Essay On Harlem Renaissance

The Tulsa Race Massacre left a lasting impact on African American communities in Tulsa and the descendants of those affected by the massacre,

In 1914, because of the pause of European immigration, black farmers from the south could get jobs in northern cities. With the new abundance of African Americans in NYC and their creative contributions to nightlife, music, and entertainment, the Harlem Renaissance started. The Harlem Renaissance inspired many pieces of music, literature, and art and revolutionized the future of black America. (Bodenner) During this time, new styles of music emerged, the most prominent being Jazz.

The Tulsa Race Riot was the destruction of Black Wall Street in 1921, which was caused by an allegation of a white woman accusing a black man of rape. It lasted from May 31st to June 1st. The Tulsa Race Riot caused plenty of damage from “dozens of deaths [and] hundreds of injuries” to the destruction of Black Wall Street leading to unemployment of the black community (Hoberock n. pag.). An estimated property loss was over $2.3 million. This was an important event in our Nation’s history because “it teaches how far hatred [and violence] can go” (Hoberock n. pag.).

After the Emancipation Proclamation was signed and the Civil War had ended, former slaves were left to start over from nothing. This period is also known as Reconstruction (Foner, 2023). During the Reconstruction era of the United States, racial terror and violence were rampant. Many African Americans were subject to terrorizing tactics such as lynchings, night-riding, and other macabre acts. For context, “Between the end of the Civil War and the 1940s, approximately 100 White massacres directed against Black communities took place” (Darity Jr, 2022).

Soon after, the massacre began. Hundreds were killed and thousands of lives were ruined. In this document, the topic discussed will be the underlying causes of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The main reason was racism, displayed in documents providing evidence to show that jealousy of wealth in the black community, political corruption, no fear of punishment, and the tension between the two races, which comes from resentment towards the success of the black people. There is always a motive for any crime, and this massacre was no different.

On top of the deaths, the riot created 1.8 million dollars in property damage, adjusted for inflation of 27 million dollars in 2023. The Tulsa race massacre is considered one of the worst racial terror attacks in the history of the nation. The Tulsa Race massacre illustrates the rising white supremacy of the 1920s through the destruction of black wealth and community. In the 1920s white supremacy was the prevailing ideology in many parts of the world, the idea that white people were superior to people of other races was deeply ingrained in America's society leading all the back to manifest destiny.

They were inspired to embrace their own culture and heritage instead of imitating the ways of white Americans. Jazz attracted whites to Harlem speakeasies, which are nightclubs where interracial couples danced (The Harlem Renaissance). However, the Renaissance had little impact on breaking the tough barriers of Jim Crow that separated the races (Jim Crow Laws). While it might have contributed to a certain relaxation of racial attitudes among whites, perhaps its greatest impact was to reinforce race pride among blacks. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, black Americans ignited an explosion of cultural pride.

The Tulsa Massacre of 1921 was a tragic event in American history in which a white mob attacked and destroyed the thriving Greenwood District, also known as “Black Wall Street”, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The event resulted in the deaths of hundreds of African American residents and the displacement of thousands more. This massacre was a direct result of tensions breaking after the Great Migration, a movement of approximately six million African Americans from the southern to Midwest and Northeastern states. Effects of the Great Migration led to an enormous cultural and social change in the midwest and northeastern states, as the African American population increased by over 40% the culture in states like Oklahoma changed drastically. However, this increase in the population caused competition in the job market to increase, and as tensions rose, anger from the racist white community was directed toward people of color.

HOOK. The Tulsa race riot was a night of rioting caused by the controversy of a possible rape in Tulsa. Many of the facts of the situation and following riots are unknown, which makes it an interesting and debatable topic. In 1921, a white, female elevator operator accused a black man of sexual assault: the event caused a large riot in Tulsa; the newspaper that released the information may have over exaggerated the facts; and the amount of casualties is still unknown. To begin, the riot and what caused it will be discussed.

During the 1920s America, Jim Crow Laws found a way of segregating whites and colored individuals. Seen as a dark period of time in America, Black communities were specifically targeted by Jim Crow. Not allowed the same freedoms as whites had, Jazz was seen as an opportunity to express themselves, giving opportunities for blacks to feel connected in a disconnected society, leading to a positive outlook on black communities. Jazz created less racial discrimination for black communities by creating an opportunity for blacks to be part of white businesses, including different races in recording sessions for jazz, and influencing the Civil Rights movement. With the popularity spike in jazz began to have, many white businessmen found this as an

In 1921, a tragic incident in American history known as the Tulsa Race Massacre, often referred to as the Black Wall Street Massacre, took place. The wealthy Black neighborhood of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was attacked and completely demolished by a white mob. The result of this was the killing of hundreds of African Americans and the destruction of homes, shops, and churches. Despite its importance, the media's role in the Tulsa Race Massacre is frequently disregarded. During the event, the media's coverage was a subject of controversy, with allegations that it contributed to the violence by spreading sensationalized and inaccurate reports that depicted the Black community negatively.

The Tulsa Race Massacre, the reasons for the name is because it was a deadly race massacre. Tulsa Race Massacre included a big group of angry white racist people attacking, robbing, and destroying the black residents and their businesses and homes. What were the causes of the Tulsa Race Massacre? The Tulsa Race Massacre was because of discrimination and racism and pure hate.

Instead of their hatred turning to remorse after the devastating events, it only amplified, exemplifying where society was as a whole in the 1920’s; a cruel and bigoted era that failed to see people as color as anything less than human. It was only through the Tulsa Race Massacre that we can look back and analyze the consequences of racism and

With those new opportunities they took to art, literature, and music, and gave themselves a voice to express life beyond the slave oppression. The Harlem Renaissance started a change for African Americans that motivated them to express themselves through their own culture and history. The legacy of the writers/poets, artists, and musicians had a great effect on the African American community by giving hope for better days.

“Nothing great or enduring, especially in music, has ever sprung full-fledged and unprecedented from the brain of any master; the best he gives to the world he gathers from the hearts of people, and runs through the alembic of genius” (James Weldon Johnson). This is a quote said by James Weldon Johnson describing the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance era was a time of love, culture, and connection for African-Americans in the 1920s. Music thrived during this time, as many black artists used music to express themselves and their emotions, bringing people together during the Harlem Renaissance era. People may argue that the Harlem Renaissance did not bring people together and it tore families apart.