(Late) Vintage Spotlight: Harlem Renaissance
I know that it's no longer February, but since I couldn't get back in time to do any of the other posts I'd planned for Black History Month, I at least wanted to make one post on an African-American movement that doesn't get as much attention anymore as some of the other pivotal periods of AA history. I thought the Harlem Renaissance would be a good time period to write about because it was so instrumental in introducing the Black voice, in its different forms, to mainstream society. It was also a time period that I knew little to nothing about, so I thought it would be a fun learning experience. Bear with me if my paper post (I seriously wrote 'paper' like I'd be turning this in somewhere. LOL Ah, damn you, college.) reads more like an essay (which makes that earlier typo even funnier to me now); there's still a college student trapped in here, trying to make everything flow while still being informative. Thank God I just need to provide links to my images and not plagiarize the articles I researched or you'd probably be getting an APA-formatted references list at the bottom of the post too. LOL
So what exactly was the Harlem Renaissance? Personally, I've always thought of it as the African-American equivalent of the Industrial Revolutions. Just as the first and second Industrial Revolutions were a bit of a worldwide rebirth, where huge changes were made, new ideas and concepts were introduced and the old ways were slowly phased out, the Harlem Renaissance was comprised of many of the same elements. This was a rebirth for African-Americans of that time, a time to show the world what we as a race had to offer other than what public opinion figured we were good for. This was a time of creative explosion, where literature, culture, fashion, music, entertainment and visual arts were all used as platforms for African-Americans to express themselves, display their talents, and tell their stories.
The exact duration of the Harlem Renaissance is often debated, but a general time period would be the late 1910's on through the late 1930's. Some clock the beginning to be between 1917 and 1919, while others claim it didn't start until the '20s. Either way, the peak of the period was around the mid 1920s that lasted for a few years, but declined in the early '30s before ending completely towards the end of the decade. It was a time of empowerment and celebration, much of which was documented, but it was also a time of great conflict within the community, which was also documented but I'll get back to that later. Let's start at the beginning.
The Great Migration of African-Americans to Harlem took place when those still in Southern states as well as those in other countries decided to pick up and move to Harlem, where it was easier to find work and get out from underneath the confining eye of Southern laws, which were harsher than Northern laws. With the industrial world thriving up north, there were more jobs up for grabs, and the slightly more relaxed attitude to those of other races made Harlem a mecca for those who later took part in the Renaissance. The city quickly filled with those who'd migrated in search of better quality of life, economically, financially and culturally. As a result, however, the job market became tight, with housing and jobs becoming scarce and rent beginning to raise, especially in the more segregated areas of town. This introduces a bit of our first entertainment, rent parties.
Rent parties were the easiest way to get rent when jobs were low; it was a way for everyone to come together, have fun, and the owner of the apartment could still get their rent paid. Most of the industrial jobs that people had back then were monotonous, with many hours of hard labor, and the entertainment was welcomed. Many rent parties featured musicians, others were more casual affairs, while others still were a bit more formal. Entry fees varied, as did the serving of food/drink. There are invitations to rent parties dating as late as the mid-'50s so this concept was around for quite some time.
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While we're on the subject of entertainment, let's touch on the nightlife scene during the Harlem Renaissance. Every decade, every significant time period, has their own version of nightlife or entertainment, and the Harlem Renaissance was no different. Some of the more popular clubs were The Savoy Ballroom, The Cotton Club, the Renaissance Ballroom and Casino, and The Apollo Theater.
The Savoy Ballroom was rare for its time because unlike many of the other nightclubs, it was integrated. Guests of differing races usually didn't interact while seated, but that was by choice. Evidenced by the above photo, the place was usually packed and folks had a jolly good time here 7 days a week. The Savoy was the 'sister' club to the owner Jay Faggen's Roseland Ballroom, which had a predominantly Caucasian audience. This is where you went if you wanted to either cut a rug or watch the finest dancers in the area jam the night away. Many a dance was born here, the Jitterbug and the Flying Charleston being a couple of them, and two bands played every night. Celebrities were even known to drop into the "Home of the Happy Feet," but even they were kept out of what was known later as the "Cat's Corner," where only the very best dancers dared to tread. Some of the more famous dancers later went professional as Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, where they achieved mainstream success. This place stayed open until the end of the Renaissance, but it was later demolished along with The Cotton Club to make way for a new apartment complex.
Speaking of The Cotton Club, this place is not significant because it was a Black-managed or owned club; for the most part this was a Whites-only establishment. What made The Cotton Club significant to the Harlem Renaissance was that all of the musical acts were Black; if the musician was worth their salt then they got an invitation to play a set at the club. Very few Blacks were allowed as guests, but just like with The Savoy, celebrities used to love dropping by to hear the music. The Cotton Club was also the birthplace of what I call stage fog; a dry ice machine was used to create the effect of fog for a particular performance. The club had a bumpy road though, after closing briefly due to race riots at the tail end of the Renaissance, it later closed for good in 1940.
