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Literature & Poetry of the Harlem Renaissance

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Literature & Poetry of the Harlem Renaissance

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Explore the artwork celebrated on the National Gallery of Art website!

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How does visual art of the Harlem Renaissance relate to current-day events and issues? How do migration and displacement influence cultural production?
"I believe that the [African American's] advantages and opportunities are greater in Harlem than in any other place in the country, and that Harlem will become the intellectual, the cultural and the financial center for Negroes of the United States and will exert a vital influence upon all Negro peoples." -James Weldon Johnson, "Harlem: The Culture Capital," 1925

The Harlem Renaissance was a period of rich cross-disciplinary artistic and cultural activity among African Americans between the end of World War I (1917) and the onset of the Great Depression and lead up to World War II (the 1930s). Artists associated with the movement asserted pride in black life and identity, a rising consciousness of inequality and discrimination, and interest in the rapidly changing modern world-many experiencing a freedom of expression through the arts for the first time.

While the Harlem Renaissance may be best known for its literary and performing arts-pioneering figures such as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Duke Ellington, and Ma Rainey may be familiar-sculptors, painters, and printmakers were key contributors to the first modern Afrocentric cultural movement and formed a black avant-garde in the visual arts.

Aaron Douglas (1899-1979) is known as the "father of African American art." He defined a modern visual language that represented black Americans in a new light. Douglas began his artistic career as a landscape painter but was influenced by modern art movements such as cubism, in which subjects appear fragmented and fractured, and by the graphic arts, which typically use bold colors and stylized forms. He and other artists also looked toward West Africa for inspiration, making personal connections to the stylized masks and sculpture from Benin, Congo, and Senegal, which they viewed as a link to their African heritage. They also turned to the art of antiquity, such as Egyptian sculptural reliefs, of popular interest due to the 1922 discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb. Printmakers James Lesesne Wells(1902-1993) and Hale Woodruff (1900-1980) also explored a streamlined approach that drew from African and European artistic influences.

Sculptor Richmond Barthé (1901-1989) worked in a realistic style, representing his subjects in a nuanced and sympathetic light in which black Americans had seldom been depicted before. Painter Archibald John Motley Jr. (1891-1981) began his career during the 1920s as one of the first African American graduates of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In the early part of his career, he created intimate and direct portraits, such as Portrait of My Grandmother of 1922.

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How do visual artists of the Harlem Renaissance explore black identity and political empowerment? How does visual art of the Harlem Renaissance relate to current-day events and issues? How do migration and displacement influence cultural production?

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Explore the Metropolitan Museum of Art's exhibition about the Harlem Renaissance. There is a virtual video tour and and some podcasts to check out.

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The groundbreaking exhibition The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism explores the comprehensive and far-reaching ways in which Black artists portrayed everyday modern life. Through some 160 works of painting, sculpture, photography, film, and ephemera, explore the new Black cities that took shape in the 1920s-40s in New York City's Harlem and nationwide in the early decades of the Great Migration, when millions of African Americans began to move away from the segregated rural South. The first art museum survey of the subject in New York City since 1987, the exhibition establishes the Harlem Renaissance and its radically new development of the modern Black subject as central to the development of international modern art.

Featured artists include Charles Alston, Aaron Douglas, Meta Warrick Fuller, William H. Johnson, Archibald Motley, Winold Reiss, Augusta Savage, James Van Der Zee, and Laura Wheeler Waring. These artists are shown in direct juxtaposition with portrayals of international African diasporan subjects by European counterparts ranging from Henri Matisse, Edvard Munch, and Pablo Picasso to Germaine Casse, Jacob Epstein, and Ronald Moody.

A significant percentage of the paintings, sculpture, and works on paper on view in the exhibition come from the extensive collections of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), including Clark Atlanta University Art Museum, Fisk University Galleries, Hampton University Art Museum, and Howard University Gallery of Art. Other major lenders include the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, with pending loans from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. The exhibition includes loans from significant private collections and major European lenders.

To access the booklet of all large-print exhibition text, click here.

The exhibition is made possible by the Ford Foundation, the Barrie A. and Deedee Wigmore Foundation, and Denise Littlefield Sobel.

