Glossary
"Heritage" (Countee Cullen)
A complex poem by Countee Cullen that explores the speaker's conflicted feelings about their African ancestry, grappling with a deep, instinctual connection versus a sense of distance and Christian upbringing.
Example:
"Heritage" (Countee Cullen) famously asks, 'What is Africa to me?', encapsulating the internal struggle of many African Americans of the time.
"Heritage" (Gwendolyn Bennett)
A poem by Gwendolyn Bennett that celebrates the rich ancestral legacy and cultural pride of Black Americans, connecting their present experiences to their African roots.
Example:
Unlike Cullen's poem of the same name, Bennett's "Heritage" (Gwendolyn Bennett) offers an unreserved affirmation of African American identity and its deep historical connections.
"Into Bondage"
A powerful painting by Aaron Douglas depicting the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade, showing silhouetted figures in chains against a backdrop of African motifs and a ship.
Example:
"Into Bondage" visually communicates the profound suffering and dehumanization experienced by enslaved Africans during their forced journey.
"Outcast"
A poem by Claude McKay that expresses a sense of alienation from both Africa and America, reflecting the complex position of African Americans who felt disconnected from their ancestral homeland and marginalized in their current one.
Example:
The feeling of being caught between two worlds is vividly captured in McKay's "Outcast", a sentiment many diasporic peoples can relate to.
"Song of the Son"
A poem by Jean Toomer from his work 'Cane,' which grapples with the duality of being both African and American, exploring themes of racial identity and the search for belonging.
Example:
In "Song of the Son", Toomer uses evocative imagery to convey the deep, often conflicting, ties to both African heritage and American experience.
"The Janitor Who Paints"
A painting by Palmer Hayden that celebrates the creative spirit of an everyday African American man, challenging societal expectations and highlighting the dignity of labor and art.
Example:
"The Janitor Who Paints" serves as a testament to the hidden talents and artistic aspirations within the working-class Black community.
"The Negro Speaks of Rivers"
A celebrated poem by Langston Hughes that connects the soul of African Americans to ancient rivers like the Euphrates, Congo, Nile, and Mississippi, symbolizing deep historical roots and resilience.
Example:
In "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", Hughes eloquently traces the enduring spirit of Black people through millennia of human history.
"To a Dark Girl"
A poem by Gwendolyn Bennett that celebrates the beauty and strength of Black women, affirming their features and spirit in a society that often devalued them.
Example:
"To a Dark Girl" offered a powerful message of self-love and racial pride, particularly for young Black women seeking affirmation.
Aaron Douglas
A leading painter and graphic artist of the Harlem Renaissance, often called the 'Father of Black American Art.' His work blended African art motifs with Cubism and Art Deco.
Example:
Aaron Douglas's distinctive style, characterized by geometric shapes and silhouetted figures, became iconic for illustrating the 'New Negro' movement.
Assimilation
The process by which a person or a group's language and/or culture come to resemble those of another group. Many Harlem Renaissance artists resisted complete *assimilation* into white American culture.
Example:
Rather than seeking full assimilation, many artists chose to celebrate their distinct Black culture and heritage.
Claude McKay
A Jamaican-American writer and poet who was a seminal figure in the Harlem Renaissance. He is known for his militant sonnets and his exploration of racial pride and resistance.
Example:
Claude McKay's powerful poem 'If We Must Die' became an anthem of defiance against racial injustice, inspiring many during the era.
Countee Cullen
An influential poet of the Harlem Renaissance, known for his lyrical style and exploration of racial identity and the complexities of African American heritage.
Example:
Countee Cullen often used classical poetic forms to express modern themes of racial consciousness and belonging.
Cultural Memory
The collective remembrance of a group's past, including shared experiences, traditions, and historical narratives. For African Americans, it involved reconstructing a history disrupted by slavery.
Example:
The blues, with its themes of hardship and endurance, is a powerful expression of African American cultural memory.
Cultural Roots
The fundamental origins and influences that shape a group's customs, beliefs, and artistic expressions. The Harlem Renaissance saw a renewed interest in connecting with African *cultural roots*.
Example:
Jazz music, with its improvisational nature and rhythmic complexity, deeply reflected the cultural roots of African American communities.
European Colonialism
The policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically. Its legacy contributed to negative stereotypes about Africa.
Example:
The widespread European Colonialism in Africa led to the imposition of Western values and the suppression of indigenous cultures.
Gwendolyn Bennett
An American artist, writer, and journalist who was a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance. She contributed poetry, short stories, and illustrations to various publications.
Example:
Gwendolyn Bennett's artistic versatility allowed her to contribute to the Renaissance not only through her poetry but also through her visual art.
Harlem Renaissance
A flourishing of African American art, literature, music, and culture in the 1920s and 1930s, primarily centered in Harlem, New York. It was a period of intense self-expression and a redefinition of Black identity.
Example:
During the Harlem Renaissance, artists like Zora Neale Hurston and Duke Ellington helped shape a new narrative for African Americans, celebrating their unique cultural contributions.
Heritage
The traditions, achievements, and beliefs that are passed down from past generations. For African Americans, this often referred to their ancestral African roots and the legacy of slavery.
Example:
Through their art, many sought to reclaim their lost heritage, connecting with the rich history of African civilizations.
Identity
The sense of self, encompassing one's heritage, experiences, and cultural affiliations. For African Americans during the Harlem Renaissance, it involved grappling with being both African and American.
Example:
Many poets explored the complex question of identity, pondering what it meant to be Black in a society that often denied their full humanity.
Jean Toomer
An American poet and novelist, considered one of the most important writers of the Harlem Renaissance. His experimental novel 'Cane' is a landmark work of modernist literature.
Example:
Jean Toomer's 'Cane' masterfully blended poetry, prose, and drama to explore the complexities of African American identity in both rural South and urban North.
Langston Hughes
A prominent poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist during the Harlem Renaissance. He is known for his insightful portrayals of Black life in America.
Example:
Langston Hughes's poetry often incorporated the rhythms of jazz and blues, making his work accessible and deeply resonant with everyday Black experiences.
Negative Stereotypes (about Africa)
Harmful and oversimplified generalizations that portrayed Africa as 'primitive' or 'uncivilized.' Harlem Renaissance artists actively challenged these portrayals.
Example:
Artists worked tirelessly to dismantle the negative stereotypes about Africa by showcasing the continent's rich history and diverse cultures.
Palmer Hayden
An African American painter known for his genre scenes of Black life and his later works depicting African American folklore. He was a significant figure in the Harlem Renaissance art scene.
Example:
Palmer Hayden's vibrant paintings captured the everyday joys and struggles of African American communities, often with a touch of folk art sensibility.
Resilience
The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. The Harlem Renaissance itself was a testament to the *resilience* of African Americans in the face of systemic oppression.
Example:
Despite facing immense discrimination, the community's resilience shone through in their vibrant artistic and intellectual achievements.
Transatlantic Slave Trade
The forced transportation of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas from the 16th to the 19th centuries. It caused immense trauma and severed cultural ties for millions.
Example:
The enduring trauma of the Transatlantic Slave Trade profoundly influenced the themes of loss and longing in much of the era's literature.