Against the Odds: The Artists of the Harlem Renaissance. Directed by Amber Edwards, PBS, 1994.
The documentary provides an overview of the Harlem Renaissance and emphasizes its artistic works. It offers an insight into the background of the era and describes some characteristics, mentioning the role of the progressive white community. Such prominent personalities as Du Bois, Locke, and Johnson and their views are highlighted. It discusses the movement’s influences and includes interviews with renowned artists of the time, for example, Wells. The documentary also comments on how the Harlem Renaissance changed individuals and the Black race’s perception. It concludes with a discussion of the movement’s institutionalization and subsequent decline due to the Great Depression.
The documentary is a confirmation that the Harlem Renaissance culture is preserved. From the exhibited artworks to the interviews with former artists, the idea that the movement remains cherished is palpable. The Renaissance is praised for its “new language,” which created a perspective separate from a victimized or a contended voice that the white majority wanted to hear (“Against the Odds” 00:04:40-00:05:05). It was prominent for pushing “ordinary people” to become creative, which can be seen in both positive and negative lights (“Against the Odds” 00:12:29-00:12:59). The advantage is that the described experiences were authentic, but their professional lives could suffer as a result. Overall, the culture during the Harlem Renaissance period was “all the rage” (“Against the Odds” 00:13:20-00:13:40). Moreover, it helped the race “identify itself” and “mature,” which were the movement’s ultimate goals (“Against the Odds” 00:23:00-00:23:30). One of the documentary’s interviewees believes that “the Renaissance lived on in its power” and “continues to work,” which is a complimentary assessment after several decades (“Against the Odds” 00:53:40-00:54:10). Therefore, the movement manages to inspire new artists and offer creative ideas, which makes the cultural impact palpable and generally positive.
Austin, Paula C. “’Conscious Self-Realization and Self-Direction’: New Negro Ideologies and Visual Representations.” The Journal of African American History, vol. 103, no. 3, 2018, pp. 309-339. Association for the Study of African American Life and History.
The article discusses the importance of photographs for promoting New Negro discourses. It constants the views of Garvey and Du Bois, who were highly influential theorists and had different opinions on the visual representations of Black people by themselves, although they agreed on its significance. The piece highlights how the thinkers’ publications, The Crisis and Negro World, used photographs of men and women to promote a particular image for both, which was militaristic and unified, despite the movement’s diversity. It concludes with the shortcomings of the Black visual representation and the acknowledgment of its significance in fighting the racist image.
The source helps one understand why certain ideas of the Harlem Renaissance, especially those regarding gender and class, became more accepted than others. As they were supplied with visuals, it was easier for the audience to identify the desirable features in a man or a woman. Both Du Bois and Garvey “capitalized on their positions at the helm of widely circulated publications,” meaning that the former, for instance, could further his views by showing real people (Austin 313). Conversely, those thinkers who only abstractly described what a Black man should be would probably enjoy less success among the general population, although their ideas could still influence the movement itself. The source highlights that photographs “remained fixed and comparable,” which failed to represent the divergent discourse but managed to reflect “the larger cultural system” (Austin 339). Thus, it could be argued that the New Negro visual representations gradually offset the stereotypical images crafted by white people, allowing Black men and women to control their identities. Thus, closely aligned portrayals were necessary for the time to define the culture. Afterward, other, more diverse images could develop owning to the established non-racist representation.
Bailey, Julius, and Scott Rosenberg. “Reading Twentieth Century Urban Black Cultural Movements through Popular Periodicals: A Case Study of the Harlem Renaissance and South Africa’s Sophiatown.” Safundi, vol. 17, no. 1, 2016, pp. 63-86. Taylor and Francis Online.
The article discusses the transformative role of the Harlem Renaissance publications in The Crisis, comparing the situation to Sophiatown of the 50s, where Drum performed a similar function. First, the author focuses on the movement’s precursors and proceeds to describe the impact of Du Bois’ magazine. Then, the attention shifted to Sophiatown’s circumstances, which had much in common with what happened in Harlem as far as race relations were concerned. The author analyzes select Drum publications and shows how they shaped the Black South African identity. The conclusion parallels the movements and emphasizes the role of art in attaining equality.
The section focusing on The Crisis reveals the importance of the magazine for authentic Black portrayals and the shared culture. Du Bois allowed contributions that “challenged conventional representations of the same,” even if he ultimately pushed for “a more idealized image of black America” (Bailey and Rosenberg 68). Although the magazine initially focused on real-life articles, the approach was eventually wrong, leading to the proliferation of arts, such as short stories, poetry, and artworks. The pieces spoke “to the shared black identity,” which was rooted in the American South and began shaping into something new in Harlem (Bailey and Rosenberg 72). The Crisis contributed to a Black person’s “burgeoning sense,” which was unique to the area (Bailey and Rosenberg 72). Nonetheless, it emerged from the common sufferings of all Black people, not necessarily contradicting other identities that could exist. Therefore, one may say that the creative products of the Harlem Renaissance had a considerable cultural impact, changing Black self-perception and the outside view. Although the article implies that the idealized image was ultimately harmful, ignoring negative experiences, the Black community needed some positivity in the post-Civil War and WWI reality.
Pochmara, Anna. The Making of the New Negro: Black Authorship, Masculinity, and Sexuality in the Harlem Renaissance. Amsterdam University Press, 2011.
The book is devoted to the representation of Black men during the New Negro Movement, which is rife with contradictions. It explores the desire to establish one’s masculinity and identity, the crossroad of race, gender, and sexuality. The historical perspective on the matter is provided using the views of Washington and Du Bois. The text presents the New Negro discourse, which was spearheaded by Locke and Thurman. Their positions clashed, with the former reimagining Western ideas and promoting primitivism and the latter focusing on the outrageous, but shared some sentiments. The conclusion focuses on Wright, who severely criticizes the movement.
