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The founding of the NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, founded in 1909 by leaders like W.E.B. Du Bois and Ida B. Wells, fought racial injustice and played a significant role in the Harlem Renaissance by supporting Black writers and artists.
The NAACP encouraged Black creativity through literary contests, promoting a talented, educated Black elite, and promoting recognition for artists. -
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The Red Summer
A time of violent race riots, happening in over 25 cities across the U.S. White mobs attacked Black communities, often because Black soldiers returned from World War I expecting equal rights or because of competition for jobs and housing.
It pushed African Americans to speak out through art, writing, and music. -
Harlem became a hot-spot.
Harlem started to become an important center of African American culture during the Great Migration, when many Black families moved from the rural South to northern cities. A lot of them settled in Harlem, a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan that had been built for white middle-class families but opened up as they moved out. As more Black families arrived, Harlem grew into a more lively community full of churches, schools, businesses, making safe for art, music, writing, and political action. -
Opening night for "Shuffle Along"
The Broadway musical "Shuffle Along" became the first big hit created and performed entirely by African Americans. Written by Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles, with lively jazz music and exciting dance numbers, the show featured strong Black characters and broke away from stereotypes. It drew large white audiences, which helped open the door for more Black performers and writers on Broadway. -
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Opening of "The Negro Arts Exhibit"
The first major public African American art exhibit opened at the 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library in Harlem, now part of the Schomburg Center. Organized by artists Charles Alston, Augusta Savage, and Aaron Douglas, the exhibit helped bring Black art to a wider audience and showed that it deserved recognition and respect. It featured paintings, drawings, and sculptures by Black artists who were often excluded from mainstream galleries because of racism. -
The publishing of "Cane" by Jean Toomer
"Cane" was an important part of the Harlem Renaissance. It broke traditional writing rules and was one of the first modernist books by a Black author. The book tells stories about the lives of African Americans in both the rural South and the urban North. Even though it didn’t sell many copies at first, critics praised it, and it inspired other Black writers. "Cane" had and still has a lasting impact on American literature. -
The publishing of "The New Negro" by Alain Locke
Alain Locke published "The New Negro". It included essays, poems, stories, and plays by important Black writers and artists, showing the beauty and strength of Black life and culture. The book brought national attention to the movement and encouraged African Americans to be proud of their heritage. -
The publishing of "Fire!!"
A group of young Black artists started the literary magazine "Fire!!" to challenge old ideas and share honest, powerful stories about Black life. The magazine only had one issue, but it stood out for rejecting the need to please white audiences. Instead, it focused on real topics like race, identity, and struggle. -
Stock market crash
The U.S. stock market crashed, starting the Great Depression and hurting the Harlem Renaissance movement. Many wealthy supporters lost their money, so they could no longer help Black artists, writers, and musicians. Jobs and opportunities disappeared, especially in Black communities. -
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The Great Depression
The Great Depression severely impacted Harlem, causing unemployment, business closures, and poverty. The wealthy patrons, theaters, and publishers that once supported Black artists and writers couldn't afford to continue. As funding for the arts disappeared, many artists had to find other work or focus on political activism. Writers like Langston Hughes and artists like Aaron Douglas continued to create, but often with less support and under harder conditions. -
Rise of the race riots and the fall of Harlem
A race riot in Harlem marked the end of the Harlem Renaissance’s golden era. It started after a rumor that a young Black boy had been beaten or killed by a store clerk. This set off protests fueled by years of unfair treatment, poor housing, police violence, and lack of jobs. The protests turned violent. Three people died, hundreds were hurt, and over 100 were arrested. The riot showed the serious problems still facing the Black community.