Harlem Renaissance Historical and Social Background

The Harlem Renaissance denotes a movement formed by the African Americans during the 1920s and 1930s. It was a period of social integration and the development of literary and artistic skills by the African Americans. African Americans migrated from the south because they were running away from racial discrimination, violence and oppression and settled in Harlem. In Harlem, they encouraged each other to be proud of their culture and fight for social, economic and political justice as well as recognition from the whites.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Harlem Renaissance: Historical and Social Background specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The African Americans employed literature, art, music, drama and politics to make their desires known to the white Americans and the world at large. Harlem therefore became the centre for development of the African Americans culture as well as the home for their activities. This pa per examines the historical and social background of the Harlem Renaissance. After the abolition of slave trade, the African Americans moved north to New York City and settled in Harlem. During their days in slavery, the African Americans were denied adequate education and thus illiteracy levels among them were very high. â€Å"At the close of the Civil War, Black illiteracy exceeded ninety percent. By 1880, thirty percent had learned to read; by 1890 half the population read, and by 1910, two thirds possessed literacy† (Hamalian, 10). This was a break through for the African Americans because the knowledge they acquired improved not only their literary work, but also enhanced their economic life and involvement in political issues. During this time, great musicians, singers, writers, artists, and actors arose. These contributed positively to the Harlem Renaissance. According to Ornberg, â€Å"the name of the movement is a little misleading, since this renaissance was not un ique to Harlem. It might be seen as the capital of the movement† (para. 1). The great writers of the Harlem Renaissance include W.E.B Du Bois, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale, Jean Toomer, and others. The work of these writers advocated for the fair treatment of the African Americans by the whites. It also encouraged the integration and cohesion of the black community and encouraged them to be proud of their culture. In W.E.B. Du Bois’ book The Souls of the Black Fork, he analyses the situation of the blacks and advocates for a change of the whites’ attitude towards the blacks. Hughes’ essay The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain also encourages the blacks to cultivate their culture and stop considering themselves inferior to the whites. These writers also wrote poems, which gave the African Americans hope for a better future. †Hughes’ poetry depicts a Harlem, where prejudice is not part of everyday life and where music and entertainment seem to be open to everyone, regardless of ethnic background† (Ornberg, para. 2). Some of these writers continued writing even after the end of the Renaissance and their work has had a great impact worldwide.Advertising Looking for essay on african american? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Singers, musicians and actors also played an important role in the Harlem Renaissance. These dominated the African Americans’ nightclubs and theatres. The Apollo theatre is one of the most common and a lasting mark of the Harlem Renaissance. In this theatre, many African American artists realized their talents and nurtured them into full career. Some African American artists also worked at the cotton club as entertainers even though the club was for whites only. Before the Harlem Renaissance period, the whites socially discriminated against the African Americans and did not associate with them as people of equal status in the society. The whites looked down on the blacks and considered them to be of low class and poor. With the advent of the Harlem Renaissance, the whites started associating with the African Americans. The messages, which were presented by the African Americans in writing and in theatres, had a great impact on the whites to the extent that they recognized the worth of the black race. The whites started associating with the African Americans in many aspects. They worked together not only in theatres, writing and entertainment but also in war during the Spanish American War (Hamalian, 15). The Harlem Renaissance not only awakened the artistic talents of the black Americans but also played a sociological role by creating a new dimension of race in America. Du Bois’ work in The Souls of Black Folk brought about a correct awareness of the black’s identity. The Renaissance also led to a change in how the whites and the whole world viewed the black American population. It also gave the Afr ican Americans the chance to participate actively in the development of the American nation through active involvement in economic, social and politics issues. The Harlem Renaissance was a period of artistic explosion of the African Americans and an opportunity for them to express their ability to do what whites could do. It also served the purpose of social integration and cohesion within the black community, which in turn led to the social integration of the whites and the African Americans. The Renaissance period gave the whites an opportunity to experience the worth of the African Americans and see the need to integrate them in nation building. It also helped in the fight for the social rights of the African Americans in the United States.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Harlem Renaissance: Historical and Social Background specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Works Cited Hamalian, Leo. Lost Plays of the Harlem R enaissance, 1920-1940. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1996. Print. Ornberg, Therese. â€Å"General Background – The Harlem Renaissance.† The Harlem  Renaissance. May 23, 2001. Web. This essay on Harlem Renaissance: Historical and Social Background was written and submitted by user Ra1ders to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Story of Blima Outline Essays

