Essay on Harlem Renaissance Poets - 1206 Words

The first poet I chose from the Harlem Renaissance was the American poet, Countee Cullen This 1920s artistic movement produced the first large body of work in the United States written by African Americans. (Brown, 2012) The work, Yet Do I Marvel, took a racial theme, lynching of a black youth for a crime he did not commit. The poem is stark and makes reference to Sisyphus and speaks of how life is a struggle up a never ending stair. It speaks to God as if to wonder why, knowing that God is benevolent he does not stop the unreasoning actions of brutes against, â€Å"flesh that mirrors him†, meaning the black race. (Brown, 2012) This line is important as it shows that the black consciousness is coming to recognition of their own worth taken†¦show more content†¦(Brown, 2012) Many of Cullens early poems appeared in the school literary magazine, The Magpie. After graduating, Cullen entered New York University, where his works attracted critical attention. Cullens first collection of poems, Color was published in the same year he graduated from NYU. Written in a traditional style, the work celebrated black beauty and deplored the effects of racism. (Brown, 2012) Cullen was a really good student and attended Harvard. He had been a Phi Beta Kappa at NYU and he went continued to write once he got to Boston. (Brown, 2012) He traveled to and from Europe and stayed quite a bit in France. He had a brief marriage that ended in a divorce and did not wish to pursue this again for a while then finally remarried later in life./ One of the things that make Cullen an important poet of this time period was the fact that he not only promoted his own works but those of other black renaissance poets. His own poetry slowed down for a while and he had one book, One Way to Heaven which was comedic in nature. (Brown, 2012) It was his only novel and revolved a lower-class black family and the classes of New York City. He stayed in New York his whole life and taught English, French and creative writing at a Frederick Douglass Junior High School. (Brown, 2012). He published two books of poetry aimed at young blacks during this time. Another great black Harlem Renaissance writer was Angelina Weld Grimke. She was bornShow MoreRelatedThe Harlem Renaissance Poets Essay1317 Words   |  6 PagesAssignment 2: Project Paper: Harlem Renaissance Poets Karron Scott Prof. Josiah Harry HUM 112: World Cultures II 11/27/2012 The Harlem Renaissance was a wonderful allotment of advancement for the black poets and writers of the 1920s and early ‘30s. I see the Harlem Renaissance as a time where people gather together and express their work throughout the world for everyone to see the brilliance and talent the black descendants harness. The two authors I picked were W.E.B Du Bois and LangstonRead MoreHarlem Renaissance Poets: Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Countee Cullen1065 Words   |  5 PagesThe Harlem Renaissance was a time where creativity flourished throughout the African American community. At the time many African Americans were treated as second class citizens. The Harlem Renaissance acted as artistic and cultural outlet for the African-American community. The Harlem Renaissance, otherwise known as â€Å"The New Negro Movement† was an unexpected outburst of creative activity among African Americans In the poems Harlem by Langston Hughes, America by Claude McKay, and Incident by CounteeRead MoreEssay about Harlem Renaissance Poets: Countee Cullen and Langston Hughes1142 Words   |  5 Pagesthe majority of African Americans moved from South to the North of the United States. New economic and artistic opportunities led them to create and identify themselves in their own culture and heritage. 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According to Biography.com in theRead MoreHarlem Renaissance : A Cultural, Social, And Artistic Explosion840 Words   |  4 Pagesexplosion that took place in Harlem between 1919-1929 became known as the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a great time period in history for blacks. The Harlem Renaissance included great artists such as Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, James Baldwin, and more. The Harlem Renaissance was a movement in which blacks asserted themselves by embracing their racial identity and appreciating their African heritage. In my opinion the Harlem Renaissance gave blacks a sense a pride. ItRead MoreThe Influences for Langston Hughes Successful Writing Career979 Words   |  4 Pageshim the title of â€Å"the Poet of Laureate of Harlem† (Bailey 748). Langston Hughes was able to communicate through his works by trying to create bridges between cultures, which he knew was very possible. The works of Langston Hughes, one of the most well-known writer and poet during the Harlem Renaissance, depicts life as an African American in content and portrays the themes of inspiration and motivation. Throughout Hughes’s life leading up to his success as a writer and poet he faced many difficultRead MoreEssay on Surrealism and Harlem Renaissance Two Historical Art Periods973 Words   |  4 PagesRunning head: SURREALISM AND HARLEM RENAISSANCE Surrealism and Harlem Renaissance Two Historical Art Periods Elisa Montoya Western Governor’s University RIWT Task 1 May 13, 2013 SURREALISM AND HARLEM RENNAISANCE Comparing and Contrasting the Two Art Periods â€Å"Surrealism and Harlem Renaissance† 2 While there are many different historical art periods I will bring together two that I found to be extremely interesting. There are so many wonderful facts about all the different art periods