Harlem Renaissance and African-American Literary Figures: Hurston, Hughes, Johnson, Brown

What happened to Hurston's recognition after the 1940s?

She was nearly forgotten until scholars, particularly Black feminist writers, began to reemphasize her accomplishments in the 1970s.

What recent publication has contributed to the renewed interest in Hurston's work?

The collection of her essays titled 'You Don't Know Us Negroes' (2022).

Where was Zora Neale Hurston born?

Alabama in 1891.

Which universities did Hurston attend?

Howard University and Barnard College.

What cultural movement was Hurston associated with during her time at Barnard College?

The Harlem Renaissance.

Name a few popular magazines Hurston wrote for.

Negro World, The Messenger, and Opportunity.

Who were some major figures Hurston was connected with during the Harlem Renaissance?

Langston Hughes and Alain Locke.

What fields did Hurston work in besides writing?

Folklore, anthropology, and linguistics.

What was Hurston's true passion in her anthropological work?

To record African-American folklore and customs, countering belittling accounts by white anthropologists.

What is Zora Neale Hurston most widely known for?

Her novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' (1937).

How did Hurston view the importance of African-American folk cultures?

She believed it was essential for racial justice and the only fight that mattered.

What did Hurston believe was necessary for authentic political change?

The development of an authentic and fully inclusive racial consciousness through attention to folk traditions.

What criticism did Hurston face from contemporaries like Richard Wright?

Her emphasis on folk traditions risked reinforcing racist stereotypes of African Americans.

How did Hurston's commitment to cultural purity affect her relationships with other writers?

It occasionally alienated her from them.

What personal difficulties did Hurston face despite her connections and prestige?

She was often underpaid for her work and eventually entered the St. Lucie County Welfare Home.

What did Hurston believe about honoring the authentic expressions of others?

It was crucial for achieving authentic progress and racial consciousness.

What was the significance of Hurston's field research in Florida?

It involved observing and documenting folk customs, languages, and cultural practices of rural populations.

What was the impact of Hurston's work on contemporary literature?

Her works of folklore and anthropology are still widely read and analyzed today.

What was the New Negro Movement?

A cultural movement that aimed to promote African-American cultural expressions and challenge racial stereotypes.

What did Hurston think about the portrayal of African-American culture by white anthropologists?

She believed they often promoted racist pseudoscientific theories and overlooked the richness of the culture.

What was Hurston's perspective on the role of folk traditions in the African-American struggle?

She viewed it as the central aspect of the struggle for racial justice.

How did Hurston's work contribute to the Harlem Renaissance?

By documenting and celebrating African-American culture through her writing and anthropological studies.

What does Lawrence P. Jackson suggest about Hurston's beliefs?

He indicates that she saw the fight for cultural purity as more important than the fight against white racism.

What year did Zora Neale Hurston die?

1960

What is the title of the selected work by Zora Neale Hurston discussed in the notes?

"The Ten Commandments of Charm"

In what year was 'The Ten Commandments of Charm' published?

1925

What literary technique does Hurston use in 'The Ten Commandments of Charm'?

Satire

What societal expectations does Hurston critique in her work?

Restrictive gender roles for women.

What is the first commandment in 'The Ten Commandments of Charm'?

Be cheerful. Let not thy smile come off.

What does Hurston suggest about a woman's mystery in her second commandment?

A little mystery is better than much wit.

According to Hurston, what should a woman avoid in conversation?

Talking about herself.

What does Hurston warn against in her fourth commandment?

Pursuing a man with telephone calls.

What does Hurston say about letters and notes in her fifth commandment?

A woman who overwhelms a man with letters will be seen as a 'pest'.

What does Hurston advise regarding asking questions in her sixth commandment?

Avoid asking questions about a man's comings and goings.

What should a woman remember to nourish according to Hurston's seventh commandment?

A man's vanity.

What does Hurston imply about a woman's value in her eighth commandment?