The Renaissance Ballroom and Casino, much like its counterparts, was also once a thriving spot for entertainment and a mainstay throughout the Renaissance. Unlike its counterparts, however, "The Rennie" lasted for a few decades after the time period for which it was named, closing down for good in 1979. The Harlem Renaissance Five, an all-Black basketball team, called The Rennie home, and it was the first Black-owned and operated theater in New York. The bottom level of the building was for movies and performances, and the top level held the casino and ballroom. Many a good time was had during The Rennie's heyday, but unfortunately the building has become so dilapidated since its closure that it was recently (as in January) slated for demolition. The building has a rich history, and you can read more about it as well as check out some current pictures here.
Finally, the Apollo Theater, which is the only one of the main Renaissance buildings still standing, still operates today as a music hall and a major stepping stone for African-American performers. It was built before the Renaissance began, but in a twist of irony, was initially a Whites-only establishment. After a couple of closures, it reopened towards the end of the Renaissance but this time it catered to the Black entertainers in Harlem, and is noted as the place where Ella Fitzgerald had her first performance. Stage shows, vaudeville acts and various amateur acts put on their shows at the Apollo, and some musicians even used it as a venue for live recordings. It was declared a landmark in the early '80s, was restored about a decade ago, and still stands tall today.
Since the Apollo Theater was known for its musical acts and performances, let's use that as a segue into the song and dance of the Harlem Renaissance. As you can see by that photograph, folks had a grand ol' time cutting rug back in the day. I think if I'd been there, I'd have been that boob they show in the movies who ends up kicking her shoe off during the Charleston and getting it stuck in the chandelier. So maybe it's a good thing I wasn't. Moving on, jazz was the largest musical contributions to the Harlem Renaissance, with many of its musicians becoming icons of the genre. There were quite a few popular acts of this time, but I know I'm running kinda (read: very) long here as it is, so I'll only name a few.
Count Basie's career was still young during the heyday of the Harlem Renaissance. He, like his counterparts, was also a composer and bandleader in addition to mastering the instruments he knew how to play. He taught himself how to play the piano, spent the Harlem Renaissance touring and gaining experience with larger orchestras, and eventually went on to lead his own band for over 50 years. Count Basie was responsible for his sense of innovation, as the things he created in jazz are still being used today. Again, like his counterparts, many of his former band members went on to have successful careers after leaving his orchestra. He helped keep swing and Big Band alive even after the decline of the Renaissance.
Duke Ellington and his orchestra were part of the regular lineup of performers at The Cotton Club, and he is regarded as one of the best composers in jazz, although his preference was to be labeled more generally. Many of today's musicians count Ellington as a point of inspiration because of the way he composed his pieces, the way he helped his orchestra create their own individual sound, and his talent with both composing the music he created and his mastery over the instruments being used. He was internationally known and respected and a number of musicians went on to success after touring with his orchestra.
Cab Calloway was one of the most popular musicians of the '30s, and used to perform at The Cotton Club when Duke Ellington's orchestra was tour. He and Ellington were part of the reason why the color barriers were broken on television with showing Black musicians. He also got the opportunity to tour and perform with many of the prominent musicians at the time; in the early days of his career Dizzy Gillespie used to tour with Cab Calloway's orchestra but personal problems interfered and Gillespie left. Calloway also saw some commercial success from a few movies that he was featured in, and even contributed some comedy columns to a magazine. He was known for wearing some of the finest suits, putting his own flair on the very popular zoot suit.
Ella Fitzgerald is regarded by many as The First Lady of Jazz, as she was a prominent female figure in the genre and continues to be today, some 19 years after her death. Even though her career began during the decline of the Harlem Renaissance, she still managed to make a mark on the movement very quickly. She came to Harlem as part of the Great Migration and after her big break, began to regularly performed with another great in jazz music, Chick Webb, at the Savoy Ballroom and even joined Webb's orchestra, taking over for him after he died. She also had the opportunity to tour and/or perform with some of the jazz greats, such as Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, and Duke Ellington.
Billie Holiday was one of the more tragic stories in jazz, but her music was a reflection of both the beauty and talent that laid within said tragedy as she used her voice to tell her story, which unfortunately was not always positive. Her life was filled with many bumps and setbacks, but these were often weaved between periods where she created wonderful music and got to break barriers by being the first Black female musician to tour with a White bandleader in the very segregated South. She also performed regularly for television and acted sporadically. She was and still is one of the more underrated jazz musicians, and she got the opportunity to perform with many of the greats during her career. Billie also ended up in Harlem as part of the Great Migration, and before long was in creative competition with Ella Fitzgerald, who later became a friend. She didn't receive the success of some of her counterparts in life, but she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.
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So what were folks wearing to do the Lindy Hop and the Charleston at The Savoy or The Rennie? The popular fashions of the Renaissance weren't much different from mainstream fashion; many of the mainstream trends were adopted by African-Americans, but they put some of their own touches on their ensembles that some did not consider to be 'chic.' Many African-Americans wanted to change the perception that others had of them, so they began to look the part. This upgrade to sophisticated dress signaled a large change by showing the confidence and vibrancy that many African-Americans felt as well as trying to display that they, too, could wear nice garments and fit in with society.