Corporate sponsorship is provided by Bank of America.

Additional support is provided by the Enterprise Holdings Endowment, the Terra Foundation for American Art, the Gail and Parker Gilbert Fund, the Aaron I. Fleischman and Lin Lougheed Fund, and The International Council of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The catalogue is made possible by the Mellon Foundation.

Additional support is provided by Denise Littlefield Sobel and Robert E. Holmes.

Audio Guide

Hear artists and scholars reflect on key works in the exhibition.

To hear more from these conversations, listen to Harlem Is Everywhere, available wherever you listen to podcasts.

This is Alain Leroy Locke by Winold Reiss from 1925.

DENISE MURRELL: Reiss was an immigrant from Germany who became the principal illustrator of Alain Locke's seminal book, The New Negro that was the philosophical foundation of the movement. Reiss was also the teacher of Aaron Douglas, who was also an illustrator for The New Negro. What you're seeing here is an artist working with a visual vocabulary of Modernism that blends different genres. It's a painting, but it's also a drawing. It's a finely modeled, naturalistic portrayal of Alain Locke's visage, his face, and his hand, which harkens back to Renaissance portraiture and the focus on the head as a center of the intellect and the hand as a means of acting in the world. And not just the Renaissance, this existed in certain styles of West African sculpture, where the head was disproportionately large compared to the rest of the body. So, this is a broad-based idea that existed in multiple cultures. But he's making this as a study of a thinking person, a Black man who's engaging the viewer in a direct exchange, an exchange of equals. There's no subordination. There's no sense of putting on a face, the performance face. We're able to see the intellectual and aesthetic engagement of this foundational thinker of the Harlem Renaissance.
That was Denise Murrell, curator of the exhibition, The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism. To hear more from this conversation, listen to episode one of Harlem Is Everywhere, available wherever you listen to podcasts.

The podcast is supported by

Exhibition Catalogue

The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism
This groundbreaking book resituates the Harlem Renaissance as integral to the development of twentieth-century modernism.

Buy now

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The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism - The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Iconic Jazz Songs from the Harlem Renaissance

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Iconic Jazz Songs from the Harlem Renaissance

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The Harlem Renaissance is the name given to a period in the early 20th Century from the 1910s to the mid-1930s which marked an explosion of African American culture emanating from the New York neighbourhood of Harlem.

Whilst the term covers a wide range of artistic and societal topics in black history, jazz was perhaps the foremost art form whose growth in popularity coincided with this early part of the 20th Century.

As such, we've focused in on the music of the era, to bring you five of the most important Harlem Renaissance songs by five different .

Take the A Train (Billy Strayhorn)

Written by Billy Strayhorn for the where it became their signature song, Take The A Train references the migration to the Harlem district of New York City.

In particular, it talks of the Sugar Hill neighbourhood which became a popular place for wealthy African Americans to live during the Harlem Renaissance. In the 1920s and 1930s, its inhabitants included WEB Dubois, Cab Calloway, Adam Clayton Powell Jr and Duke Ellington himself.

' ', written and composed by Abel Meeropol, was recorded by Strange Fruit Billie Holiday in 1939 and is widely considered to be one of the first protest songs.

The lyrics - adapted from a poem by Meeropol that had been published in 1937 - are haunting, describing hanging corpses of lynched black Americans as if they were the fruit of a tree:

"Southern trees bear a strange fruit, blood on the leaves and blood at the root"

Louis Armstrong is widely considered the grandfather of jazz, and his work at spreading the music as an art form took place during the Harlem Renaissance.

He recorded a number of iconic tracks with his Hot Five & Hot Seven groups, including this j oyful version of ' '. Savoy Blues

' Savoy Blues ' was not, in fact, named after the famous venue in Harlem, but its counterpart in Chicago.

Despite that, it's notable for its pioneering spirit - thrusting instrumentalists into the spotlight - as well as its influence on a whole generation of Harlem Renaissance jazz artists such as Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald .

