Harlem and the Blues
The Harlem Renaissance marked the first time that mainstream publishers and critics took African American literature seriously. It was also the first time that African American literature and art attracted significant attention from the nation at large. Although it was primarily a literary movement, it was closely related to developments in African American music, art, theater and politics (Johnson 275). The movement emerged at the end of World War I in 1918, blossomed in the mid- to late 1920s, and then faded in the mid-1930s. There is a profound connection between the blues and the African-American literature and poetry that was produced during this significant time period. Much of what came out of the Harlem Renaissance can be credited to the use of blues. The blues created a social interaction between the blacks and whites, influenced some of America's greatest artists, allowed blacks to express their feelings and opened the eyes of many Americans by teaching the truth about Black heritage. In this essay, I will attempt to show the impact that the blues had on the Harlem Renaissance. The Blues evolved out of the African Americans struggle for freedom and equality. After the Civil War, Black chur
Bessie Smith was the greatest and most influential blues singer of the 1920's. She sang with a power and intensity of feeling that was unmatched by any other blues singer. Her self-assurance showed through in every note she sang. Her sharp sense of phrasing enabled her to influence virtually every female blues singer who followed (Haskin 142). By the time the decade ended, Smith had become the most respected black singer in America. Writing was somewhat an escape for the African-American when life was troublesome. The blues were written to express personal feelings or to tell about hard times. Either way, the words allowed the audience insight into the black world. Blues lyrics were often intensely personal. Some contained sexual references and often dealt with the pain of betrayal, desertion and unrequited love. One of the major themes of the blues is sexuality. Lyrics often contained hidden sexual messages by using words or phrases with double meanings. Other lyrics are downright raunchy. The blues even addressed situations such as being jobless, broke, hungry, or lonely. Perhaps better than any other music in history, the blues speaks about poverty and making ends meet (Harlem 56). Brother, Can You Spare A Dime and Nobody Knows When You're Down And Out, are both great examples of pieces created to express the difficulties that black Americans faced. More importantly than the blues speaking about troubles or loves, the blues spoke about truth.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1237
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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