The Art and Politics of the Harlem Renaissance

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The Art and Politics of the Harlem
Renaissance An online professional development
seminar
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• GOALS
• To deepen your understanding of the relationship
  between the art and politics of the Harlem
  Renaissance
• To provide fresh material and ideas to strengthen
  teaching
• (Feel free to plunder the Power Point.)

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• FROM THE FORUM
• Challenges, Issues, Questions
• Resource identification
• Check the forum for a URL that provides access to
  a wide array of material.
• The image of women in the art of the Harlem
  Renaissance
• W.E. B. Du Bois and the Harlem Renaissance
• The Harlem Renaissance in the context of the
  1920s
• Prof. Janken has posted resources to the forum.

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McINTIRE DEPT. OF ART ART HISTORY STUDIO ART GRADUATE PROGRAM EVENTS
                                                
                                        Welcome
   About the Program    Admissions    Calendar
   Courses    Faculty Staff
Kenneth R. Janken Professor of African and
Afro-American Studies Director, Office of
Experiential Education University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill National Humanities
Center Fellow 2000-01 White The Biography of
Walter White, Mr. NAACP
(2003) Honorable mention in the Outstanding Book
Awards from the Gustavus Myers Center for the
Study of Bigotry and Human Rights in North
America Rayford W. Logan and the Dilemma of
the African-American Intellectual
(1993)

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USEFUL TEACHING STRATEGY WHEN COMBINING ARTWORKS
AND TEXTS Have students illustrate texts with
art. This seminar will provide an abundance of
compatible texts and images. As we discuss the
material, point out opportunities to use images
to illustrate texts.
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• INTRODUCTION
• The Harlem Renaissancethe New Negro Renaissance
• the New Negro Movement
• Arrived on the heels of World War One and the
  extreme racial violence of the
• Red Summer of 1919 ended in the mid-1930s
  during the Great Depression
• Re-presented African Americans as New
  Negroesmilitant, race conscious
• and determined to have equality in the United
  States
• Strove to present an image and a culture that
  was by developed by and
• served blacks, not whites
• Sought to act as a wedge that would open up
  American society to a
• revaluation of African Americans and
  acceptance of them as equals
• Created an internal tension between developing a
  New Negro cultural
• identity that would serve the political ends
  of racial liberation and producing