Ain't Misbehavin' (Fats Waller)

Fats Waller is widely regarded as a pioneer of early jazz during the Harlem Renaissance movement - in particular his virtuosic and revolutionary stride piano playing.

His version of " Ain't Misbehavin" is perhaps the best of the best; a joyous tune, excellently showcasing Fats' playing with its bouncing, joyful jaunt.

The song was released in 1929 and was featured in the musical comedy play , in which Louis Armstrong made his Broadway debut as part of the show's pit band. Connie's Hot Chocolates

'Jelly Roll' Morton was an extremely influential jazz pianist in the early part of the 20th Century and one of the early players credited with combining individual improvisation with rehearsed arrangements; a format which would become a staple of jazz.

A pioneer of ragtime music, his version of Doctor Jazz was r ecorded by Morton with his Red Hot Peppers in 1926, and is a perfect example of the collective improvisation and counterpoint (two or more voices harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melody) in jazz that Morton pioneered.

Lasting from the 1910s to the mid-1930s, there were several independent factors which led to this golden era of black American music, philosophy, art & literature.

On a national level, a shortage of work in the South (caused by natural disasters in 1915/16) and a shortage of workers in the North (caused by lower immigration) led to The Great Migration.

Alongside these economic factors, the mass migration to northern cities was also precipitated by the racist situation in the Deep South.

As Pulitzer-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson wrote in the Smithsonian Magazine, "merely by leaving, African-Americans would get to participate in democracy and, by their presence, force the North to pay attention to the injustices in the South and the increasingly organized fight against those injustices."

By 1920, around 300,000 African Americans had made the move, with the New York neighbourhood of Harlem being one of the most popular destinations to settle.

So whilst this era of cultural progress wasn't restricted just to Harlem, it was very much the focal point.

We hope this quick dive into some iconic jazz from the Harlem Renaissance period was interesting. If you're looking to dive into the history of this topic in more detail, here's some suggested further reading:

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Iconic Jazz Songs From The Harlem Renaissance Era

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The Harlem Renaissance is the name given to a period in the early 20th Century from the 1910s to the mid-1930s which marked an explosion of African American culture emanating from the New York neighbourhood of Harlem.

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Harlem Renaissance Era Jazz Songs to Check Out

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Harlem Renaissance Era Jazz Songs to Check Out

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Billie Holiday's "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" is a magnificent showcase of what makes Billie stand out during a time of many talented singers, both male, and female.

Billie Holiday - "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"
The Harlem Renaissance was a time of reinvention and creative joy within the Black community. One of the primary ways this newfound sense of creative freedom was explored was through jazz. Jazz is such a rich genre that sadly isn't explored much by people my age. There are so many great pieces of work within this genre, especially from this time period (1920 to 1937). Since I hadn't seen many of my peers dive into it besides my classmates at the Berklee College of Music Critical Listening summer course, I wanted to create a short list of gateway songs from this period of time that I find so interesting and share with other teens. So today, I am going to go over five essential jazz songs from the Harlem Renaissance era, and if you are new to the genre, these are some great places to start.

Billie Holiday got her start performing in local nightclubs in Harlem. Although she had little vocal training, her knowledge of music structure (which she got from her father, Clarence Holiday) and naturally broad voice helped her craft a sound that is still very unique to this day. As she grew along the ranks of beloved singers in Harlem, she would come to meet many important and influential figures. One of these figures was Malcolm Little, known then as Detroit Red and later as Malcolm X. She and Malcolm were familiar with each other through a mutual friend and would build a solid friendship while Malcolm was still in Harlem. However, Billie's legacy in history is not because of all the important people she's met, but rather the incredible pieces of music she made while she was alive.
Duke Ellington - "Take the A Train"
"I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" by Billie Holiday (written by Irving Berlin) is a magnificent showcase of what makes Billie stand out during a time of many talented singers, both male, and female. Billie's vocals are expressive and raw throughout the entirety of the number, as she makes you truly feel what she is saying. Her vocal performance near the end of the song is especially strong, as she gradually builds up from the soft tone she takes at the beginning of the song and strengthens it in a smooth manner that really catches your attention. However, Billie's vocals do not overshadow the wonderful instrumentation that is provided by her orchestra. The piano, horns, drums, and upright bass groove make your body move almost instinctively, as they all shine through the mixing of the song. Overall, "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" by Billie Holiday is an altogether excellent song for first-time jazz listeners.