I love this photo for a few reasons. Firstly, because even though it's not an authentic photo from the '20s, I think this repro captured the sophistication and flair that has become synonymous with the decade. Secondly, because the setting and background of the photo does a lot to give it some life and make it a bit more authentic. Thirdly, because it's beautiful. lol
As you can see in the photo on the left, men stepped their fashion game up quite a bit, even for casual wear. Instead of ratty denims or other unfashionable garments, sweater vests, bowties and slacks became the norm for 'day off' fashion. Oxfords, not sneakers, became the shoe of choice. And when it was time to dress it up? Three piece suits, custom tailored with attention to providing defined shoulders and narrowed hips, were the male go-to. These suits were usually wool or linen, and the men wore them impeccably.
As for women, they stuck to most of the trends of that time; the Art Deco-inspired, sparkly flapper gowns during the '20s were popular worldwide. But some of the Renaissance-era hemlines were just a bit shorter than what was conventionally acceptable; the necklines slightly lower. Women dabbled in suits as well, preferring shoulder pads to broaden the shoulders but maintaining the 3-piece custom. The lady wearing the suit on the left is blues musician named Ethel Waters, and on the right is jazz musician and cabaret singer Gladys Bentley. In general though, women also liked their furs, fancy fascinators and chandelier earrings, things that epitomized the luxurious feel of the Roaring Twenties.
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But things weren't all glitz and glam during the Harlem Renaissance. There was the ever-present issue of racism and segregation, resulting in higher rent prices in the segregated areas, which I'm sure increased as more African-Americans moved to Harlem. Some of the middle-class Caucasians felt that African-Americans were dulling the place down, that we were stealing all of the jobs and they were not welcoming at all. But there was also conflict within the Black community, and a big part of that conflict was based in literature. As you can see in the photo below, these were the prominent authors and poets of the Harlem Renaissance. The reason why they are in different sectors is because of their differing subject matters, but mainly because of the tone they took in their written works. Although done in different ways, the goal of most Renaissance-written works was to bring about pride, in both where they came from and where they were at that time/intended to go, and to uplift and inspire. It was also used as a platform to push the literary envelope, to write about the things people were thinking and not saying, to bring attention to a number of issues that people felt were taboo. The literature that came out of this period is arguably the most relevant contribution to the Renaissance as a whole. I personally believe it is a collective effort of many elements that ultimately gave us an identity apart from slavery, but when most people mention the Renaissance they either mention the music or the literature.
While all of the authors listed had a significant impact on the Harlem Renaissance and the mainstream attention that it gained, there was still conflict about the messages being sent out, which introduces a problem within the African-American community that unfortunately still exists in some fashion today. The authors in the red were known as "Niggerati" writers, who felt no need to conform to conventional standards to release their works, while those in the green were called "society Negroes" or "New Negro" writers, because they had a more progressive view and strove to be seen as equal. These African-Americans were usually labeled as bourgeoisie by Niggerati supporters, and in some ways that conflict still exists today. Those in the yellow were known as "Negrotarians" because although they were not Black themselves, they brought mainstream attention to situations and issues that the African-Community of that time had to face. These were the people helping to open the door for African-American writers and providing them with platforms to speak to the mainstream audience. Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes were some of the more recognized Niggerati authors, while Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. DuBois were a couple of the more recognized New Negro authors. If you're interested in some reading material, I suggest "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Hurston and "The Souls of Black Folk" by DuBois.
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Well, that wraps things up for me for February's extremely late Vintage Spotlight. I learned so much about the Harlem Renaissance, a period that I knew little to nothing about until I decided to feature it in this Vintage Spotlight, and I'm so glad I did. There's still a lot that I left out, like the amazing art that was created during the Renaissance (but you can check out some of the more popular artists here and do some researching if you like), but I think what I included was a pretty decent summary. The Harlem Renaissance was so vital to the other movements that followed for the race because in a way it gave birth to them and I wanted to make sure to cram as much info in here as I could (obviously lol).
This was the first time that African-Americans made mainstream society sit up and take notice of them, as people, not property. That in turn was a large source of inspiration for the Civil Rights movement, which began after the Depression ended, and in turn helped inspire the Black Pride movement of the '70s and the Public Awareness movement of the early '90s. It gives me a lot of pride to learn about this part of my heritage, as well as a whole bunch of jealousy for not being around for such an inspiring time. A whole bunch of this time period wasn't good for any minority, not just African-Americans, and it certainly wasn't great for the Caucasians who said to hell with society and supported who they liked, but there was so much history being made, so much talent out and about, that I still wish I'd been a part of it.
I know this is definitely longer than probably any other Vintage Spotlight I've done before (or any other post, for that matter), but for once I'm not sorry. It was worth it and I actually hope to make more posts of this nature, if the mood so strikes, on different topics. I hope you enjoyed taking this little long trip into the past with me and that you learned something along the way!
See you tomorrow,
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