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The Art and Politics of the Harlem
Renaissance Part 1 Militancy, race
consciousness, and the New Negro movement Part
2 The debate over what was New Negro art Part
3 The Harlem Renaissance as a cultural expression
of modern black identities and of solidarity with
Africa and the African Diaspora.
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The Art and Politics of the Harlem
Renaissance Part 1 Militancy, race
consciousness, and the New Negro movement
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Returning Soldiers, by W.E.B. Du Bois We are
returning from war! The Crisis and tens of
thousands of black men were drafted into a great
struggle. For bleeding France and what she means
and has meant and will mean to us and humanity
we gladly fought and to the last drop of blood
for America and her highest ideals, we fought in
far-off hope for the dominant southern oligarchy
entrenched in Washington, we fought in bitter
resignation. But today we return! We stand
again to look America squarely in the face and
call a spade a spade. We sing This country of
ours, despite all its better souls have done and
dreamed, is yet a shameful land. It
lynches. It disfranchises its own
citizens. It encourages ignorance. It steals
from us. It insults us. This is the country
to which we Soldiers of Democracy return. This
is the fatherland for which we fought! But by
the God of Heaven, we are cowards and jackasses
if now that the war is over, we do not marshal
every ounce of our brain and brawn to fight a
sterner, longer, more unbending battle against
the forces of hell in our own land. We
return. We return from fighting. We return
fighting. Make way for Democracy! We saved it in
France, and by the Great Jehovah, we will save it
in the United States, or know the reason why.
Discussion Questions Why does Du Bois list
defending France as the first reason why African
Americans joined the war effort? What is Du
Boiss indictment of America in this essay, and
what posture does he propose African Americans
assume in the post-war era?
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Chicago and Its Eight Reasons, by Walter
White Finally, the new spirit aroused in Negroes
by their war experiences enters into the problem
of the response of Chicagos African Americans
to the violence visited upon them by whites.
These men recently demobilized black veterans,
with their new outlook on life, injected the same
spirit of independence into their companions, a
thing that is true of many other sections of
America. One of the greatest surprises to many of
those who came down to clean out the niggers is
that these same niggers fought back. Colored
men saw their own kind being killed, heard of
many more and believed that their lives and
liberty were at stake. In such a spirit most of
the fighting was done.
The New Crowd Negro political cartoon from The
Messenger (1919)
Discussion Questions What is new about the New
Negro? Contrast the new political posture with
the Age of Booker T. Washington.
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Discussion Question How do these pieces of art
fill out your understanding of the image and
character of the New Negro?
Two Images of Benga
Benga, James Porter Oil on canvas, 1935
Feral Benga, Richmond Barthe Bronze, 1937
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The Negros Friend by Claude McKay There is
no radical the Negros friend Who points some
other than the classic road For him to follow,
fighting to the end, Thinking to ease him of one
half his load. Must fifteen million blacks be
gratified, That one of them can enter as a
guest, A fine white house the rest of them
denied A place of decent sojourn and a
rest? Oh, Segregation is not the whole sin, The
Negroes need salvation from within.
Discussion Questions What political direction
does Claude McKay suggest that African Americans
take in the fight for equality? What does the
poem say about black-white relations?
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THE ART AND POLITICS OF THE HARLEM
RENAISSANCE PART 2 What was Negro art?
Langston Hughes, Winold Reiss pastel board, 1925
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Enter the New Negro, Alain Locke Fortunately
there are constructive channels opening out into
which the balked social feelings of the American
Negro can flow freely. One is the
consciousness of acting as the advance-guard of
the African peoples in their contact with
Twentieth Century civilization the other, the
sense of a mission of rehabilitating the race in
world esteem from that loss of prestige for which
the fate and conditions of slavery have so
largely been responsible. Harlem, as we shall
see, is the center of both these movements she
is the home of the Negros Zionism. The pulse
of the Negro world has begun to beat in Harlem.
As with the Jew, persecution is making the Negro
international. Our greatest rehabilitation may
possibly come through such channels i.e.
political movements like those headed by Marcus
Garvey and W.E.B. Du Bois, but for the present,
more immediate hope rests in the revaluation by
white and black alike of the Negro in terms of
his artistic endowments and cultural
contributions, past and prospective. It must be
increasingly recognized that the Negro has
already made very substantial contributions,
He now becomes a conscious contributor and lays
aside the status of a beneficiary and ward for
that of a collaborator and participant in
American civilization. The especially cultural
recognition they win should in turn prove the key
to that revaluation of the Negro which must
precede or accompany any considerable further
betterment of race relationships.
Discussion Questions Why does Locke think that
art and culture is a more viable route toward
racial equality than politics? Who is the
target audience for the New Negro cultural
production?
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The Criteria of Negro Art, W.E.B. Du
Bois With the growing recognition of Negro
artists in spite of the severe handicaps, one
comforting thing is occurring to both white and
black. They are whispering, Here is a way out.
Here is the real solution of the color problem.
The recognition accorded to Cullen, Hughes,
Fauset, White and others shows there is no real
color line. Keep quiet! Dont complain! Work!
All will be well! I will not say that already
this chorus amounts to a conspiracy. But I will
say that there are today a surprising number of
white people who are getting great satisfaction
out of these younger Negro writers because they
think it is going to stop agitation of the Negro
question. And many colored people are all too
eager to follow this advice especially those who
are afraid to fight and to whom the money of
philanthropists and the alluring publicity are
subtle and deadly bribes. They say, What is the
use of fighting? Why not show simply what we
deserve and let the reward come to us? We
can go on the stage we can be just as funny as
white Americans wish us to be we can play all
the sordid parts that America likes to assign to
Negroes but for anything else there is still
small place for us.
Discussion Question Acceptance of black art and
artists by the white public is a good thing, but
what problems does that acceptance present?
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The Criteria of Negro Art, W.E.B. Du
Bois Thus all art is propaganda and ever must
be, despite the wailing of the purists. I stand
in utter shamelessness and say that whatever art
I have for writing has been used always for
propaganda for gaining the right of black folk to
love and enjoy. I do not care a damn for any art
that is not used for propaganda. But I do care
when propaganda is confined to one side while the
other is stripped and silent. White artists