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington grew up in Washington D.C. and moved to Harlem in 1923. Wasting no time, Duke would form his band the following year and get straight to work in the Harlem music scene. Being an exceptionally talented pianist, he and his group, The Washingtonians, were making quite a name for themselves. As he grew in notoriety, he would meet and collaborate with many talented artists. His most notable collaborator is none other than the legendary Ella Fitzgerald. Duke and Ella met in the mid-1930s at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem and became life-long friends. In the coming years, they would work with each other and create great pieces of music (one of which will be discussed later on). However, Duke and his band would also compose other beautiful works of art that are noteworthy.
Billie Holiday, John Simmons & His Orchestra - "The Blues Are Brewin'"
"Take The A Train" by Duke Ellington is a classic jazz standard that has aged wonderfully and is full of soul. The track (albeit having no spoken parts) is able to convey a bright and sunny feeling through its high tempo and upbeat instrumentation. Duke Ellington did a great job at holding the music together through his piano playing, and the rest of the Ellington orchestra held their own, especially the horn players. "Take The A Train" offers a very inspiring listening experience and I would 100% recommend it to any fan of music, either casual or hardcore. Quick fun fact, "Take The A Train" composer and member of the Ellington orchestra Billy Strayhorn, originally got the idea for this song from Duke himself as Duke told him to take the A train to Harlem to get to his house.
Art Tatum - "Tea For Two"
"The Blues Are Brewin'" is yet another great showcase by Billie Holiday. The smooth nature and vocals by Holiday really make you feel the story being told. The instrumental pattern and progression help push along the story of the song on an equal level to Holiday's vocals and even carry a personality of their own within the song, especially the horns and piano. "The Blues Are Brewin'" is a very relaxing and chill song that you can either study or slow dance to. It is overall a great musical piece that can be listened to at any time of the day (or any period in your life) and be enjoyed just the same. In closing, "The Blues Are Brewin" by Billie Holiday, John Simmons & His Orchestra is yet another jazz standard from the Harlem Renaissance era that I would recommend to first-time listeners of the jazz genre.

Hailing from Toledo, Ohio, Arthur Tatum Jr. was an expert pianist, often regarded as a natural prodigy. Growing up, Tatum played both violin and piano but was more skilled at the piano, thus convincing his parents to get him formal training. Tatum would continue to hone his skills through childhood until adulthood. He later moved from his hometown to Harlem in 1932, where he began his professional journey as a pianist. A year after his arrival, Tatum recorded his first track.
Duke Ellington - "In A Sentimental Mood"
"Tea For Two" by Art Tatum is a catchy, excellently played piece. Tatum's piano playing shines through, as his rhythm is almost infectious. His ability to control the progression of a song is uncanny and adds a sense of personality to the track. Overall, "Tea For Two" by Art Tatum is an excellent intro to his catalog and a great showcase of his talents.

"In A Sentimental Mood" by Duke Ellington (not to be mistaken for the joint track of the same name by Ellington and iconic jazz saxophonist John Coltrane) is a song that demonstrates many feelings and emotions. From beginning to end, Duke and his orchestra, solely through instrumentation, craft a piece that is at times melancholy, yet gleeful. As with much of Duke's discography, this track is smooth as butter and vividly paints a feeling of sentimentality, living up to its name. "In A Sentimental Mood" by Duke Ellington is a track that you need to hear at least once in your lifetime and a track that I would recommend to anyone new to jazz.

There are many great jazz musicians and singers who came out of this era, and many great songs were created. There are far too many artists and songs that could be discussed; this would probably be a fourteen-page article if I were to do so. These songs deserve to live on across generations and it is my pleasure to potentially help them make a course for the future. Thank you for reading this article, hope you enjoyed it and get to check out these dope songs.

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VOX 5: Harlem Renaissance Era Jazz Songs to Check Out - VOX ATL

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Want to explore Harlem Renaissance era jazz artists like Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington? VOXer Amani has created a VOX 5 to get you started!