Difficulty is the spice of love; a little indifference can increase a man's ardor.

What is the main focus of the ninth commandment?

To amuse a man, as boredom will drive him away.

What does Hurston emphasize about femininity in her tenth commandment?

Women should not forget their femininity despite gaining independence.

What was the purpose of the magazine for which Hurston wrote 'The Ten Commandments of Charm'?

It was a commemorative magazine for the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority's 1925 annual convention.

What does Hurston's use of the Biblical Ten Commandments symbolize in her essay?

It highlights the absurdities of social expectations for women.

What does Hurston's writing reveal about her views on common sense?

She saw hypocrisy in what was considered common sense regarding gender roles.

What does Hurston's work often address regarding women's experiences?

The frustrating ways women are constrained by societal expectations.

What genre does 'The Ten Commandments of Charm' belong to?

It is a work of satire.

What was discovered in the 1990s related to Hurston's work?

A collection of her writings, including 'The Ten Commandments of Charm'.

How does Hurston's work compare to Mencken's essay?

Both use irony to critique societal norms.

What is the overall theme of 'The Ten Commandments of Charm'?

The absurdity of societal expectations placed on women.

What literary technique does Hurston use to reveal restrictive expectations in her essay?

Irony, where the author's meaning differs from their actual expression.

What does Hurston's commandment about conversation suggest about women's roles?

It suggests that women are instructed to help men express themselves, highlighting a social imbalance.

How does Hurston's tone and language in her commandments affect their interpretation?

Her excessively enthusiastic tone and faux-Biblical language indicate a meaning distinct from the literal statement.

What societal expectation does Hurston's essay satirize regarding women's writing?

It satirizes the advice given to women on how to impress and satisfy men, revealing the imbalance in social expectations.

What does Hurston suggest about the power dynamics between men and women?

She suggests that women are truly powerful, as they are the ones who must navigate and manage men's fragility.

What movement is Langston Hughes associated with?

The Harlem Renaissance.

What nickname was Langston Hughes known by due to his influence in literature?

The 'Shakespeare of Harlem' and the 'Poet Laureate of the Negro Race'.

At what age did Hughes publish his first poetry collection, The Weary Blues?

Twenty-four years old.

What themes did Hughes often explore in his writing?

He focused on everyday people rather than grand, romantic subjects.

What significant role did Hughes play in the Harlem Renaissance?

He was a monumental figure who helped shape the emerging aesthetic of the movement.

What types of works did Hughes produce throughout his career?

Poetry, autobiographies, a novel, short fiction, plays, librettos, essays, and children's stories.

What does Hurston's observation of social formations involve?

It involves understanding the arrangements, beliefs, hierarchies, and patterns that define a group's daily existence.

What does the commandment 'Help every man to express himself brilliantly!' imply about societal expectations?

It implies that men are seen as needing assistance, while women are tasked with facilitating that expression.

How did women's magazines contribute to the societal expectations of women during Hurston's time?

They provided extensive advice on how women should behave to avoid damaging men's egos.

What insight does Hurston provide regarding the power dynamics in her essay?

She reveals that it is women who hold true power in the context of societal expectations.

What year was Langston Hughes born?

1901

In what year did Hughes first arrive in Harlem?

1922

What is the significance of the title 'The Weary Blues'?

It was Hughes' first published collection of poetry, marking his entry into the literary world.

What does Hurston's essay contribute to the feminist consciousness of her time?

It highlights the imbalance in societal expectations and the power dynamics between genders.

How did Hurston's early experiences as a college student influence her writing?

She developed an understanding of the societal values and behaviors of her time.

What is the main focus of Hughes' literary work?

The experiences and lives of everyday people.

What was the primary project of Langston Hughes's poetry and art?

To amplify Black voices that were marginalized.

In which famous poem does Hughes describe being sent 'to eat in the kitchen when company comes'?

In his poem 'I, Too'.