themselves suffer from this narrowing of their
field. They cry for freedom in dealing with
Negroes because they have so little freedom in
dealing with whites. We can afford the truth.
White folk today cannot. As it is now we are
handing everything over to a white jury. If a
colored man wants to publish a book, he has got
to get a white publisher and a white newspaper to
say it is great and then you and I say so. We
must come to the place where the work of art when
it appears is reviewed and acclaimed by our own
free and unfettered judgment. I do not doubt
that the ultimate art coming from black folk is
going to be just as beautiful, and beautiful
largely in the same ways, as the art that comes
from white folk, or yellow, or red but the point
today is that until the art of the black folk
compels recognition they will not be rated as
human.
Discussion Questions In what ways does racism
distort the creative process and hinder artists
from exposing truth? What are the roles and
responsibilities of the African American artist
and African American public in developing a New
Negro culture? Where do you think Locke and Du
Bois agree? Why, according to DuBois, is all art
propaganda?
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The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain,
Langston Hughes Without going outside his
race, and even among the better classes with
their white culture and conscious American
manners, but still Negro enough to be different,
there is sufficient matter to furnish a black
artist with a lifetime of creative work. The
Negro artist works against an undertow of sharp
criticism and misunderstanding from his own group
and unintentional bribes from whites. Oh, be
respectable, write about nice people, show how
good we are, say the Negroes. Be stereotyped,
dont go too far, dont shatter our illusions
about you, dont amuse us too seriously. We will
pay you, say the whites. We younger artists
who create now intend to express our dark-skinned
selves without fear or shame. If white people
are pleased we are glad. If they are not, it
doesnt matter. We know we are beautiful. And
ugly too. The tom-tom cries and the tom-tom
laughs. If colored people are pleased we are
glad. If they are not, their displeasure doesnt
matter either. We build our temples for
tomorrow, strong as we know how, and we stand on
top of the mountain, free within ourselves.
Discussion Questions According to Hughes, where
should African American artists direct their
attention? What are the best sources for
authentic black art? What are the obstacles
that black artists faced in the creative process?
What do you think Hughess response was to Du
Boiss declaration that all art is propaganda?
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Which image would meet the approval of Locke, of
Du Bois, of Hughes? Why?
Harlem at Night, Winold Reiss
Josephine Baker in banana skirt
Brown Girl after Bath, Archibald Motley, Jr., oil
on canvas, 1931
Girl in a Red Dress, Charles Alston, 1934
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Which image would meet the approval of Locke, of
Du Bois, of Hughes? Why?
Harlem at Night, Winold Reiss
Josephine Baker, Photograph George
Hoyningen-Huene 1927
Saturday Night, Archibald Motley, Jr., oil on
canvas, 1935
Girl in a Red Dress, Charles Alston, 1934
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The Negro Artist and Modern Art, by Romare
Bearden On blending ideas of Du Bois and
Hughes Several other factors hinder the
development of the Negro artist. First, we have
no valid standard of criticism secondly,
foundations and societies which supposedly
encourage Negro artists really hinder them
thirdly, the Negro artist has no definite
ideology or social philosophy
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The Art and Politics of the Harlem
Renaissance Part 3 The Harlem Renaissance as a
cultural expression of modern black identities
and of solidarity with Africa and the African
Diaspora.
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The Negro Speaks of Rivers Langston Hughes I've
known rivers I've known rivers ancient as the
world and older than the flow of human blood
in human veins. My soul has grown deep like
the rivers. I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns
were young. I built my hut near the Congo and
it lulled me to sleep. I looked upon the
Nile and raised the pyramids above it. I
heard the singing of the Mississippi when
Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and
I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden
in the sunset. I've known rivers Ancient, dusky
rivers. My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
Negro Langston
Hughes I am a Negro Black as the night is
black, Black like the depths of my
Africa Ive been a slave Caesar told me to
keep his door-steps clean. I brushed the
boots of Washington. Ive been a worker
Under my hand the pyramids arose. I made
mortar for the Woolworth Building Ive been a
singer All the way from Africa to Georgia
I carried my sorrow songs. I made
ragtime. Ive been a victim The Belgians
cut off my hands in the Congo. They lynch me
still in Mississippi I am a Negro Black as
the night is black, Black like the depths of
my Africa
Discussion Questions What claims is Langston
Hughes making about the history of
African-descended people? What connections is
he asserting between African Americans and
Africans? What connections is he asserting
between African Americans and the United States?
In Negro in particular, how does Hughes
construct a modern identity for African
Americans?
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Aspiration, Aaron Douglas oil on canvas, 1936
Song of the Towers, Aaron Douglas oil on canvas,
1934
Discussion Questions Compare the themes in
Hughess poem Negro to these Aaron Douglas
paintings. What, in these paintings, is ancient,
what is old, and what is modern? What is the
history Aaron Douglas portrays in these?
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Elevator Boy Langston Hughes I got a job
now Runnin an elevator In the Dennison Hotel
in Jersey Job aint no good though. No money
around. Jobs are just chances Like everything
else. Maybe a little luck now, Maybe
not. Maybe a good job
sometimes Step out o the barrel,
boy. Two new
suits an A woman to sleep with. Maybe no luck
for a long
time. Only the elevators Goin up an
down, Up an down, Or somebody elses
shoes To
shine, Or greasy pots in a
dirty kitchen. I been runnin
this Elevator too long. Guess Ill quit now.
Two Views of Day-to-Day Life
Odyssey of Big Boy Sterling Brown Lemme be wid
Casey Jones Lemme be wid Stagolee Lemme
be wid such like men When Death takes hol
on me, When Death takes hol on me. Done
worked and loafed on such like jobs, Seen
what dey is to see, Done had my time wid a
pint on my hip An a sweet gal on my
knee, Sweet mommer on my knee An all
dat Bog Boy axes When time comes fo to
go, Lemme be wid John Henry, steel
drivin man, Lemme be wid old Jazzbo,
Lemme be wid ole Jazzbo.

Discussion Questions Thinking not just about
these three verses but about the poem in its
entirety, what is the heroic quality of Big Boys
life? How does the hardship described in
Elevator Boy compare with the presentation of
hardship in Odyssey of Big Boy?
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The Janitor who Paints, Palmer Hayden oil on
canvas, ca. 1937
Black Belt, Archibald Motley, Jr. oil, 1934
Discussion Questions How is race represented in
these paintings? Can you pair any of the
paintings with any of the ideas contained in any
of the essays, poems, or short stories?
Factory Workers, Romare Bearden gouache and
casein on kraft paper, 1942
Tongues (Holy Rollers), Archibald Motley, Jr. oil
on canvas, 1929
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Final Slide. Thank You.