The name given to the period for the end of World War I and through the middle of the 1930s Depression was the Harlem Renaissance. During this time, a group of talented African-American writers produced a sizeable body of literature in the four prominent genres of poetry, fiction, drama, and essay8. The literary upsurge was broad, rich, diverse, and all

encompassing the unique desire of black America to come to terms with themselves as Americans.

The idealism of World War I, democracy for all, self-determinati

definite solution to their problem, the writers of the time varied in opinion as how to go about and obtain the freedom from segregation.

sovereign master."2. This was an inspiring vision for most Afro-Americans of the time. The basis for Garvey's wide popularity was his appeal to race pride at a time when African Americans generally had so little of which to be proud1. The works of Garvey exemplified and exploited these issues.

The "New Negro" movement was gaining momentum and many literary works were beginning to surface towards the later 1920's. In 1925,Alain Locke, a professor of philosophy at Howard University, brought about a

best when writing verse that dealt with aspects of the race problem. Perhaps the best know of all Cullen's work that will give you an idea about the quality of his work are these two line's: "Yet do I marvel at this curios thing: To make a poet black, and bid him sing!"1. The one characteristic of Cullen's work is the exquisiteness and efficiency of his lines was not contingent on the use of racial experiences.

Marcus Garvey portrayed the black American identity during the 1920's as being "kicked about by all the other races and nations of the world"2. In his newspaper, the Negro World, he told blacks that racial prejudice was so much a part of the civilization of whites that it was futile to appeal to their sense of justice and their high-surrounding democratic principles1. Garvey had dreams of a better world for the blacks and believed that to be Negro was not a disgrace, but an honor. He alleged that there was no way for an African-American to come to terms as being an American because no true black would belong to a nation that didn't see their beauty. Garvey believed that Africa was to be the nation for all blacks to flourish and through his writing he proclaimed these issues.

"We younger Negro artists who create now intend to express our individual skinned selves with out fear or shame. If white people are pleased

Americans to form a strong black identity. Two major themes Locke develops include the entrance onto the world scene of a new social type and a new psychology in the figure of the "New Negro" and the centrality of Harlem as a "Race Capital"4.

Hughes' collection of poems introduced black identity, pride, and coping with the terms of being an African-American. In his poem "I, too" he

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Approximate Word count = 1689
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)