Harlem Renaissance

Summary

The video script depicts a conversation between two friends discussing their academic assignments and the Harlem Renaissance. It touches on Langston Hughes' poem 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers,' symbolizing the deep historical connection of African Americans to rivers and their soul. The script also delves into the cultural awakening of the 1920s and 1930s, highlighting the movement's literary and artistic expressions of African American identity and struggle against racism, mentioning key figures like Zora Neale Hurston and W.E.B. Du Bois.

Takeaways

• 📚 The characters plan to study together for a group assignment from Palmer Junior.
• 📖 One character has an assignment to write about American modern literature.
• 📜 The poem 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers' by Langston Hughes is discussed, reflecting on the speaker's deep connection with rivers and history.
• 🏞 The poem mentions various rivers like the Euphrates, Congo, and Nile, symbolizing the speaker's historical and cultural heritage.
• 🎶 Langston Hughes' style is influenced by blues and jazz music, which is a distinctive feature of his work.
• 🌅 The Mississippi River is depicted as singing when Abraham Lincoln traveled on it, reflecting the African American experience.
• 🏛 The speaker's involvement in building pyramids on the Nile's shore highlights the contribution of African civilizations.
• 🕊 The Harlem Renaissance is identified as a significant cultural movement for African Americans in the 1920s and 1930s.
• 👥 Prominent authors and poets of the Harlem Renaissance, such as Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Zora Neale Hurston, are mentioned.
• 📚 The movement's literature and art served as a platform for African Americans to express their experiences with racism and oppression.
• 🌟 The Harlem Renaissance is seen as a period of enlightenment and cultural identity formation for African Americans.

Q & A

What are the two characters, Rima and CD, waiting to do together in the script?

Rima and CD are waiting to study together for their group assignment from Palmer Juni.

What does CD suggest they do while waiting for Rima's friend?

CD suggests they go to the library because they both have assignments to work on.

What literary work is mentioned in the script, and what is it about?

The script mentions 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers,' a poem by Langston Hughes, which is about the speaker's personal connection to the history of their race.

What rivers are mentioned in the poem 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers'?

The rivers mentioned in the poem include the Euphrates, Congo, Nile, and Mississippi.

What does the speaker in the poem 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers' claim about their soul in the conclusion?

In the conclusion, the speaker declares that their soul has become very deep, just like the rivers they know.

What class does Rima suddenly remember they need to attend?

Rima suddenly remembers they need to attend a makeup class from Pod Diet.

What is the significance of the Harlem Renaissance in the context of the script?

The Harlem Renaissance is significant as it represents the enlightenment of Black Americans in the 1920s and 1930s, a time when they began to realize their existence and express their cultural identity through literature, art, and intellectual movements.

How did the Harlem Renaissance movement manifest itself in terms of art and literature?

The Harlem Renaissance manifested itself in literature, art, and intellectual works that explained the cultural identity of Black Americans, rooted in their experiences of oppression and slavery.

What role did literature and art play for Black Americans during the Harlem Renaissance?

Literature and art served as a means for Black Americans to voice their experiences of horror and racism, hoping to raise awareness and challenge the existence of racism in the world.

Which authors and poets are mentioned in the script as part of the Harlem Renaissance movement?

The authors and poets mentioned include Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Gene Tumor, Zora Neale Hurston, W.E.B. Du Bois, Countee Cullen, Rudolph Fisher, Wallace Thurman, and Nella Larsen.

What is the distinctive feature of Claude McKay's work mentioned in the script?

The distinctive feature of Claude McKay's work is its focus on the theme of the struggle of Black people in achieving their rights.

What is the significance of the novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' by Zora Neale Hurston?

The novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' is significant as it tells the story of a mulatto woman named Janie Crawford and her struggle with racism, showcasing the experiences of Black Americans during the Harlem Renaissance.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Study Plans and Literary Discussion

The conversation begins with two friends, Rima and CD, discussing their plans to study together for a group assignment from Palmer Junior. They decide to go to the library, where CD also intends to write an article on American modern literature. Rima mentions the poem 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers' by Langston Hughes, describing its themes of personal and historical connection to the speaker's race. The poem's lines are analyzed, highlighting the speaker's deep familiarity with rivers, their age, and their significance to the speaker's soul. The friends continue to discuss the Harlem Renaissance and its cultural impact on African Americans, touching upon the themes of the poem and the broader movement.

