Cultural Achievements and African American Achievements in the 1920’s

Many artists, writers, and intellectuals flocked to these areas to share ideas

People lead bohemian, or artistic and unconventional, lifestyles

European art began to European art began to influence American art. influence American art.

CubismCubism and and realismrealism were new were new forms of artforms of art

Poets and writers of the 20’s were very different than previous times

Carl Sandberg used common speech to glorify the Midwest

T.S. Eliot described a world of ”empty men and hollow dreams," showing the 20s weren't perfect

Eugene O'neill was a playwright; wrote realistic, tragic plays

Ernest Hemingway - one of the most famous American writers of all time; wrote about anti-heroes (or flawed main characters); wrote in a direct or simple way

F. Scott Fitzgerald - wrote The Great Gatsby, a book that exposed the superficiality of the 1920s lifestyle.

Question: What seems different about these writers from the writers who came before them?

Sports Thanks to radio and movies,

baseball and boxing became incredibly popular.

Babe Ruth, baseball's homerun king (at the time), became a national hero

Jack Dempsey was boxing's heavyweight champ from 1919 to 1926.

Football, tennis, and golf all also gained in popularity.

The 1920s represent an important phase, in terms of innovations and inventions.

Lots of improvements were being made in technology, manufacturing, medical science, fashion and transportation.

Created a number of everyday inventions we now take for granted

Movies still had no sound yet. Someone in the theater played piano; movie had subtitles.

Charlie Chaplin was a famous silent movie star.

1927 - The Jazz Singer - the first "talkie" or movie with sound

In 1920 there was one radio station. In 1922 there were 400.

One popular radio show was Amos 'n' Andy. It was about two African Americans and the trouble they got into, yet it was acted out by two white actors; reinforced negative stereotypes.

Mass Media: radio, movies, newspapers, magazines. (Not TV yet).

These things did more than entertain. They unified the United States. They spread new ideas and attitudes.

Question: Why was mass advertising, the radio, and movies important in the 1920s?

An event is something that is heard about on the streets and read about in the papers for a week or two. However, if a series of related events should be strung together, one can be left with something monumental. What we bring to you is not a mere event that happened in Harlem in the 1920’s and 30’s, but a renaissance...

THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE

Thousands of blacks had moved northing during the Great Migration to escape segregation, find better jobs, and build better lives

New York City was one such place

In Harlem, a middle class grew quickly because real estate became available to African Americans,

They created an environment of art, racial pride, sense of community, and political organization

Which would become known as the Harlem Renaissance.

Claude McKay - from Jamaica; shocked by racism in America; wrote boldly, defiantly about racism in two books of poetry

Langston Hughes - born in Missouri; leading writer of African American experience in America. Wrote about African American achievements.

I, TOO BY LANGSTON HUGHESI, too, sing AmericaI am the darker brother.They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,But I laugh,And eat well,And grow strong.

Question: Artists during the Harlem Renaissance such as Langston Hughes and Claude McKay shared what common theme in their art?

Jazz - improvisational music introduced by Louis Armstrong

Duke Ellington had a ragtime sound

Many black musicians got their start at the Cotton Club, a famous Harlem nightclub.

Blues- soulful style of music that evolved from African American spirituals

Bessie Smith – Bessie Smith – famous blues famous blues singer; at one time singer; at one time the highest paid the highest paid singer in U.S.singer in U.S.

Blues – soulful Blues – soulful style of music style of music that involved that involved themes of love, themes of love, poverty, poverty, oppressionoppression

The postwar years saw the development of new attitudes among African Americans

Began to forge new roles in life and politics

The Great Migration has a significant impact on the political power of African Americans

As their numbers grew in certain neighborhoods, they became a power voting bloc that could now influence elections

The NAACP Battle LynchingNAACP = National Association for

the Advancement of Colored PeopleFought, often unsuccessfully, against

discriminationThe main issue they fought for was

anti-lynching laws (failed during 1920s and 30s)

One success: they were able to help block the nomination of a racist Supreme Court Justice, John Parker.

Marcus Garvey – a dynamic black leader from Jamaicabecame very popular;

argued for African American self-reliance.

Proposed a plan for black Americans to return to start a new country in Africa; became a “fringe movement” and failed.

He was eventually arrested and deported.

Question: Why did the NAACP and Marcus Garvey’s “Back to Africa” movement exist?