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Explore this collection of poetry created during the Harlem Renaissance.

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We younger Negro artists who create now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, it doesn't matter. We know we are beautiful. And ugly too.
-Langston Hughes, "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain"

In the 1920's, creative and intellectual life flourished within African American communities in the North and Midwest regions of the United States, but nowhere more so than in Harlem. The New York City neighborhood, encompassing only three square miles, teemed with black artists, intellectuals, writers, and musicians. Black-owned businesses, from newspapers, publishing houses, and music companies to nightclubs, cabarets, and theaters, helped fuel the neighborhood's thriving scene. Some of the era's most important literary and artistic figures migrated to or passed through "the Negro capital of the world," helping to define a period in which African American artists reclaimed their identity and racial pride in defiance of widespread prejudice and discrimination.

The origins of the Harlem Renaissance lie in the Great Migration of the early 20th century, when hundreds of thousands of black people migrated from the South into dense urban areas that offered relatively more economic opportunities and cultural capital. It was, in the words of editor, journalist, and critic Alain Locke, "a spiritual coming of age" for African American artists and thinkers, who seized upon their "first chances for group expression and self-determination." Harlem Renaissance poets such as Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Georgia Douglas Johnson explored the beauty and pain of black life and sought to define themselves and their community outside of white stereotypes.

Poetry from the Harlem Renaissance reflected a diversity of forms and subjects. Some poets, such as Claude McKay, used culturally European forms-the sonnet was one--melded with a radical message of resistance, as in "If We Must Die." Others, including James Weldon Johnson and Langston Hughes, brought specifically black cultural creations into their work, infusing their poems with the rhythms of ragtime, jazz, and blues.

The collection that follows offers a sampling of poetry published during this period, along with essays by and about Harlem Renaissance writers and audio recordings and discussions of their work. You can also browse all of our Harlem Renaissance poets here.

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The Harlem Renaissance | Poetry Foundation

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An introduction tracing the groundbreaking work of African Americans in this pivotal cultural and artistic movement.

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Festus Claudius "Claude" McKay (1889-1948) was a Jamaican-American novelist and poet who played an important role in the Harlem Renaissance - a cultural, social, and artistic movement that took place in Harlem, New York. "America" was first published in The Liberator in 1921, in which the speaker discusses his or her feelings about America.

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The Cotton Club was a whites-only night club that showcased several prominent African American entertainers during the 1920s and 1930s. In this informational text, McBirney explains the club's influence in Harlem and its representation of African American entertainers.

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CommonLit | The Cotton Club by Jessica McBirney | CommonLit

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The Harlem Renaissance: It's Poets and Poems

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The Harlem Renaissance: It's Poets and Poems

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From the very first time I consciously learned about the Harlem Renaissance (I talk about it more in this post), I have always been pulled towards anything about it. Fiction, nonfiction, movies, and more. So today's post is about the Harlem Renaissance, well, about poems and poets within the Harlem Renaissance.
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The Harlem Renaissance: Its Poets and Poems

What is It? A Brief Introduction

The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural movement in the 1920s and the 1930s that celebrated African American art, music, culture, and literature. Initially, it was known as the "New Negro Movement," named after The New Negro, an anthology edited by sociologist and critic Alain Locke in 1925.

This period saw the emergence of some very wonderful poets. Their poems were uplifting, inspirational, and were an exploration of the culture of the time as well as a critique of the same.

And like with every major movement, their poems reflect the Harlem Renaissance itself in many ways; in the themes, in the language, and in the rhythms and rhymes. You can see it in their focus on the black American experience as well as on other related, relevant themes including racism, slavery, discrimination, and more. You can also see it in the story telling style of their poetry.

The Poets and Poems

Here are some of the poets (and a couple of their poems as well)

Gwendolyn B. Bennett (1902 - 1981)

Gwendolyn B. Bennett (July 8, 1902 - May 30, 1981) was definitely a powerhouse of talent! Throughout her life, she attained success in different fields of work. Bennett was a poet, short-story writer, columnist, journalist, illustrator, graphic artist, editor, arts educator, teacher and administrator on the New York City Works Progress Administration Federal Arts Project. While she never published her collected works, they appeared in various literary journals of the time.

