HR_tasks.html

Learning Objectives

	To understand the foundations and assumptions of the Harlem Renaissance.
	To explore the art, music, and writing of African Americans associated with the Harlem Renaissance.
	To evaluate the specific ways in which the poetry and short stories, art, and music created by the artists of the Harlem Renaissance illustrate a blend between African roots and the American experience.
	To complete an essay that evaluates the ways that artists and writers of the Harlem Renaissance blended the African roots with their American experiences. See Step 3.

Assessment Points

This activity is worth up to 30 points.

	Steps 1 & 2: 10 points
	Personal Reflection - Step 3: 20 points

Activity

Step 1: Understand the foundations and intent of the Harlem Renaissance.

Use the sources shown below to learn more about the Harlem Renaissance. The questions listed here can guide your research.

How would you define the Harlem Renaissance?

When did it begin, and how long did it last? What brought about its end?

Alain Locke used the term “New Negro” to describe and to validate the Harlem Renaissance. What did he mean?

Resources:

The Harlem Renaissance A Brief Chronology

Introduction to the Harlem Renaissance

Overview of the "New Negro" (term created by Alain Locke in the Survey Graphic of 1925 )

Creative Participants in the Harlem Renaissance

Outcome: Write a short summary that answers the questions listed above. (5 points)

Step 2: Evaluate the ways that the arts created during the Harlem Renaissance blended African roots and American experiences.

In this part of the activity, you are asked to focus your research in one category of artistic expression. Follow the steps outlined below.

	Select one of the listed cultural expressions (painting, literature or music)
	Next, select one or more artists within that category
	Evaluate the ways that this artist (s) blended his/her American experiences and African roots.
	Make notes on your findings. Your notes will be used in Step 3 of the activity.

Outcome: Write a short summary about what you discovered. (5 points)

Resources:

Drop Me Off in Harlem. This is an outstanding website. It is designed specifically to allow its user to explore the intersections among the artists, their historical time, and the cultural movement of the Harlem Renaissance. This website includes examples of paintings, literature, and music. It is interactive and includes audio, video and text from the Harlem Renaissance.

Website Resources by Painting, Literature or Music

Painting - General

	Rhapsodies in Black This web page takes time to load into your browser because it includes many images. Be patient: it's worth the wait. Also, you can click on each image for a larger view of the art.
	African America World: Art and Culture: The Harlem Renaissance - This PBS website provides biographical information and key paintings of important artists of the Harlem Renaissance.

Painting - Specific Artists

	Aaron Douglas
	Palmer Hayden
	Jacob Lawrence

Literature: You might want to select a specific poet or look a only a couple. The idea is to read through some of the poetry, selecting the poet (s) that you like the best.

Modern American Poetry - This website includes selections from poets of the Harlem Renaissance. The list is below

	Gwendolyn Bennett
	Arna Bontemps
	Sterling A. Brown
	Countee Cullen
	Paul Laurence Dunbar
	Langston Hughes
	James Welden Johnson.

Music:

	Jazz: A Film by Ken Burns: This is a very resource- rich site. It includes text and audio clips, as well as interviews with experts. Resources that will be especially helpful for this activity are listed below.
	Places, Spaces and Changing Faces. This map will direct you to Harlem. Once there, you can visit The Cotton Club and Savory Room, hear Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, and listen to the observations of experts, talking about jazz in New York City’s Harlem.
	Jazz in Time: This location places the emergence of jazz within the context of American history. This resource provides a way to consider the connections among Jazz, African roots and the experiences of African Americans.
	Musical Notes: Want to hear more? Curious about a specific musician or instrument? Check out this site.

Step 3: Analyzing your research.

Write an essay that answers the following question:

How does the artist, writer, or musician use his/her creativity to blend African roots with the experience of being American?

	Be sure to include a brief description of the Harlem Renaissance as well as specific examples to support your answer.
	Review your notes and other findings and re-explore your web resources to help develop your response.
	Submit this reflection and the summaries of Steps One & Two on the due date listed in the Assignments & Due Dates for this learning module. .