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Jim Crow Laws
Jim Crow Laws were inactive in the South after the Civil War. These laws enforced segregation and made it legal in the South. African Americans were not treated as equals to whites. These laws imposed literacy tests for voting, and since many African Americans did not receive a proper education, they were being restricted from the right to vote. This led to the Harlem Renaissance, because these laws are one of the many reasons why African Americans wanted to leave the South for a happier life. -
NAACP
The NAACP is an organization that fought for African American rights. This organization supported equality for black people and fighting against the KKK. The NAACP did all they could to create a better life for the blacks. This organization helped the Harlem Renaissance come about because it encouraged blacks to stand up for themselves and speak out against the cruelty they were receiving during this time. The NAACP worked to make life better for African Americans. -
UNIA (United Negro Improvement Association)
The UNIA was founded by Marcus Garvey, and this organization was founded when he became aware of the discrimination that his people were facing. Garvey's goal was to create stronger connections between African Americans during this time. Garvey created chains of restaurants, hotels, laundries, printing press, etc. for blacks in the U.S. The UNIA influenced the Harlem Renaissance because it helped African American become economically strong and respected more in the U.S. -
World War I
WWI contributed to the growth of the Renaissance because it opened up more job opportunities in the North. Immigration from Europe died down due to the war, so jobs were accessible for African Americans who were migrating at this time. They now had the chance to find a better job, because the South did not provide that more them. Many were in debt due to living as sharecroppers after the Civil War and making little money, so they wanted to create a more stable life for themselves. -
The Great Migration
The Great Migration was a time when over 6 million African Americans moved from the South to the North. With so many traveling to the North, they were forced to live in the slums because whites refused to live with them. This allowed African Americans to come together to protect their traditions and share them with society. They were now able to show their artistic talents, spread their culture, and finally be recognized in these areas. -
The Red Summer
The summer and early autumn of 1919 was a time where many race riots broke out amongst the whites and the blacks. The whites attacked African Americans due to tension in the North. Many whites were attacking African Americans, so they began to fight back. Now that blacks were competition for employment, the whites felt threatened. This led to the Harlem Renaissance because African Americans were willing to fight for their rights and against the injustice they were living with. -
The Civic Club Dinner
This event developed into a dinner that honored all African American writers. It was a rare event that allowed African Americans to interact with white publishers. It gave African Americans the opportunity to share their talent and creativity in the world of literature to the public eye. -
Harlem on Broadway
This was most successful production of the time, and it was when a black author opened on Broadway in 1929. This musical broadcasted the creativity and tenacity of African-American playwrights. This took place during the Harlem Renaissance and shows how African Americans were making a change and creating a better life for themselves. -
The Great Depression
The Great Depression was an economic downturn that led to the end of the Harlem Renaissance. It started when the stock market crashed in 1929 and it caused businesses to slow down. African American's culture was started to disappear, causing an end to the Harlem Renaissance Era. The depression affected the creativity and liveliness of the era. -
Race Riot
The Harlem Riot of 1935 began when Lino Rivera stole a penknife from a store; the store owner and manager noticed and tried to capture him before getting away. When police arrived, they had taken Rivera to the black entrance on 124th St. to avoid crowds, but people started to assume police were going to beat him. Crowds were angered and started to damage property in protest. African Americans were a majority of people arrested for damage and riots, and this affected the end of the era.