🎓 Academic Commitments and Literary Analysis

In the midst of their conversation, Reema suddenly remembers a makeup class from pod diet and rushes off, leaving Sidi waiting. Sidi takes the opportunity to search and read books while reflecting on the Harlem Renaissance as a period of enlightenment for Black Americans during the 1920s and 1930s. This era, also known as the New Negro Movement, is characterized by a growing awareness and assertion of Black cultural identity, rooted in the bitter experiences of oppression and slavery. The conversation delves into how literature and art became vehicles for expressing the horrors of racism and the hope for wider recognition and change.

🖋️ Harlem Renaissance and its Prominent Figures

The discussion continues with an exploration of the Harlem Renaissance's key authors and poets, such as Langston Hughes, known for his rhythmic style influenced by blues and jazz music. Claude McKay is noted for his work's focus on the struggle for rights, while Gene Tumor's writings portray the development of the movement. Zora Neale Hurston's novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' is highlighted for its depiction of a mulatto woman's struggle with racism. Other notable figures like W.E.B. Du Bois, Countee Cullen, Rudolph Fisher, Wallace Thurman, and Nella Larsen are also mentioned as contributors to the movement, emphasizing their roles in shaping the cultural and intellectual landscape of the time.

Keywords

💡Group Assignment

A group assignment is a collaborative academic task where students work together to complete a project or research paper. In the script, the characters plan to study together for their group assignment from Palmer Junior, indicating a shared responsibility and the need for teamwork to achieve a common academic goal.

💡Library

A library is a place where books, articles, and other resources are available for reading, studying, and research. In the context of the script, the library is suggested as an alternative location for the characters to study, emphasizing the importance of a conducive environment for academic work.

💡American Modern Literature

American Modern Literature refers to literary works produced in the United States during the modernist period, characterized by a break from traditional forms and themes. In the script, one character mentions needing to write an article about this subject, highlighting the academic interest in understanding the cultural and artistic expressions of the time.

💡Negro Speaks of Rivers

‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers’ is a poem by Langston Hughes that explores the African American experience and connection to nature and history. The poem is mentioned in the script as a work that reflects on the speaker's deep personal and racial history, with specific references to the poem's lines illustrating the speaker's bond with various rivers.

💡Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural, social, and artistic explosion that took place in Harlem, New York, during the 1920s. It was a time when African American writers, artists, and musicians flourished and began to assert their identity and rights. In the script, this movement is discussed in relation to its significance in African American history and its impact on literature and art.

💡New Negro Movement

The New Negro Movement was a period of African American cultural and social renaissance that paralleled the Harlem Renaissance. It was characterized by a new sense of racial pride and a desire for political and social equality. The script mentions this movement as a time when black Americans began to realize their existence and fight for their rights.

💡Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes was a prominent poet and key figure of the Harlem Renaissance. Known for his innovative writing style that incorporated blues and jazz rhythms, Hughes' work often addressed themes of racial identity and social issues. In the script, his poem ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers’ is discussed, exemplifying his contribution to African American literature.

💡Claude McKay

Claude McKay was a Jamaican-American writer and poet whose work was influential during the Harlem Renaissance. He is known for his distinctive themes of struggle and the fight for rights of black people. The script refers to McKay as one of the authors of the movement, indicating his importance in the literary landscape of the time.

💡Gene Tumor

Gene Tumor, likely a misspelling or mispronunciation of 'Jean Toomer' in the script, was an important writer of the Harlem Renaissance. His work, including the experimental novel 'Cane,' portrayed the development of the movement and explored themes of race, love, and the African American experience.

💡Zora Neale Hurston

Zora Neale Hurston was an influential African American author, anthropologist, and filmmaker. She is famous for her novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God,' which the script mentions. Hurston's work often focused on the experiences of African American women and contributed significantly to the Harlem Renaissance.

💡Racism

Racism is the belief in the inherent superiority of one race over another, which often results in discrimination and prejudice. In the script, racism is discussed as a driving force behind the works of the Harlem Renaissance, as black artists used their art to express their experiences with racial oppression and to raise awareness about the issue.

Highlights

Rima and CD are planning to study together for a group assignment from Palmer Juni.

They decide to go to the library, where CD also needs to write an article about American modern literature.

Rima has read 'A Negro Speaks of Rivers' by Langston Hughes, a poem about a personal connection to the history of the speaker's race.