Her poems include "To a Dark Girl" and "Heritage," among others. You can read many of her poems at poets.org; and check her bibliography at wikipedia.

Photo description: Photograph of Gwendolyn Bennett taken between 1920-1929; Gwendolyn Bennett photograph collection at NYPL Digital Archives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sterling A Brown (1901 - 1989)

Sterling Allen Brown (May 1, 1901 - January 13, 1989) certainly lived up to his name; sterling meaning 'conforming to the highest standard.' Brown was the first Poet Laureate of the District of Columbia. He was a professor, poet, folklorist, and literary critic. While he was a full time professor at Howard University in Washington D.C., he also was a visiting professor at many other veritable institutions including Yale, NYU, and Vassar College.

Brown's poetry was influenced by music (jazz, the blues, and work songs), and like other poets of the Harlem Renaissance, he often wrote about racism and classism. Some of his popular poems are "Ma Rainey" and "Old Lem." You can read more of his poems here.

Photo description: Photograph of a book cover displaying Sterling A. Brown; book title The Collected Poems of Sterling A. Brown.

Countee Cullen (1903 - 1946)

Countee Cullen (born Countee LeRoy Porter; May 30, 1903 - January 9, 1946) was a poet, novelist, children's writer, and playwright. He also was an editor, reviewer, and a teacher. Cullen believed that "art transcended race" and could be used to remove and reduce barriers between races.

His poetic style was influenced by Keats and Edna St. Vincent Millay, and was more Eurocentric than other African American poets; and he did not want to be known as a poet defined by his race. Still, race was a recurring theme in his poems. Some of his poems include The Brown Girl Dead and "Heritage." You can read many of his poems here and here. It was heartening to also read Karenge ya marenge (Gandhi's cry for freedom in India that translates to 'do or die').

Photo description: Countee Cullen - in Central Park, NYC.; Photographed by Carl Van Vechten on 20 June 1941. More information on usage and this photograph is at Wikimedia Commons here.

Alice Dunbar-Nelson (1875 - 1935)

Angelina Weld Grimke

Angelina Weld Grimké (February 27, 1880 - June 10, 1958) was a journalist, playwright, teacher, author, and poet, was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1880. Even though she was 75% white (with a white mother and a half-white father), she was still a "woman of color," and race remained a major issue of her life. She was one of the first American women of color to have a play publicly performed.

Her more popular poems include "The Black Finger", "Trees", and "At April."

Photo description: image of American journalist and poet en:Angelina Weld Grimké (1880-1958). Image source. Its use is permitted under en:US copyright law governing public domain properties. More information on usage and this photograph is at Wikimedia Commons here.

Langston Hughes (1902-1967)

No listing of Harlem Renaissance poets would be complete without including Langston Hughes. While this list is not an exhaustive one at all, Hughes was definitely one of the first poets of this movement that I read and enjoyed. So here is Langston Hughes!

James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901- May 22, 1967) was a poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form called jazz poetry. One can see his pride in the African-American identity in his works, which portrayed the lives of the working-class blacks in America, as full of struggle, joy, laughter, and music.

"The Negro Speaks of Rivers," "Dreams," "The Weary Blues" are among his most popular poems. You can read many of his poems here.

Photo description: Carl Van Vechten; cropped by Beyond My Ken (talk) 07:07, 5 August 2010 (UTC), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

James Weldon Johnson (1871 - 1938)

James Weldon Johnson (June 17, 1871 - June 26, 1938) was a poet, novelist, and civil rights activist. He was a leader of the NAACP, and served as the executive secretary of the organization for 10 years.

In 1900, he wrote the song " Lift Every Voice and Sing " on the occasion of Lincoln's birthday; this song later came to be known as the "Negro National Anthem."

You can read many of his poems here and here; and learn more about him here and here.

