1920s Presentation by Daniela Corral-Salinas

The Harlem Renaissance (1910s-1930s)

daniela_corralsalinas27 — 2025-03-14 15:13:00 UTC

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural and artistic explosion centered in Harlem, New York, where Black writers, poets, and musicians would celebrate African American identity and heritage. Influential figures like Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Duke Ellington contributed to literature, art, and music, shaping American culture.

The Birth Of Jazz

daniela_corralsalinas27 — 2025-03-14 15:18:42 UTC

During this period, jazz emerged as the dominant musical form, blending African rhythms. Originating in New Orleans, jazz spread nationwide, with Harlem's Cotton Club and Apollo Theater showcasing legends like Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith. The genre symbolized creativity and resilience, making jazz a defining feature of the Harlem Renaissance and a lasting influence on global music.

The Cotton Club

daniela_corralsalinas27 — 2025-03-14 15:26:04 UTC

The Cotton Club was a famous nightclub in Harlem, New York, that operated during the Prohibition Era, from 1923 to 1940. It was originally owned by gangster Ownery Madden, who used it as a front for his illegal alcohol business.

The club became a major hub for jazz and the Harlem Renaissance, showcasing legendary artists like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, in particular gained national fame from their performances at the club, which were often broadcasted on the radio. The Cotten Club's lavish, plantation themed decor and floor shows attracted wealthy white audiences, including celebrities and social elites.

Louis Armstrong Bio

elysa_sanchez27 — 2025-03-17 13:48:33 UTC

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Aug. 4, 1901, Louis Armstrong. He dropped out of school early to work in small jobs, he later sang in a boy's quartet. In 1913 he became a juvenile delinquent, in there he learned to play the cornet and he soon realized music was his passion. In his teens he learned music by listening to some popular jazz artists like King Oliver. As Armstrong was advancing, he started playing in bands and marching, and he even joined Oliver's band. He later quit to join other bands where he made his first hits. The Armstrong Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings of 1925–28, on which he emerged as the first great jazz soloist. He started playing the trumpet and quickly became better than all other competitors. Armstrong was quickly known as one of the best known jazz musicians. He was a great contribution to Jazz music and helped it develop.

Jazz Music in the 1920's

elysa_sanchez27 — 2025-03-17 13:49:45 UTC

Langston Hughes poem - Harlem

elysa_sanchez27 — 2025-03-17 14:34:50 UTC

This poem is about his dream of racial equality being constantly delayed and avoided in a topic.

Duke Ellington (Birth Of Jazz)

daniela_corralsalinas27 — 2025-03-18 14:12:45 UTC

Duke Ellington, was born on April 26, 1899. He was an American composer, pianist, and bandleader who became one of the most influential figures in jazz. Raised in a middle-class family, Ellington showed an early interest in the arts, studying piano as a child. His nickname "Duke," was given to him by a friend who admired his elegance and grace.

Harlem New York 1920's (Workers Liberty)

daniela_corralsalinas27 — 2025-03-18 14:13:32 UTC

Duke Ellington - It don't mean a thing (1943)

daniela_corralsalinas27 — 2025-03-18 14:16:32 UTC

Langston Hughes Bio

elysa_sanchez27 — 2025-03-18 14:21:13 UTC

Born February 1, 1901, in Missouri, He was an American Writer and an important figure in the Harlem renaissance and often wrote about injustice specifically towards African Americans. He attended Columbia university in New York to study engineering and chemistry. During his time he explored the city of Harlem. He wrote poems for the school newspaper. He was unhappy so he dropped out and worked other jobs. Hughes won an opportunity magazine poetry prize in 1925. In the 1930's he turned his poetry more forcefully toward racial justice and political radicalism. His most famous poem "Harlem" centered on a "dream deferred" is about life in Harlem and the people there.

Sources:

elysa_sanchez27 — 2025-03-18 16:15:50 UTC

History.com Britannica.com