The poem describes the speaker's familiarity with rivers, including those as old as the planet itself.

In the poem, the speaker's soul is compared to the depth of the rivers he knows.

The speaker recalls swimming in the Euphrates River during the early days of human civilization.

He built his home near the Congo River, using its sound to help him fall asleep.

The speaker also mentions the Nile River and his involvement in building the pyramids.

The Mississippi River is described as singing when Abraham Lincoln traveled on it to New Orleans.

The poem concludes with the speaker reiterating his deep connection to the old and dark rivers.

Rima forgets about a makeup class from pod diet and rushes to attend it.

The Harlem Renaissance is described as the enlightenment of Black Americans during the 1920s and 1930s.

This era is also known as the New Negro Movement, highlighting the cultural identity of new Black Americans.

The movement is rooted in the bitterness caused by oppression and slavery.

Literature and art became a way for Black Americans to voice their horror and fight against racism.

Langston Hughes is a prominent poet of the Harlem Renaissance, known for his rhythmic style influenced by blues and jazz music.

Claude McKay is noted for his work on the struggle of Black people in achieving their rights.

Gene Tumor's works portray the development of the Harlem Renaissance.

Zora Neale Hurston is famous for her novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God,' which deals with racism.

Other writers in the movement include W.E.B. Du Bois, Countee Cullen, Rudolph Fisher, Wallace Thurman, and Nella Larsen.

Transcripts

hi rima

what are you doing here hi cd i'm

waiting for a friend

but she doesn't come we plan to study

together about our group assignment from

palmer juni

i see let's go to the library instead

i also have to write an article about

american modern literature

i have an assignment from busandra okay

let's go came on

by the way have you read a negro speaks

of river

a poem by langston hughes yeah

it is about a personal connection to the

history of speaker's race

i see in the first line the speaker says

that he is familiar with a lot of rivers

he is also familiar with rivers that are

as old as the planet itself

older than blood pumping through

people's veins

while in the fourth line he says that

his soul has become very deep

just like the rivers he knows okay

please continue then he went swimming in

the euphrates river

when human civilization was still young

and even sunrises were new

and in the sixth line he built his home

near the congo river

so that the sound of its water helped

him fall asleep

he continues in the next line that he

saw the nile and helped build the

pyramids on its shore

the speaker talks about mississippi

river also

right yes he heard the mississippi river

sound as if

they were singing when abraham lincoln

traveled on it

to new orleans and he saw the surface of

that muddy river

like a person's chest reflect the sunset

the turning gold

what about the conclusion of the poem in

the last line he declares once again

that he has been familiar with a lot of

rivers which was very old and dark

rivers

and that his soul has become very deep

just like the rivers he knows

very good explanation rima i understand

now

oh my god what's wrong reema i forget

that right now is a makeup class from

pod diet

i have to go to the class right now okay

don't worry i'm waiting for you here

while i'm searching and reading some

books

thank you sidi

i'm late

the harlem renaissance can be said as

the enlightenment of black americans

in the 1920s and 1930s this era is also

known as the new negro movement

an era in which black americans began to

realize their existence

the harlem renaissance was a movement in

literature

art and intellectuals that explained the

cultural identity of the new black

american

this movement is rooted in their

bitterness because of the oppression by

whites

in a peculiar institution that is

slavery

the horror of living under the slavery

is then manifested in the form of work

such as

autobiographies poetry songs and other

genres

it has something to do with racism

professor yes

even though slavery had been abolished

in america during abraham lincoln

administration

and black american had got their freedom

racism is still a terrible thing for

black americans

literature and other works of art then

become a way for them to voice their

horror

through literature and other works of

art black americans hope that issues of

racism can be heard more widely

so that there is an awareness for

everyone that racism is something very

inappropriate to exist in the world

who are the authors and poets of this

movement one of prominent poets in this

era is langston hughes hughes began to

find his own style of writing

a rhythmic style typical of blues and

jazz music

there is also claude mckay who has a

distinctive feature of his work

on the theme of the struggle of black

people in achieving their rights

then gene tumor whose works portray the

development of the harlem renaissance

we cannot forget zora neale hurston who

is famous for her novel entitled their

eyes were watching god

a novel that tells the struggle of a

mulatto woman named janie crawford

in facing racism issue other writers who

joined this movement are w.e.b du bois

county cullen rudolph fisher wallace

thurman

and nella larson