Photo description: Carl Van Vechten , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Georgia Douglas Johnson (1880 - 1966)

Georgia Douglas Johnson (September 10, 1880 - May 15, 1966), was a poet and a playwright. Johnson's poems explored themes for women such as isolation, loneliness, pain, love and the role of being a woman as well as a mother, as well as issues of racism.

One of her most popular poems was "The Heart of a Woman." You can read her poems here and here.

Photo description: Georgia Douglas Johnson (September 10, 1880 - May 14, 1966), American poet and important member of the Harlem Renaissance. Permissions: Fair Use

Other Poets of the Harlem Renaissance

Carrie Williams Clifford

Clarissa M. Scott Delaney

Paul Laurence Dunbar

Jessie Redmon Fauset

Claude McKay

May Miller

Esther Popel

Jean Toomer

and more

h/t, References, Sources: Wikipedia, Poets.org, PoetryFoundation

Further Reading/Listening About the Harlem Renaissance

I read and loved each of these articles that provides so much more information about the Harlem Renaissance. So I wanted to share these with you and hope you benefit from them the same way I did.

Related Reads

Today's Book

How to Love the World

Book Info

Title: How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope
Compiler: James Crews
Length: 208 pages
Genre: Poetry Anthology
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (March 23rd 2021)
Source: Digital review copy from NetGalley

Description (excerpted): How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope offers readers uplifting, deeply felt, and relatable poems by well-known poets from all walks of life and all parts of the US, including inaugural poet Amanda Gorman, Joy Harjo, Naomi Shihab Nye, Ross Gay, Tracy K. Smith, and others. The work of these poets captures the beauty, pleasure, and connection readers hunger for.

My Thoughts

The magic words can weave is astounding. As I read the poems in this book, each one different, yet seemingly spun with the same sweetness and strength, I fell in love with words all over again.

Granted, like with any anthology or collection of works, some stand out more than others, while others seemed misplaced or a bit off. And also note I am yet to read all the poems in this anthology - there are many here and I ended up reading a couple of them a few times. But almost every one I read left me with a myriad feelings, a and inspiration to pen words of love and hope myself. (Though I need to complete this overdue post first!)

Themes range from parenting to friendships, from growing old to growing up, from the world around us to the one within, and more. So there is something for everyone.

While I only knew very few (like a couple) of the poets included here, I always treasure the opportunities that anthologies like these provide; the opportunities to read so many varied poems and to discover poets I did not know earlier.

I loved the reflections for pauses inserted at various points in the book that provide points to ponder about the poem just before the reflective pause page as well as an invitation to write and reflect.

Foreword from James Crews; backmatter includes a Reading Group Questions and Topics for Discussions section as well as brief poet bios for all the included poets.

Some of the ones I have re-read (and hence still working to finish this anthology) are Alberto Rios' When Giving is All You Have, Marjorie Saiser's If I Carry My Father, Garret Keizer's My Daughter's Singing, and Hope by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer.

In Summary

A glorious anthology of poems from a wondrous set of talented poets!

Get It Here

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I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Additional Poetic 'H' Books/Related Reads

And Now, the End of This Post

Dear reader, as always, and always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions, as well as recommendations. Have you read the featured books or any similar reads? And do you have a favorite poet, author, poem, or work from the Harlem Renaissance?

The AtoZ Challenges

L inking to both the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge and the BlogchatterA2Z-2021

You can find all my A2Z Challenge Posts here.

Books, #AtoZChallenge, #blogboost, #BlogchatterA2Z, #BlogChatterAtoZ, #HarlemRenaissance, #hiphop, #HowtoLovetheWorld, #NetGalley, #poets Learning, Lists, Reviews

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The Harlem Renaissance: Its Poets and Poems - Lady In Read Writes

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From the very first time I consciously learned about the Harlem Renaissance (I talk about it more in this post), I have always been pulled towards anything about it. Fiction, nonfiction, movies, and more. So

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Billie Holiday Strange Fruit with Lyrics on Screen

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Art Movement: Harlem Renaissance Art - Artland Magazine

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The Harlem Renaissance was an African American art movement spanning visual art, music, theatre and literature, flourishing in Harlem in the ’20s and ’30s