannot live on tomorrow 's bread.FreedomIs a strong seedPlantedIn a great need.I live here, too.I want freedomJust as you.
In this poem you can see the double consciousness being expressed in the yearning of the idea of Freedom. As an American and as a Black man on the outside looking in, the line “I live here, too. I want freedom just as you” implores that there is no difference between himself and any other American. He yearns for the acceptance to come.
Countee Cullen was a leader in the Harlem Renaissance. He published four volumes of poetry during his time, as well as short stories, a novel, and writings for theatre. Although knowledge of his early years is unreliable and vague, it is believed that he had a troubled childhood, full of abandonment. His writings celebrated black beauty and deplored racism and its effects CITATION Cou14 \l 1033 (Countee Cullen, 2014)From a Dark Tree
We shall not always plant while others reapThe golden increment of bursting fruit,Not always countenance, abject and mute,That lesser men should hold their brothers cheap;Not everlastingly while others sleepShall we beguile their limbs with mellow flute,Not always bend to some more subtle brute;We were not made to eternally weep. The night whose sable breast relieves the stark,White stars is no less lovely being dark,And there are buds that cannot bloom at allIn light, but crumple, piteous, and fall;So in the dark we hide the heart that bleeds,And wait, and tend our agonizing seeds.
From a The double consciousness that is being expressed in this poem is shown in the expression of the beauty and sadness in the nature around him. This is especially poignant in the line “White stars is no less lovely being dark”, essentially saying that black skin is as beautiful as white skin and should be accepted as such.
The underlying theme in the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance is an essential yearning to be accepted into mainstream society, not as inferiors, but as equals. The acknowledgement of the beauty of the African American and the acceptance as Patriotic equals is a line that appears to run through these poems.
Raised and Repressed
I raise my arms and give a shout
A penitent man, I am blessed
I stand on a soil of freedom
Gained by forefathers unrepressed
I raise my arms and give a shout
And to my knees I fall
Surrendering my dignity
To another’s beck and call
I raise my arms and give a shout
And know deep in my heart
That the freedom of which he and I also speak
Are often worlds apart.-Holly Easton Works Cited BIBLIOGRAPHY Boyd, N. (2014). The Harlem Renaissance: Novels and Poetry from the Jazz Age. Retrieved from Education Portal: http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-harlem-renaissance-novels-and-poetry-from-the-jazz-age.html#lesson
Countee Cullen. (2014). Retrieved from Poem Hunter Treasure Hunter: http://www.poemhunter.com/countee-cullen/biography/
The Harlem Renaissance. (2011). Retrieved from History of the Harlem Renaissance: http://historyoftheharlemrenaissance.weebly.com/index.html
Assignment 2: Harlem Renaissance Poets
Strayer University
HUM 112
August 23, 2014
Early in the 1900’s, there was a large movement of the African American population from their homes in the Southern states of America to the more industrialized and urban states of the North. This movement was known as the Great Migration. They relocated to new cities to seek out jobs and a better way of life for their families. This was a major factor that contributed to the rise of what is called the Harlem Renaissance. This migration sparked a cultural renewal for the people in New York City. The cultural renewal was celebrated by African American writers, artists, actors, and musicians. The Harlem Renaissance was not only an important part of the African American cultural history, but also that of the United States of America. CITATION The11 \l 1033 (The Harlem Renaissance, 2011)The Harlem Renaissance had a major impact on America because prior to the movement, almost all published material was written and performed by white people. The Renaissance was able to give a voice to those who had been slaves a mere decades earlier. It allowed them to attack the black stereotypes and to write about how they felt to be left out of mainstream society. CITATION Nat14 \l 1033 (Boyd, 2014)This essay will focus on two …show more content…
poets that stand out on a list of impressive authors. Both Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen were leaders of the Harlem Renaissance and highly influential.
Langston Hughes was one of the most notable names of the period.
He wrote novels, plays, short stories, and many other types of works. He is most well-known for his poetry, however. He seemed to be successful in high school and college but schooling didn’t really interest him. After he dropped out of Columbia University he began to spend all of his time in Harlem. He supported himself on his writing and various odd jobs. His writing shows that he believed that black culture was one that should be celebrated as being as valuable as white culture. CITATION The11 \l 1033 (The Harlem Renaissance, 2011)Democracy: By Langston
Hughes
Democracy will not comeToday, this yearNor everThrough compromise and fear.I have as much right As the other fellow hasTo standOn my two feet And own the land.I tire so of hearing people say, Let things take their course.Tomorrow is another day.I do not need my freedom when I 'm dead.I cannot live on tomorrow 's bread.FreedomIs a strong seedPlantedIn a great need.I live here, too.I want freedomJust as you.
In this poem you can see the double consciousness being expressed in the yearning of the idea of Freedom. As an American and as a Black man on the outside looking in, the line “I live here, too. I want freedom just as you” implores that there is no difference between himself and any other American. He yearns for the acceptance to come.
Countee Cullen was a leader in the Harlem Renaissance. He published four volumes of poetry during his time, as well as short stories, a novel, and writings for theatre. Although knowledge of his early years is unreliable and vague, it is believed that he had a troubled childhood, full of abandonment. His writings celebrated black beauty and deplored racism and its effects CITATION Cou14 \l 1033 (Countee Cullen, 2014)From a Dark Tree
We shall not always plant while others reapThe golden increment of bursting fruit,Not always countenance, abject and mute,That lesser men should hold their brothers cheap;Not everlastingly while others sleepShall we beguile their limbs with mellow flute,Not always bend to some more subtle brute;We were not made to eternally weep. The night whose sable breast relieves the stark,White stars is no less lovely being dark,And there are buds that cannot bloom at allIn light, but crumple, piteous, and fall;So in the dark we hide the heart that bleeds,And wait, and tend our agonizing seeds.
From a The double consciousness that is being expressed in this poem is shown in the expression of the beauty and sadness in the nature around him. This is especially poignant in the line “White stars is no less lovely being dark”, essentially saying that black skin is as beautiful as white skin and should be accepted as such.
The underlying theme in the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance is an essential yearning to be accepted into mainstream society, not as inferiors, but as equals. The acknowledgement of the beauty of the African American and the acceptance as Patriotic equals is a line that appears to run through these poems.
Raised and Repressed
I raise my arms and give a shout
A penitent man, I am blessed
I stand on a soil of freedom
Gained by forefathers unrepressed
I raise my arms and give a shout
And to my knees I fall
Surrendering my dignity
To another’s beck and call
I raise my arms and give a shout
And know deep in my heart
That the freedom of which he and I also speak
Are often worlds apart.-Holly Easton Works Cited BIBLIOGRAPHY Boyd, N. (2014). The Harlem Renaissance: Novels and Poetry from the Jazz Age. Retrieved from Education Portal: http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-harlem-renaissance-novels-and-poetry-from-the-jazz-age.html#lesson
Countee Cullen. (2014). Retrieved from Poem Hunter Treasure Hunter: http://www.poemhunter.com/countee-cullen/biography/
The Harlem Renaissance. (2011). Retrieved from History of the Harlem Renaissance: http://historyoftheharlemrenaissance.weebly.com/index.html