What inspired Hughes's poem 'In a Mexican City'?

His early travels to Mexico.

What does Hughes challenge readers to see in 'Mexican Market Woman'?

He challenges them to see beyond their prejudices about 'common' people.

Which countries did Hughes travel to that influenced his political consciousness?

Haiti, Cuba, the Soviet Union, and West Africa.

How did Hughes's travels influence his work?

They inspired him politically and energized him creatively.

What role did Hughes serve for new generations of writers later in his life?

He was a mentor and leader, respected as an 'elder statesman'.

What musical forms did Hughes popularize in his poetry?

Blues and jazz structures.

Why did Hughes incorporate musical forms into his poetry?

To provide innovative artistic approaches and ground Black artistic expression in everyday experiences.

What did Hughes argue in his essay 'The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain'?

That art should incorporate everyday sounds and genres to make an impact.

What is the title of Hughes's selected work mentioned in the notes?

'The Weary Blues'.

What is the central theme of 'The Weary Blues'?

The blues as both subject matter and guiding formal principle.

What imagery is used to describe the musician in 'The Weary Blues'?

He is depicted playing a piano with 'ebony hands on each ivory key'.

What emotional tone is conveyed in 'The Weary Blues'?

A sense of melancholy and weariness.

What does the phrase 'Ain't got nobody in all this world' suggest in Hughes's poem?

It expresses loneliness and a sense of isolation.

How does Hughes's poetry reflect the experiences of average Black citizens?

By using musical idioms that resonate with their everyday lives.

What does Hughes mean by 'the blare of Negro jazz bands'?

He refers to the cultural significance of jazz music in Black communities.

What is the significance of the 'lazy sway' mentioned in 'The Weary Blues'?

It reflects the relaxed, soulful nature of blues music.

How does Hughes's work continue to resonate with readers today?

By making his poetry accessible and relevant to a wide audience.

What does the phrase 'put ma troubles on the shelf' imply?

It suggests a desire to escape from one's problems.

What literary technique is prominent in 'The Weary Blues'?

The use of repetition and rhythm to mimic the blues.

What does Hughes's reference to 'a black man's soul' signify in his poetry?

It highlights the deep emotional and cultural roots of Black musical expression.

How did Hughes's political activism influence his literary work?

It shaped his themes of racial justice and solidarity in his poetry.

What does the phrase 'made that poor piano moan with melody' suggest about the music?

It conveys the emotional depth and sorrow expressed through the music.

What is the primary theme of Langston Hughes' poem about the blues?

The poem explores the sounds and feelings of experiencing the blues in a nightclub, while also reflecting the patterns and emotions that define the blues as a musical genre.

Where is the setting of Hughes' poem located?

In a distinctly unglamorous Lenox Avenue bar in Harlem, a meeting place for working people.

What does the location of the blues performance signify in Hughes' poem?

It emphasizes that the blues is played in ordinary spaces rather than grand concert halls, highlighting its roots in everyday life.

How does Hughes recreate the blues performance in his poem?

He includes direct quotations from the singer, capturing the repetition of life's problems typical in blues music.

What structural element of blues music does Hughes incorporate into his poem?

The poem features a chorus that repeats tribulations or sorrows, mirroring the structure of a blues song.

What rhythmic quality does Hughes' poem possess?

It features a 'drowsy syncopated' rhythm that occasionally slips out of an ordered pattern to engage the listener.

How does the poem capture the essence of silence in blues music?

It uses pauses and trailing off of words to reflect the haunting movements of the singer, emphasizing what goes unsaid.

What is the significance of the vernacular language in Hughes' poem?

It equalizes the language of the poem with the ordinary language of the blues, highlighting the artistic methods found in everyday practices.

Who is Cheryl A. Wall and what does she say about Hughes' poem?

Cheryl A. Wall notes that the poem is the first instance of the 'unmediated blues voice' being heard in American poetry.