Influence of the Harlem Renaissance on Society

Influence of the Harlem Renaissance in Society A group of people who had at one point held no power and position in society were now thriving in the nation, as they spread their culture and ideas. It was the start of an era known as the Harlem Renaissance. This was a more than a literary movement, it was a cultural movement based on pride in the Africa-American life. They were demanded civil and political rights (Stewart). The Harlem Renaissance changed the way African Americans were viewed by society. It, “changes the image of the African-American from rural, undereducated peasants to one of urban, cosmopolitan sophistication”. This era expanded from the early 1920s to the mid 1930s (Wikipedia). It generated great pride in the people by expressing their ideas though the fine arts. The Harlem Renaissance was a movement that helped the African-American people defined who they were, and what they believed in by leaving an impact on a society that was to change. African Americans first began to have an influence on society during the Great Migration. Settlers from the South traveled to the North in search of a better life. Once there, some settled in the city of Harlem, also known as “the Black Mecca” and “the Capital of black America”, which lies on New York. Others moved from the metropolitan areas to Harlem. Then they began to populate the area, the white middle class abandoned their property here. Developers had to make a low income from this business. Harlem landowners sold their properties to black real estate agents and rented the homes directly to black tenants. Between 1900 and 1920, the number of blacks in Harlem had doubled. Black advocates, entrepreneurs, and intellectuals first began to spread their ideas here. The people not only brought their businesses and institutions with them, they also brought a variety of ambitions and talents (BIO). The Harlem Renaissance gave African Americans an opportunity to be proud of their success. The popularity of

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