Download African American Culture

His spirit is smoke ascended to high heaven.
His father, by the cruelest way of pain,
Had bidden him to his bosom once again;
The awful sin remained still unforgiven.
All night a bright and solitary star
(Perchance the one that ever guided him,
Yet gave him up at last to Fate's wild whim)
Hung pitifully o'er the swinging char.
Day dawned, and soon the mixed crowds came to
view
The ghastly body swaying in the sun:
The women thronged to look, but never a one
Showed sorrow in her eyes of steely blue;
And little lads, lynchers that were to be,
Danced round the dreadful thing in fiendish glee.
If we must die, let it not be like hogs
Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,
Making their mock at our accursèd lot.
If we must die, O let us nobly die,
So that our precious blood may not be shed
In vain; then even the monsters we defy
Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!
O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe!
Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,
And for their thousand blows deal one death-blow!
What though before us lies the open grave?
Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack,
Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!
USII.10
Chapter 20, Section 3

By the end of class, students will be able to…
 Describe how and why the Harlem Renaissance
began.
 Understand the impact that the Harlem
Renaissance made on American culture.
 Respond to different aspects from the Harlem
Renaissance.



The Great Migration led to hundreds of
thousands African Americans who migrated
from the rural South to industrial cites in the
North.
Cities were full of nightclubs and music
venues, particularly in the New York City
neighborhood of Harlem.
The result of the flowering of AfricanAmerica arts became known as the Harlem
Renaissance.


Called for “Black Nationalism,” glorifying
black culture and traditions
Founded the Universal Negro Improvement
Association (UNIA), which promoted black
pride and unity
 Central message was that blacks could gain
economic and political independence through
education
 Inspired by Booker T. Washington

Claude McKay, emigrated from Jamaica to
New York, he translated American racism into
Harlem Shadows, a collection of poetry
published in 1922.
 “The Lynching”
 “If We Must Die”

Langston Hughes became one of the leading
voices of the African American experience.





Louis Armstrong arrived in Chicago from New
Orleans and introduced an early form of jazz (a
style of music).
Armstrong was a cornet and trumpet soloist in
jazz music.
Duke Ellington was a composer, pianist, and
bandleader who performed in speakeasies and
clubs.
The Cotton Club was one of the most famous
Harlem nightspots to hear these performers
play.
The 1920’s is also referred to as the Jazz Age


Bessie Smith was one of the founders of a
soulful style of music known as the blues.
The blues influenced generation of musicians,
leaving one of the longest lasting impressions
on current music.
 Robert Johnson
 B.B. King
 Chuck Berry

All rock music is derived from the blues

Write a short response to each piece of work
from the Harlem Renaissance.
 How does each piece of work make you feel?
 What do you think the author was thinking about
or feeling when they created this work?

Some pieces are going to be pieces which have been
influenced by the Harlem Renaissance.

#5 Louis Armstrong, “Cornet Chop Suey”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2fhRwA
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
#6 Duke Ellington, “Mood Indigo”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GohBkH
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
#7 Bessie Smith, “Down Hearted Blues”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go6TiLIe
VZA

#8 B.B. King, “Lucille”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8QxOjuYHg