Glossary
Agency
The capacity of individuals to act independently and make their own free choices.
Example:
By creating their own publishing houses and art galleries, Black artists demonstrated their agency in shaping the cultural landscape of the New Negro Movement.
Alain Locke
An influential African American writer, philosopher, and critic, often considered the 'Dean' of the Harlem Renaissance for his role in promoting Black artists and intellectuals.
Example:
Alain Locke's anthology, 'The New Negro: An Interpretation,' served as a foundational text, introducing the world to the burgeoning talent of the movement.
Black Aesthetic
A set of principles and artistic expressions that reflect the unique cultural experiences, values, and perspectives of African Americans.
Example:
Aaron Douglas's murals, with their blend of African motifs and Cubist influences, are prime examples of the emerging Black aesthetic during the Harlem Renaissance.
Burden of Representation
The pressure on minority artists or individuals to represent their entire group, often leading to a feeling that their work must serve a political or social purpose rather than purely artistic one.
Example:
Langston Hughes and Alain Locke both encouraged artists to reject the burden of representation, advocating for artistic freedom beyond societal expectations.
Call for Artistic Freedom
An appeal for artists to be unconstrained by external expectations, political agendas, or societal pressures in their creative process.
Example:
Both Locke and Hughes issued a powerful call for artistic freedom, asserting that Black artists should create art for art's sake, reflecting their authentic selves.
Celebration of Common Culture
The act of valuing and promoting the everyday traditions, customs, and artistic forms of ordinary people within a community.
Example:
Hughes's essay championed the celebration of common culture, arguing that the spirituals and blues of working-class Black communities were rich sources of artistic inspiration.
Conflict Between Identity and Expression
The internal struggle faced by artists from marginalized groups when societal pressures or internalized biases lead them to question how to authentically represent their identity in their art.
Example:
Hughes's essay highlighted the conflict between identity and expression for Black artists who felt pressured to appeal to white audiences or conform to European artistic norms.
Counternarratives
Stories or perspectives that challenge or contradict dominant narratives, especially those that perpetuate stereotypes or oppression.
Example:
Zora Neale Hurston's novels offered powerful counternarratives to racist portrayals of Black life, showcasing the richness and complexity of African American communities.
Cultural Revolution
A rapid and significant transformation in the artistic, intellectual, and social norms of a society or group.
Example:
The explosion of blues, jazz, literature, and visual arts during the New Negro Movement truly represented a cultural revolution for African Americans.
Disenfranchisement
The state of being deprived of a right or privilege, especially the right to vote.
Example:
Poll taxes and literacy tests were common tactics used for the disenfranchisement of Black voters, effectively silencing their political voice for decades.
Harlem Renaissance
A flourishing of Black literary, artistic, and intellectual life in the 1920s and 1930s, primarily centered in Harlem, New York.
Example:
The Harlem Renaissance brought together brilliant minds like Langston Hughes and Duke Ellington, making Harlem a vibrant hub of Black creativity and thought.
Langston Hughes
A prominent African American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist, known for his innovative use of jazz and blues rhythms in his poetry and his focus on authentic Black experiences.
Example:
Langston Hughes's poem 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers' beautifully encapsulates the deep historical roots and resilience of the African American identity.
Migration
The movement of people from one place to another, often for economic, social, or political reasons.
Example:
The Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to northern urban centers fueled the growth of communities like Harlem, providing a new audience and environment for the New Negro Movement.
Nadir of Race Relations
A historical period, roughly from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, characterized by extreme racial oppression, violence, and the rollback of African American civil rights in the United States.
Example:
During the Nadir of Race Relations, racial violence like lynchings was tragically common, making the emergence of movements like the New Negro Movement a powerful act of defiance.
New Negro (concept)
A term coined to describe a new generation of African Americans who were more assertive, self-aware, and culturally proud, rejecting the subservient image of the 'Old Negro.'
Example:
The emergence of the New Negro signaled a profound shift in African American consciousness, moving from passive acceptance to active self-assertion.
Process of Becoming
A philosophical concept suggesting that identity is not fixed but is continually shaped and evolving through experience and self-creation.
Example:
Locke viewed the 'New Negro' not as a static identity but as a dynamic process of becoming, emphasizing ongoing growth and self-discovery.
Rejection of Stereotypes
The active dismissal and challenging of preconceived, often negative, notions about a group of people.
Example:
The movement's art and literature were powerful tools for the rejection of stereotypes, presenting nuanced and dignified portrayals of Black life.
Rhodes Scholar
A recipient of a prestigious international scholarship awarded to students for study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
Example:
As the first African American Rhodes Scholar, Alain Locke brought a unique philosophical depth to his advocacy for Black artistic expression.
Segregation
The enforced separation of different racial groups in public and private life, often through discriminatory laws and social practices.
Example:
Despite the end of slavery, segregation meant that African Americans were still denied equal access to schools, housing, and public facilities across the South and beyond.
Self-definition
The process by which individuals or groups assert their own identity and narrative, rather than accepting definitions imposed by others.
Example:
The New Negro Movement championed self-definition, encouraging Black artists to portray their experiences authentically, free from white stereotypes.
Self-determination
The right of a people to determine its own destiny and choose its own political status and form of government.
Example:
The push for self-determination extended beyond politics into culture, as African Americans sought to control their own artistic narratives and institutions.
Shift in Self-Perception
A fundamental change in how a group views itself, often moving from internalized oppression to a sense of pride and empowerment.
Example:
The New Negro Movement fostered a significant shift in self-perception among African Americans, instilling a newfound sense of dignity and cultural worth.
The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain (1926)
A critical essay by Langston Hughes that advocates for Black artists to embrace their racial identity and create art that authentically reflects African American experiences, rather than conforming to white artistic standards.
Example:
In 'The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain,' Hughes famously declared, 'We younger Negro artists who create now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame.'
The New Negro: An Interpretation (1925)
A seminal anthology edited by Alain Locke, featuring essays, poetry, and fiction by African American writers and artists, which articulated the philosophy and vision of the New Negro Movement.
Example:
The New Negro: An Interpretation was a watershed moment, showcasing the intellectual and artistic vibrancy of Black America to a wider audience.
Urban Centers
Densely populated areas, such as cities, that serve as hubs for economic, cultural, and social activity.
Example:
Chicago and New York became vital urban centers where Black artists and intellectuals could connect, collaborate, and express themselves freely.