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The Harlem Renaissance Presents:

Skin doesn't define

What is the Harlem Renaissance?

(1918-1937)

Looking Upward, 1928, James Lesesne Wells, Graphic Design

Girl in a Red Dress, 1934, Charles Henry Alston, Painting

"Young Girl With Dog", James Van Der Zee, 1921, Photography

"She" by Irene Latham, 2018, Poem

It was an artistic/cultural movement that started in Harlem, New York. It became a creative explosion of music, writing, art, theater, etc.

As well as this, it let people of African American descent embrace their culture

and helped writers and artists gain more representation.

In this design, stands a giant black figure roaming free with the skyscrapers looking upward, as the name of this piece entails. Looking at the structure of this piece, the big figure can be represented as the barriers people of color break through, specifically through the arts in Harlem. Mentioning also, the model of other skyscrapers the figure is holding suggests a need to establish black culture within society. This entire design creates a sense of empowerment and hope.

Here sits a woman facing slightly to the side in this painting, while carrying a careless but focused look on her face, looking out into the abyss. This facial expression is set as a reminder on how being black during this time period doesn't shackle you or hold you down. This is especially emphasized when Zora mentions in her essay, "No, I do not weep at the world--I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife" (2). Essentially speaking, who cares about skintone when regardless one is just theirown person? As well as this, the woman wearing the color red also can be considered as symbolism for power and trailblazing, specifcally in the black communuity for achieving regardless of obstacles around.

The poem "She", is a short but impactful poem about a woman in chair, as illustrated in the painting pictured besides the text. The poem highlights althrough in spite of this woman sitting in her chair, it is said how her mind "won't be held by chair, tables, walls." This especially points out not only how skintone doesn't define people but also how people are more than just their skin all together. They have their hearts, minds, and ambition that truly defines them. And specifcally with black culture, all of this is what really is attached to black excellence.

At plain sight, this photo appears to be a girl and a dog. The girl has one hand on her hip and another placed on the dog. With this as well, she is standing tall and appears unbothered and just. This positioning can be interpreted as stability and confidence within being of African-American descent. Another key detail to this is that the dog has white fur, showing that although the dog and the girl contrast, they can still be elements of the same photo. In connection to the theme, this piece of photography serves as a representation of black confidence and empowerment because although it is simple, the way the girl is positioned and the dog added on to that explain it all.

The main themes of writing within this time were about equality, racial identity, and black living. This time provided jobs for many, though unfourtunately, the Harlem Renaissance went into a sharp decline due to the stock market crash of 1929, making its complete end in 1937.

Ending Survey

"Temptation" 1935 movie cover

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"How it Feels to be Colored Me" Zora Neale Hurston, 1928

Works Cited

In this movie cover, a man and a woman are appeared to be on the cover. With this, a text above them that say "A Great Colored Cast". What is really worth being noted here is their skintone. It does not taking much looking to realize that on this poster specifically, their skintone looks discolored, much lighter in fact. Realizing this, this is known to be clear discriminatory action. However, to center along back to Zora's work and the arching theme, Zora mentions how, "Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry." This is because she remembers the gift it is to be black and finds it even shameful that some white counterparts would rather not endulge in her presence because of it. Despite the discoloration of skin, two people of color being the only people on a movie cover during this time period is still impressive and still stays true to the theme of skin having no definition.

Hutchinson, George. “Harlem Renaissance.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 9 Nov. 2023, www.britannica.com/event/Harlem-Renaissance-American-literature-and-art.

“A New African American Identity: The Harlem Renaissance.” National Museum of African American History and Culture, 14 Mar. 2018, nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/new-african-american-identity-harlem-renaissance.

Norwood, Arlisha R. “Biography: Zora Neale Hurston.” National Women’s History Museum, www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/zora-hurston.

Hurston, Zora Neale. How It Feels to Be Colored Me, by Zora Neale Hurston (1928) Wheelersburg, www.wheelersburg.net/Downloads/Hurston.pdf.

James Van Der Zee, Young Girl with Dog, 1921. © Donna Mussenden Van Der Zee. Courtesy of Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York.

Lesesne, Wells, James. Looking Upward, 1928, woodcut in black on laid paper, Ruth and Jacob Kainen Collection, 1994.87.9

Alston, Charles Henry. Girl in a Red Dress, 1934.

Latham, Irene. “She”, 2018.

Zora Neale Hurston was one of the most major writers during the Harlem Renaissance. Not only did she promote black culture through her works, she also became the first black woman to graduate the college of Barnard University. "How it Feels to be Colored Me" is one of Zora's most prominient writings that she has that speaks of her life as a black person within her community and within the world as a whole. Within this essay, she breaks down how race isn't as distinct as ones make it seem. It's solely the matter of changing one's perspective upon it.

Zora's style in this work

In her essay, it appears as a diary of her life and how she feels being a person of color. She believes that even though she is black, that doesn’t mean she is completely disadvantaged by it.Sure, it makes her distinct and stand out, but that doesn’t stop her in life nonetheless. Although she knows the trials she must face with her skin tone, she rises above that, speaking in an a empowering and confident tone in regards to her skin. Zora tends to use lots of metaphorical comparisons to show how she is strong and a powerful force, regardless of her skin color. For example, she says how she doesn’t cry at the world for not accepting her, instead she describes how she is sharpening her knife, showing that she is fearless of the world and not afraid to conquer: “No, I do not weep at the world--I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife” (Hurston 2). This is also shown within this quote where she describes how her skin color isn't something that is tragic, implying that it is special: "But I am not tragically colored. There is no great sorrow dammed up in my soul, nor lurking behind my eyes" (Hurston 2).

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