What themes stood out most to you in the assigned readings and lecture this week? What questions did the lectures and readings raise for you? Please post your responses in the comment section below.
The thing that stood out the most to me was the presence of whites in Harlem. I thought it was interesting that all of the "chic" whites would spend Friday nights being entertained in Harlem, as a way to critique their own culture in comparison with the culture of blacks. I wonder if the African-Americans in Harlem enjoyed the presence of whites in Harlem. Also, how were black celebrities like Bessie Smith treated in comparison to white celebrities?
What really stuck out to me was the different attitudes that people had about the Harlem Renaissance. The blacks from across the world tried to use this time to develop black culture and advance the race, but whites treated this as a spectacle. Whites in the big cities sought contrast to the cookie cutter, vanilla white culture. I still wonder how the Harlem Renaissance writers interacted with the Modernist writers of the day like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Also, I wonder if the Harlem Renaissance and the contrast it provided to white culture inspired the counter culture of the roaring twenties.
What stood out to me was how many different black people from different backgrounds came together to live in Harlem, and their different cultures and previous knowledge intertwined to revive black society. The African American community was showing the world that they could produce entertainment and the arts just as good as anyone else.
One theme that stood out to me from the lectures and readings this week was the contrast between the Harlem Renaissance and the rise of mass culture. Whilst the Harlem Renaissance saw black culture rapidly thriving and reflecting the movement of the black population to self-define as individuals, mass culture and the rise of consumerism had almost an opposite influence, facilitating the homogenisation of society.
One theme that stood out to me this week was the interaction of white Americans with black culture, and the use of places like Harlem to escape the mass culture that was permeating white American culture. One question I had was the way interactions with places like Harlem changed white Americans attitudes towards black Americans.
Something that was interesting to me was this development of the "New Negro", the ability and prevalence of African Americans (and other black groups from the Caribbean and beyond) to start to define their own culture and identity. The works from the Harlem Renaissance are indications of this, and Alain Locke's articulation of this term was quite important in the development of a cultural identity for this group that has always been defined by either their oppressors or those pitying them. Also mentioned (and important) is the idea that the migration of African Americans to urban centers (primarily the north, but also southern cities and in Europe) urged this movement of self expression. My question is: what influence does the Harlem Renaissance have in the white movement away from traditional strict roles? For instance, the idea of primitization: How does this pure, primitive expression of culture help ease the tensions of the "pristine" white man, which can be seen with the rise of the flappers and the speak-easies?
This week we learned about the Harlem Renaissance. To a large extent this movement results in the aggregation of African Americans in urban settings and was a symbol for the cultural awakening of African Americans across the country. This period marks the point in which African Americans gained a voice where they were able to define themselves as opposed to being defined by racists and philanthropists alike. African Americans expresses this through poetry, music, literature, painting, sculpture, dance and other forms. The risky culture displayed during the Harlem Renaissance is a direct contrast to the mundane homogenous white culture of the time and many hip whites were voracious consumers of African American produced forms of culture. My question is how did African Americans respond to the competition with whites to consume the cultural material of their own making?
What stood out to me from the lectures this week was the development of "The New Negro" in society. Cities such as Harlem were places where blacks from all parts of the world (the South, the Carribean, Africa, etc..) came together to form their own culture and define themselves. There was an emergence of great black poets, musicians, and artists. White people saw the Harlem Renaissance as a source of entertainment. They viewed black culture as a way to explore all that was seemingly taboo in their own society. One question I have is how did African Americans respond to the white interest in the Harlem Renaissance?
Something that really stood out to me this week was how intertwined black and white cultures were in this time, especially in Harlem. I was surprised to learn that whites often visited Harlem to experience their culture/art. Also, the extent to which this cultural boom took place stood out to me. From New York to Paris this idea, this notion that black culture was on the rise like never before, was present. This all led me to wonder how blacks viewed whites intruding into their cultural sphere.