Story of Blima Outline Essays Story of Blima Outline Paper Story of Blima Outline Paper Bethany S. Reading 050 11/29/11 The Story of Blima: A Holocaust Survivor I. Before the Storm A. Blima’s personality 1. Known as best child; smart 2. Works at bakery with Aunt 3. Embarrassed about chest B. Blima’s guilt 1. At 6 years old dropped baby brother, Zalman, and he died when 2 months old 2. Mother is very forgiving C. Blima’s vanity 1. Thinks she’s not pretty like her sister, Adele 2. Mother says Blima looks most like herself D. Grandfathers death 1. Cat, Masha, lies at feet of grandfather; she senses disaster 2. Blima comforts mother E. Blima’s difficulties 1. Loses favorite shoes . Faints at grandfathers funeral; doesn’t like being center of attention II. Darkness Falls A. The nightmare begins 1. Going home early from working at bakery because business isn’t good 2. On way home Nazis kidnap her 3. Last time she saw her mother B. Traveling to labor camp 1. Walking with group; links arm with girl who falls 2. Secretly gets twig s to munch on 3. Shoved into cattle car 4. Finds friend, Clara, who was schoolmate 5. Tries not to faint; looks at other peoples shoes to distract herself C. No longer Blima 1. German woman commandant takes coat off along with jewelry 2. Hair is shaved; clothes are changed to white blouse and black skirt 3.. Shoes changed to wooden ones 4. Five-digit number tattooed to arm, no longer Blima, but a number ~ 44703 D. First day of labor camp 1. Woken at 4am for roll call 2. Taken to factory to work 3. Says she can work to avoid gas chamber 4. Gizella secretly helps Blima with machine E. Gizella 1. Helps her by giving her food 2. Tells Blima that she will be her mother F. Transported 1. After three years is taken to another camp 2. Finds sister-in-law, Ruschia G. Trying to stay alive 1. The stench of the dead is unbearable; lots of sickness . British generals come to their rescue III. Daylight A. Blima is alive 1. Knows she is alive 2. Freed; Red Cross brings food B. Reunions and disappointments 1. Everybody is looking for somebody 2. Ruschia’s husband, Victor, is alive 3. Blima’s younger brother, Kalman, is alive C. A new chance, a renewal of life 1. Victor finds Ruschia and Blima 2. On the Jewish New Year they wear a prayer shawl that means: a new chance, a renewal of life. 3. They praise God for keeping them alive D. Searching 1. Victor looks for Kalman – no hope 2. Victor looks again but brings Ruschia along – they find him . Blima receives note from woman who lived with Gizella E. Blima searches for Gizella 1. She visits the woman, Frau Danhaus, who gave her the note 2. She found out a rumor that Gizella was taken by Nazi guards and was shot for helping a Jew, Blima F. Chiel 1. Ruschia and Victor want Blima to marry 2. A cousin of theirs knows of Chiel who is alone 3. Chiel visits Blima and they share stories of what happened to them in the labor camps G. Blima’s future 1. She marries Chiel the same month she was taken and freed – April 2. Moves to America with Chiel; has a son and daughter

Cross Cultural Cummunication Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cross Cultural Cummunication - Movie Review Example Hence, it would not be wrong to say that culture happens to be an integral aspect of the vantage point from which a person views, interprets and understands the world. An individual shapes one’s roles and relationships in a social setup in the light of the dominant cultural influences that one subscribes to. Even, in the current times when the world is getting diverse, it is astonishing to acknowledge that it is quiet impossible to separate a person from the culture in which one is born and brought up (Irvine 64). Therefore, culture is the lens through which an individual perceives the things and ideas. Yet, the thing is that the relationship between an individual and the culture one owes loyalty to happens to be quiet confusing. If on the one side the culture helps a person to adapt to the society in which one is born, on the other side it really makes it difficult to adapt to and adjust to the societies which have a different culture. Hence, in a way an individual happens to be both the beneficiary as well as the victim of culture. In the light of these facts the video under consideration does present many relevant and practical ideas regarding culture, how the varied cultures tend to differ from one another and as to what can people do to adjust to cultures that are different and foreign. The message conveyed by the video that in the current times when the varied cultures could not help being influenced by each other owing to the globalized trading of goods and services, influence of technologies like the internet and the ease of travel made possible by air travel, culture still continues to play a vital role in the human interactions, is indeed true and important. People do feel proud of the culture in which they are born and really appreciate if the individuals from other cultures do recognize their cultural peculiarities and traits (Allen 4). In the light of this fact the definition of culture given by this video that culture is, â€Å"A pattern o f learned and shared human behavior embodied in thought, speech and action transmitted to succeeding generations through the usage of tools, language and abstract thought† is indeed true and relevant. It is indeed an undeniable fact that the relationship between an individual and one’s culture happens to be complex in the sense that it is very ancient, unavoidable and to a large extent necessary to help a person adjust and adapt to the society in which one is born. One simply cannot deny one’s culture. The best option is always to accept and understand the culture in which one is born. This goes a long way in advancing a person’s understanding of other cultures as well. The further information conveyed by the video as to the associated important aspects of a culture that are values, attitudes and beliefs indeed goes a long way in enabling an individual understand as to what culture actually is and what does it practically involve. As per the video, values do represent the actual conscience of a particular culture and are an important guiding influence as to how the people in a culture think and behave. Attitudes affiliate to the emotional makeup of a particular culture and determine as to how people in a specific culture think about and react to particular people, places or things. Beliefs associate with the