Paper Topic:

African American Literature

Harlem Renaissance and Black Arts movement

Both Harlem Renaissance and Black Arts movement originates from the same patterns of Afro-American intellectual thought . It stems from the identical experiences of sufferings , motives and desires on the part of Afro-American writer to get equal socio-cultural status in the American society . However its outward artistic manifestations adopt different patterns and are influenced by contemporary socio-cultural and political milieu

Men of letters to the movements hankered after the ideal of social equality i .e . social equality must be achieved in every realm of American

life . The poetry of Langston Hughes , the most vocal representative of Harlem renaissance , echoes with similar theme of social equality . Theme for English B by Langston Hughes is an epitome of the same longing for equality at the social and psychological level . The poet has skillfully dramatized the inner thought of colored ' person and has manifested that although he is different physically but he possesses the same human characteristics that his other classmates and his instructor enjoy . For example , his poem Harlem Night Club manifests his longings for an equal and just America for Afro-American community It depicts the American African cultural richness where everyone irrespective of their color , cast and creed one , enjoys themselves

White girls ' eyes /Call gay black boys /Black boys ' lips /Grin jungle joys /Dark brown girls /In blond men 's arms /Jazz-band , jazz-band /Sing Eve 's charms

It further depicts another important theme of Harlem Renaissance literature Afro-American culture is distinct and has its own peculiarities . Black arts movements portray the same thematic expressions . Like acknowledgement of a peculiar Black culture by Harlem Renaissance , Black Art Movement also popularizes the theme of Cultural nationalism that was established on the precept that both blacks and whites cultures are distinct in every sphere of life . They have their own separate traditions , values , ethical standards , lifestyle values , histories . So they must be recognized and celebrated as separate entities

His theme was I , too . Sing America ' but that America was free of racial discrimination , poverty , miseries and pathos . This dream-maker influenced the future poets to create work based in their own roots and values . So his dream deferred ' did not dry up like a raisin in the sun ' or fester like a sore ' but it explode[d] (Hughes , Harlem 1951

The second most important similarity is their representation of black life from a black perspective . For example the most vocal representative of Harlem renaissance Langston Hughes says "I knew only the people I had grown up with , and they weren 't people whose shoes were always shined , who had been to Harvard , or who had heard Bach " - (Langston Hughes , 1963 ) This depicts clearly the dream maker of Harlem renaissance . His poetry does not explore extra social and or political issues and he does not venture into the intricate philosophical and imaginative domains . His poetry is the about people , places and events from his own vicinity i .e . Harlem . His "low-down folks " were the pivotal point in his...

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