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Harlem Renaissance: The Influential Age

© Nichel Anderson

I remember hearing of those good old days from my elders when I was growing up. During the time when music played in the background and made everyone want to dance and forget his or her sorrows. I remember listening to slightly older boys in my neighborhood repeat a verse of a poem over and over, which left us girls in awe (of course later on, I found out it was previously written by Langston Hughes). I remember seeing old photographs of what it looked like and a sense of how nice it was to be living in the 1920's. Where numerous African Americans made a pilgrimage to New York City to express their passion of creative expression: "Harlem" Just the sound of the word brings a sense of elegance, history, and glamorous culture.

In our long journey of our great history from Africa to here in the United States of America, we always seemed to re-create our present experience. To form a better today and a wonderful tomorrow, we emulate courage, intellect and pride. The Harlem Renaissance was the most influential age promoting the freedom to express our natural driven soul. Our expression in literature, music, art, and dance transposed our own generation and other races as well. I was not born during this time period but I'm truly honored to say my ancestors were.

"I believe in pride of race and lineage and self: in pride of self so deep as to scorn injustice to other selves," W.E.B. Du Bois

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement of African Americans for the need to not only acquire personal funds but to express their creativity. Numerous poetry and literature writings were produce and vastly backed by white patrons. In my analysis of these works there are a sense of Nubian pride of their culture, life, and self-love. A sense to share within their own community and others of literary enlightenment. Harlem at the time seemed to be the place for African Americans to gain great exposure and development of their art form - it was the hub of intellectuals of all forms of art.

"If you have no confidence in self you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence you have won even before you have started," Marcus Garvey

Reading the words of these great minds place a sensational feeling throughout your soul as a relaxing day watching a sunset. It opens your heart to embrace a new way of looking at things: no need for a major fuzz on the small agendas but rather just enjoying: freedom!

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