One theme that stood out to me in this week’s readings and lectures was the difference in views of Harlem. The Harlem Renaissance, specifically for blacks, signifies the first time there is a strong flowering of African American culture in the United States. On the other hand, whites also had their own view of Harlem. Whites saw it as a place to explore their race and critique their own culture. Two questions I have for this week are first, where did blacks and whites interact together in the city in particular and second, what, specifically, did whites learn from blacks in critiquing their own culture?
What stood out to me this weeks was how African-Americans attempted to change the perception of them during the Harlem Renaissance. In the past, African-Americans were viewed as a problem in need of assistance. The "new Negro" wanted to define themselves not as a problem or an object of philanthropy, but as humans capable of speaking and acting for themselves. Thanks to the popularization of Black culture, particularly in art, music, and literature, the perception did begin to change. Whites began going to Harlem during the weekend to experience Black culture and art. What I'm wondering is what were the initial barriers that existed before whites began going to Harlem? Was it racial concerns or just lack of awareness?
One thing that stood out to me this week was the evidence of white Americans wanting to interact with the increasingly popular black culture. For example, flappers. These women were independent and trendsetting in their own way, but it was also unique for them (white middle class women) to venture into places like Harlem to temporarily escape/critique "whiteness". To what extent did this new interest in black culture help reduce racism? It doesn't make much sense to immerse yourself in a culture that you consider to be lesser than your own, but the country is still a long way from equal rights in this era.
One theme that stood out to me this week was the way in which white Americans used black culture,such as places like Harlem, to escape their "whiteness", as Dr. Dickerson put it. One question I have was in what ways did Harlem help people change or lessen their whiteness?
To me, the most important theme we discussed this week was the idea of "The New Negro". This term describes a redefinition of what it meant to be black. In the past, blacks were defined by whites either through the lens of pity or contempt. Harlem Renaissance thinkers believed that blacks should determine for themselves who they were as a people. This is reminiscent of the black pride movement, and was very significant in the advancement of blacks in society. My question would be, to what extent did African American women play a role in the redefinition of their race?
The thing that stood out the most to me was the presence of whites in Harlem. I thought it was interesting that all of the "chic" whites would spend Friday nights being entertained in Harlem, as a way to critique their own culture in comparison with the culture of blacks. I wonder if the African-Americans in Harlem enjoyed the presence of whites in Harlem. Also, how were black celebrities like Bessie Smith treated in comparison to white celebrities?
ReplyDeleteWhat really stuck out to me was the different attitudes that people had about the Harlem Renaissance. The blacks from across the world tried to use this time to develop black culture and advance the race, but whites treated this as a spectacle. Whites in the big cities sought contrast to the cookie cutter, vanilla white culture. I still wonder how the Harlem Renaissance writers interacted with the Modernist writers of the day like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Also, I wonder if the Harlem Renaissance and the contrast it provided to white culture inspired the counter culture of the roaring twenties.
ReplyDeleteWhat stood out to me was how many different black people from different backgrounds came together to live in Harlem, and their different cultures and previous knowledge intertwined to revive black society. The African American community was showing the world that they could produce entertainment and the arts just as good as anyone else.
ReplyDeleteOne theme that stood out to me from the lectures and readings this week was the contrast between the Harlem Renaissance and the rise of mass culture. Whilst the Harlem Renaissance saw black culture rapidly thriving and reflecting the movement of the black population to self-define as individuals, mass culture and the rise of consumerism had almost an opposite influence, facilitating the homogenisation of society.
ReplyDeleteOne theme that stood out to me this week was the interaction of white Americans with black culture, and the use of places like Harlem to escape the mass culture that was permeating white American culture. One question I had was the way interactions with places like Harlem changed white Americans attitudes towards black Americans.
ReplyDeleteSomething that was interesting to me was this development of the "New Negro", the ability and prevalence of African Americans (and other black groups from the Caribbean and beyond) to start to define their own culture and identity. The works from the Harlem Renaissance are indications of this, and Alain Locke's articulation of this term was quite important in the development of a cultural identity for this group that has always been defined by either their oppressors or those pitying them. Also mentioned (and important) is the idea that the migration of African Americans to urban centers (primarily the north, but also southern cities and in Europe) urged this movement of self expression. My question is: what influence does the Harlem Renaissance have in the white movement away from traditional strict roles? For instance, the idea of primitization: How does this pure, primitive expression of culture help ease the tensions of the "pristine" white man, which can be seen with the rise of the flappers and the speak-easies?