The epilogue suggests that post-Renaissance thinkers rejected Locke’s and Thurman’s masculinity and sexuality, despite the deliberate approaches to construct these concepts. For instance, Wright criticized their “elitism and bohemianism,” believing that the ideas did not resonate with the general public (Pochmara 180). He and others also thought that “white sponsorship and decadent tendencies” undermined the movement (Pochmara 183). Wright aimed to develop a more masculine man than Locke’s homosocial participator and Thurman’s dandy, Sweetback, or even Bull, who was characterized by virility and violence against Black women. Still, the traces of both thinkers’ views can be seen in his concept, such as the “focus on the obscene and naturalistic elements of black life,” which stems from the latter’s exhibitionism (Pochmara 215). Meanwhile, Locke’s writing was a “springboard,” which Wright used to assert his vision (Pochmara 216). Thus, the ideas of manhood conceived during the Harlem Renaissance would be reimagined but alive, continuing to shape the cultural identity of new generations of Black men. Thurman’s Superwoman and other female images were dormant yet potentially viable once the Black woman’s gender role was transformed, implying the great potency of the movement’s ideas.
Spencer, Jon M. “The Black Church and the Harlem Renaissance.” African American Review, vol. 50, no. 4, 2017, pp. 949-956. Project MUSE.
The article argues that the Harlem Renaissance was not entirely atheistic and impacted the Black Church as well. The author analyzes various contemporary views on the relationships between the two and discusses the beliefs of some prominent movement figures. The piece highlights the Black Church’s importance as a platform for Renaissance artists and proposes that many individuals were still spiritual and found fault with certain aspects of religion. Then, Spencer suggests that social gospel was an inherent part of the movement and focuses on specific churches. The article concludes with their role in the Black community during the post-Renaissance period.
The piece is instrumental in expanding the scope of the Harlem Renaissance and providing a broader context. The author argues that “the social gospel should be included in the group of the significant events,” as the Harmon awards considered religious services (Spencer 950). It also becomes evident that the Renaissance figures were not anti-religious, as “they turned to the folk culture of the black church… for the material” (Spencer 952). Thus, portraying the movement as atheistic, even if some key artists were against the Church, is probably counterproductive. The piece implies that the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Church enjoyed a symbiotic relationship – the former inspired the latter to be more involved in activism, while the preaching could be reflected in some artistic works. Despite its shortcomings highlighted by such thinkers as Johnson, the Church played a significant role in the Black culture at large, so the fact that it adopted some values from the Harlem Renaissance was important. The impact could be seen during the Great Depression era and the Civil Rights movement when the Church diligently assumed its social duty and served as a discussion and reconciliation hub.
Watts, Eric K. Hearing the Hurt: Rhetoric, Aesthetics, and Politics of the New Negro Movement. University Alabama Press, 2012.
The book focuses on the tropes of the Harlem Renaissance, including class, sex, gender, and geography. The work discusses its origins, aesthetics, racial optimism, and internal movements. Some attention is given to Schuyler’s artistic practices, which satirized the New Negro. It also highlights disagreements within the Harlem Renaissance and the role of white people. The source explores the impacts of class and civil rights protests on the Black aesthetics, employing Thurman’s Infants of the Spring. Lastly, the book discusses the notions of race and sex as they are seen in Larsen’s Passing, which helps discover the New Negro movement’s essence.
The book supports the notion that The Harlem Renaissance is crucial for the tropes of race and remains preserved in people’s memory. Starting from Du Bois’ “moral deliberation,” the movement’s aesthetics were charged with political sense (Watts 64). Simultaneously, beauty was “a lifesaving gift,” which is another idea prominent in the Harlem Renaissance (Watts 75). However, promoting the aesthetics to the public was challenging, as it was “too diffused” (Watts 104). The “long legacy of racist Southern literature” also presented an issue that could be maintained by aspiring authors (Watts 109). Still, the “strong prejudices” can be broken, and one’s values may be “amalgamated and altered,” which are the points at which the movement succeeded (Watts 142-143). Although Schuyler’s “savage voice” harshly derided the Harlem Renaissance, the criticism was necessary and became part of what defined the New Negro (Watts 179). Du Bois and Locke might have grown disillusioned with the movement, and Thurman considered it “a disturbingly shallow sensation,” their apprehensions only elevated the image further (Watts 256). All those voices shaped the current cultural landscape, providing an opening to the future, and the movement was just a beginning.
Works Cited
Against the Odds: The Artists of the Harlem Renaissance. Directed by Amber Edwards, PBS, 1994.
Austin, Paula C. “’Conscious Self-Realization and Self-Direction’: New Negro Ideologies and Visual Representations.” The Journal of African American History, vol. 103, no. 3, 2018, pp. 309-339. Association for the Study of African American Life and History.
Bailey, Julius, and Scott Rosenberg. “Reading Twentieth Century Urban Black Cultural Movements through Popular Periodicals: A Case Study of the Harlem Renaissance and South Africa’s Sophiatown.” Safundi, vol. 17, no. 1, 2016, pp. 63-86. Taylor and Francis Online.
Pochmara, Anna. The Making of the New Negro: Black Authorship, Masculinity, and Sexuality in the Harlem Renaissance. Amsterdam University Press, 2011.
Spencer, Jon M. “The Black Church and the Harlem Renaissance.” African American Review, vol. 50, no. 4, 2017, pp. 949-956. Project MUSE.
Watts, Eric K. Hearing the Hurt: Rhetoric, Aesthetics, and Politics of the New Negro Movement. University Alabama Press, 2012.