Tentative Research Question
The following research question has been formulated for this paper: How did the Harlem Renaissance affect African American society?
Reasoning: Effects of the Harlem Renaissance
Religion and Family
The research paper will answer the question of the influence of the Harlem Renaissance on the progress of African American society in terms of religion and family. The reawakening of the African American culture in the context of the Harlem Renaissance led to accentuating traditional African religious views that were followed in the Black community (Huggins, 2007). Practices associated with religious worship became available to African Americans in different forms. Additionally, many African American families were influenced by this cultural explosion as they chose to move to New York, and Harlem in particular, to realize their potential.
Art and Music
This research will reveal how the Harlem Renaissance affected the art and music of African American society. The progress of the movement provided many African American artists, poets, writers, and musicians with an opportunity to express their ideas openly. What is more important, during that period, African Americans’ voice in the spheres of art and music was heard and valued (Watson, 1995). Alain L. Locke, as a philosopher and a proponent of the Harlem Renaissance, contributed significantly to recognizing Black people’s creativity (Harris & Molesworth, 2010; Stewart, 2018). Thus, the paintings of African American artists were inspired by their African heritage, and jazz became a well-known component of their cultural background.
War
The end of World War I contributed to the overall social and economic progress in the United States, which also resulted in improving the life conditions of African Americans. When being focused on moving forward to overcome the war outcomes, both White and Black Americans became interested in developing culture and art as elements of progress (Huggins, 2007). Thus, the paper will describe how Americans’ interest in Blacks’ art increased during the post-war period and later in the 1920s-1930s in the context of the Harlem Renaissance.
Implications of Completing an Analytical Research Paper
The significance of the research paper on the impact of the Harlem Renaissance is in the possibility to determine social and cultural factors related to the progress of African American society in the 1920s-1930s. When referring to the analysis of the literature, it is possible to learn how the activities of the leaders of the “New Negro Movement” contributed to positive changes in African Americans’ social development (Watson, 1995). It is necessary to examine the formation of the Black community in the country as a developed cultural group in terms of their religion, family, and art with reference to the impact of the Harlem Renaissance. This paper will answer the question about the role of the Harlem Renaissance in making the cultural, art, and intellectual contribution to African American society.
Target Audience
The research paper expects to inform the African American community about the impact of the Harlem Renaissance on its progress in terms of art and music. Furthermore, the paper is also aimed at educating readers as representatives of different racial groups about the achievements of the “New Negro Movement” for drawing the public’s attention to Black art. The paper will be based on a range of credible sources on the topic in order to present the most useful information to respond to the research question.
References
Harris, L., & Molesworth, C. (2010). Alain L. Locke: The biography of a philosopher. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Huggins, N. I. (2007). Harlem Renaissance. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Stewart, J. C. (2018). The new negro: The life of Alain Locke. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Watson, S. (1995). The Harlem Renaissance: Hub of African-American culture, 1920-1930. New York, NY: Pantheon Books.