ReplyDeleteThis week we learned about the Harlem Renaissance. To a large extent this movement results in the aggregation of African Americans in urban settings and was a symbol for the cultural awakening of African Americans across the country. This period marks the point in which African Americans gained a voice where they were able to define themselves as opposed to being defined by racists and philanthropists alike. African Americans expresses this through poetry, music, literature, painting, sculpture, dance and other forms. The risky culture displayed during the Harlem Renaissance is a direct contrast to the mundane homogenous white culture of the time and many hip whites were voracious consumers of African American produced forms of culture. My question is how did African Americans respond to the competition with whites to consume the cultural material of their own making?
ReplyDeleteWhat stood out to me from the lectures this week was the development of "The New Negro" in society. Cities such as Harlem were places where blacks from all parts of the world (the South, the Carribean, Africa, etc..) came together to form their own culture and define themselves. There was an emergence of great black poets, musicians, and artists. White people saw the Harlem Renaissance as a source of entertainment. They viewed black culture as a way to explore all that was seemingly taboo in their own society. One question I have is how did African Americans respond to the white interest in the Harlem Renaissance?
ReplyDeleteSomething that really stood out to me this week was how intertwined black and white cultures were in this time, especially in Harlem. I was surprised to learn that whites often visited Harlem to experience their culture/art. Also, the extent to which this cultural boom took place stood out to me. From New York to Paris this idea, this notion that black culture was on the rise like never before, was present. This all led me to wonder how blacks viewed whites intruding into their cultural sphere.
ReplyDeleteOne theme that stood out to me in this week’s readings and lectures was the difference in views of Harlem. The Harlem Renaissance, specifically for blacks, signifies the first time there is a strong flowering of African American culture in the United States. On the other hand, whites also had their own view of Harlem. Whites saw it as a place to explore their race and critique their own culture. Two questions I have for this week are first, where did blacks and whites interact together in the city in particular and second, what, specifically, did whites learn from blacks in critiquing their own culture?
ReplyDeleteWhat stood out to me this weeks was how African-Americans attempted to change the perception of them during the Harlem Renaissance. In the past, African-Americans were viewed as a problem in need of assistance. The "new Negro" wanted to define themselves not as a problem or an object of philanthropy, but as humans capable of speaking and acting for themselves. Thanks to the popularization of Black culture, particularly in art, music, and literature, the perception did begin to change. Whites began going to Harlem during the weekend to experience Black culture and art. What I'm wondering is what were the initial barriers that existed before whites began going to Harlem? Was it racial concerns or just lack of awareness?
ReplyDeleteOne thing that stood out to me this week was the evidence of white Americans wanting to interact with the increasingly popular black culture. For example, flappers. These women were independent and trendsetting in their own way, but it was also unique for them (white middle class women) to venture into places like Harlem to temporarily escape/critique "whiteness". To what extent did this new interest in black culture help reduce racism? It doesn't make much sense to immerse yourself in a culture that you consider to be lesser than your own, but the country is still a long way from equal rights in this era.
ReplyDeleteOne theme that stood out to me this week was the way in which white Americans used black culture,such as places like Harlem, to escape their "whiteness", as Dr. Dickerson put it. One question I have was in what ways did Harlem help people change or lessen their whiteness?
ReplyDeleteTo me, the most important theme we discussed this week was the idea of "The New Negro". This term describes a redefinition of what it meant to be black. In the past, blacks were defined by whites either through the lens of pity or contempt. Harlem Renaissance thinkers believed that blacks should determine for themselves who they were as a people. This is reminiscent of the black pride movement, and was very significant in the advancement of blacks in society. My question would be, to what extent did African American women play a role in the redefinition of their race?
ReplyDelete