The Harlem Renaissance:
A flash in the cultural frying pan or a long lasting powerhouse?
QUESTIONS:
1.
What is a renaissance? What was the
Harlem Renaissance?
2.
When did it take place?
3.
What else was going on in the United
States during this time period? Around the world?
4.
Where exactly is Harlem? What did it
look like during this period?
5.
Who were the major players? (i.e.
Artists / Writers / Musicians)
6.
What were the hot spots and popular
activities?
7.
How much of an influence did this
renaissance have on American culture as a whole? On African Americans as a
group?
8.
What specific effects did this time
period have on language, style, and culture in America?
9.
Were there other cities in the U.S.
that attempted to create a similar situation in their area?
10.
What was life like for African
Americans in Harlem? In other areas of the U.S.?
11.
Was there a "dark side" to
the Harlem Renaissance?
12.
Who were the major African American
leaders to emerge from this time period?
13.
What is the cultural legacy of the
Harlem Renaissance?
INTERNET RESOURCES:
ACTIVITIES:
1.
Generate a map of Harlem and label
the "hot spots" with the major musicians, artists, and writers who
gathered in these places.
2.
Use books, the Internet, and
magazines to create a photo biography of a popular musician, artist, or writer
from the Renaissance.
3.
Design a timeline depicting major
events leading up to, during and beyond the Harlem Renaissance.
4.
Read a book by one of the authors of
the time and give a book talk.
5.
Watch a film about the time period
and give an in-class presentation.
6.
Find a book about or Internet
information on an artist from Harlem and compare and contrast his/her art with
that of another artist not part of the Renaissance.
7.
Peruse a collection of short stories
from a variety of writers from the time period and create a graphic organizer
to describe the main similarities and differences in theme, structure, and
characterization.
8.
Collect poetry from a variety of
authors living in Harlem and create a graphic organizer to describe the main
similarities and differences in theme, structure, and characterization.
9.
Take note of samples of music from
the time period and research the long-term effects it had on other artists at
the time until today.
10.
Listen to samples of songs or focus
on one musician and give an oral or written report on how the style changed the
music of the time period.
11.
Imagine yourself as a newspaper
correspondent during the time period. Choose your "beat" and create
the front page of The Harlem Times with articles concerning the
important events of a particular time period.
12.
Investigate a Harlem Renaissance
playwright and one of his/her plays and perform a
scene and then give a talk explaining how the subject matter reflects the time
period.
13.
History in black and white: research
the differing opinions on the Harlem Renaissance between the two races and
create a poster dramatizing them.
14.
Explore the fashions of the time
through the Internet and the library and give a visual presentation to the
class.
15.
Delve into the "dark side"
of the Harlem Renaissance and give the class an investigative report.
Julia Taylor, Teacher, and Matthew Lew, AP student, collaborated to develop this web hunt.