Enrich your life with a little culture from a city where African-Americam musicians, artists, writers and dancers battling segregation in the 1920s came together to raise awareness of Harlem, a city within a city, and gained widespread recognition in the process.
In a recent event at Bucks, Harlem Renaissance Speaker Margaret Montet spoke of the struggles and successes of those who participated, including renowned performers such as Duke Ellington, Aaron Douglas, The Nicholas Brothers, Zora Neale Hurston, and Langston Hughes, and The Cotton Club.
The event was held Thursday, February 16th in the Zlock Performing Arts Center. Montet presented a series of poets, artists, musicians, and dancers who through their craft aimed to embrace African-American culture and reduce separation between whites and blacks.
Margaret Montet is a librarian at Bucks who previously studied at Temple University. Throughout the presentation, Montet displayed various black and white videos which showcased the excitement and energy that went in to the Harlem Renaissance, as dancers performed with exceptional flexibility and musicians exhibited broad vocal ranges. Performers wore extravagant clothing and often sang tunes with powerful meaning through the calming melodies of blues and jazz.
At the beginning of her speech, Montet reminded the audience of the extreme level of racism during the early 20th century, a shocking discovery to many, admitting that in many areas “It was illegal for a black man and a white man to sit and play checkers.” While segregation forced control and isolation among a society, in 1919 the onset of the Harlem Renaissance promoted freedom and integration by educating whites on African-American culture and fought to bring blacks and whites together during this disconnected period in American History. The term “negrotarians” was used to describe white people who supported blacks.
The Harlem Renaissance occured during the Great Migration, the movement of 6 million African-Americans from rural southern areas into the urban Northeast, Midwest, and West. Two influential thinkers of this time were W.E.B. Du Bois and Alain Locke, who Montet claimed was more free-thinking than De Bois. Montet also stresses the importance of the author William Harmon, who created the Harmon Foundation, an organization that supported African-American artists such as Carl Van Vechten, Aaron Douglas, and Augusta Savage.
A significant aspect of the Renaissance was the Cotton Club, a Harlem Jazz club which was mainly attended by rich whites. The lineup would consist of a comedian, followed by a featured act, chorus line, and then a big band. Duke Ellington, a major jazz composer, was among many artists who performed at the Cotton Club. Ellington commanded respect, valued his charm, and preferred to keep his secrets unknown. Ellington was an instrumental artist until he met singer Ivie Anderson and formed a collaboration through the Cotton Club. Cab Calloway, a jazz singer, was also a regular attraction and had a reputation as an energetic performer.
Another vital aspect of the Renaissance was dance, which many enjoyed at the Savoy Dance Club. At Savoy, both blacks and whites danced together in an elegant ballroom where bands played back to back. Popular drummer Chick Webb performed with jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald at Savoy, in addition to the well-known “What a Wonderful World” singer Louis Armstrong. A star with an interesting story, Ethel Waters was put on the streets because of an abusive boyfriend but rose to fame through street performance. Performers were also brought together through house-rent parties, where tenants hire a band and pass hat to raise money for their rent. These events had a significant effect on jazz and blues development.
Jazz poet Langston Hughes was known for “The Weary Blues” during which Hughes uses language, rythym, and accompaniment to convey the blues. Hughes collaborated with Zora Neal Hurston, a famous novelist, who Montet notes “wrote in a rural florida dialect that was innovative for her time.” The two collaborated on a play called Mule Bone, which incidently caused them to sever their relationship as they believed the play to be a mistake.
Through literature, art, music, and dancing, the people of the Harlem Renaissance were able to defy the social norms of the time and the segregation which separated people who discovered they weren’t so different. The energy surrounding African-American culture inspired many whites to take interest in the story which blacks had to tell through entertainment which served as an escape from the harsh realities of the time.