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The Rise Of The Harlem Renaissance

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There were many notable events taking place in the years 1900-1940, some being Pablo Picasso painting one of the first cubist paintings is 1907 , the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 , the 18th Amendment being added to the Constitution (prohibiting the use of intoxicating liquors) and then being repealed in 1933 , the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote in 1920 , Amelia Earhart becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic in 1928 , and the list continues. Undoubtedly one of the most influential of events during this time was the Harlem Renaissance. Even with its many leaders and innovators, it wouldn’t have been nearly as effective had it not been for Alain LeRoy Locke: black writer, philosopher, and teacher who influenced black artists to look to African sources for pride and inspiration. Without Locke’s contribution, the Renaissance would not have flourished as much as it did, and black pride would have taken longer to develop and accept.

The Harlem Renaissance During the time of WW2, the blacks of Harlem, NY were looked down on by the white race, seen as second-class citizens. At this time, they were referred to among the polite white company as Negroes. They were discriminated under the Jim Crow laws, named after a 19th century black character played by a white man, whom regarded whites as his superiors. Society was segregated, and blacks were not even allowed the freedom to vote, despite the constitutional amendment guaranteeing this right.

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