Harlem Renaissance and African American Identity: Key Texts and Themes

Who is the author of 'Up From Slavery'?

Booker T. Washington

What year was 'Up From Slavery' published?

1901

What significant institution did Washington found in 1881?

Tuskegee Institute

What was Washington's philosophy regarding racial progress?

Gradualism or accommodationism, emphasizing economic stability over immediate political rights.

What major speech did Washington deliver in 1895?

The Atlanta Compromise speech

What does Washington emphasize as essential for African American progress?

Demonstrating economic value, moral character, and willingness to work.

What is a key theme in Washington's autobiography?

Self-reliance and perseverance

What does Washington argue about the dignity of labor?

There is dignity in all honest labor, whether it is tilling a field or writing a poem.

What is the central theme of Du Bois's 'The Souls of Black Folk'?

The problem of the color-line and racial division in American society.

What concept did Du Bois introduce to describe the internal conflict of Black Americans?

Double-consciousness

What does the term 'the veil' refer to in Du Bois's work?

The social barrier that prevents Black Americans from being seen as fully human by society.

What educational philosophy did Du Bois oppose?

Booker T. Washington's emphasis on vocational training and racial cooperation.

What does Du Bois argue is necessary for true racial progress?

Higher education, political representation, and cultural expression.

What term did Du Bois use to describe the leadership class of African Americans?

The Talented Tenth

What is a significant critique Du Bois makes about sharecropping?

It limited opportunities for Black education and reinforced white supremacy.

What does Du Bois's work blend together?

Social critique with personal narrative and historical analysis.

What is a key quote from Washington about success?

Success is measured by the obstacles one has overcome.

What does Washington believe about social separation?

Social separation can coexist with mutual progress in essential matters.

What is a key quote from Du Bois regarding the color-line?

The problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color-line.

What role did Du Bois play in the civil rights movement?

He was a founding member of the NAACP and an influential civil rights activist.

How does Washington view the relationship between education and labor?

He believes in practical, hands-on training as essential for community uplift.

What does Du Bois critique about Washington's approach?

He believes it reinforces systemic racism and does not advocate for immediate civil rights.

What does Washington's autobiography illustrate about his early life?

The lack of formal education and harsh conditions of slavery.

What does Du Bois argue about the psychological effects of racism?

It creates an internal conflict and affects the identity of Black Americans.

What is the significance of Washington's emphasis on vocational education?

It is seen as a foundation for economic independence and community improvement.

What does Du Bois believe is necessary for the uplift of the Black community?

Cultivating leadership and intellectual advancement.

What is the concept of 'double-consciousness' as described by Du Bois?

It refers to the psychological conflict of Black Americans navigating their self-identity and the identity imposed by a racist society.

What does 'the veil' symbolize in Du Bois's work?

It symbolizes racial separation and the barrier preventing white Americans from seeing Black humanity, representing different social realities.

How does Du Bois critique Booker T. Washington's philosophy?

Du Bois critiques Washington's accommodationist strategy, which he views as an old attitude of adjustment and submission.

What is Du Bois's stance on education for Black Americans?

Du Bois argues for liberal arts education and higher learning as crucial for empowerment, contrasting with Washington's focus on industrial training.

What does Du Bois mean by 'to be a poor race in a land of dollars'?

It emphasizes the economic dimension of racial injustice, highlighting the hardships faced by Black Americans in a capitalist society.

What central argument does Du Bois present regarding identity?

He argues that Black Americans should not have to suppress parts of their identity to achieve equality.

Who was Fenton Johnson?

An early African American modernist poet known for bridging late 19th-century Black writing and the Harlem Renaissance.

What themes does Johnson's poem 'Tired' explore?

Despair, alienation, and the emotional cost of systemic injustice.

How does 'Tired' critique societal expectations of Black resilience?

The poem rejects optimism and respectability politics, expressing exhaustion from ongoing racial and economic exploitation.

What does the line 'I am tired of work; I am tired of building up somebody else's civilization' signify?

It reflects the speaker's fatigue from laboring for a society that offers no rewards in return, highlighting racial and economic exploitation.

What does the speaker in 'Tired' desire when they say, 'Let us go into the desert to a land where the white man cannot follow us'?

It expresses a fantasy of escape from white society, underscoring deep despair and rejection of assimilationist narratives.

What does the line 'I am tired of praying and smiling' critique?

It critiques the expectation for Black people to be patient and forgiving in the face of injustice, condemning white paternalism.

What does the line 'O, my people, where are you?' convey?

It expresses loneliness and disconnection from both white society and the speaker's own community.

What existential themes are present in the lines 'I am tired of life and death, and men / Fighting for life and death'?

They express disillusionment with a world consumed by struggle and highlight psychological exhaustion.

What does the phrase 'scarlet woman' signify in Johnson's poem?

It highlights the stigma placed on the speaker and the theme of labeling, emphasizing societal definitions based on shame.

What does 'But God knows my heart is white' signify?

It represents a rejection of societal judgment, contrasting sin and purity to show the speaker's moral complexity.

What social issues does the line 'I was hungry, and they turned me away' address?

It exposes social negligence that pushes marginalized women into desperate conditions, revealing structural causes of poverty.

What does 'I was naked, and they clothed me with shame' critique?

It critiques religious hypocrisy and societal failure, inverting biblical imagery to highlight condemnation instead of compassion.

What does the line 'I am the scarlet woman, / But I have not always been so' suggest?

It emphasizes that the woman's current condition is a result of circumstances, not an inherent identity, reflecting transformation through hardship.

How does Johnson's work differ from earlier Black writing traditions?

Johnson's work breaks from the uplift tradition, articulating raw emotional honesty and confronting themes of despair and racial injustice.

What literary techniques are prominent in Johnson's poem 'Tired'?

The poem features free verse, stark honesty, minimal structure, and a lack of resolution, reflecting modernist tendencies.

What does the absence of traditional rhythm or rhyme in 'Tired' signify?

It reinforces the sense of brokenness and fatigue, mirroring the speaker's drained spirit.

What is the significance of the repeated emphasis on being 'tired' in Johnson's poem?

It serves as a powerful critique of a society that demands resilience from those it oppresses.

What is the overall message of Johnson's poem 'Tired'?

It is both a personal lament and a social commentary on the exhaustion caused by systemic oppression.

How does Johnson's work anticipate later literary movements?

It foregrounds psychological realism and social critique, paving the way for future explorations of Black existential experiences.

Who is the author of The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man?

James Weldon Johnson

What significant cultural movement is James Weldon Johnson associated with?

The Harlem Renaissance

What year was The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man first published?

1912

What is the main theme of The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man?

The exploration of racial identity and the psychological cost of passing.

What does the narrator of The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man ultimately decide regarding his racial identity?

He decides to pass permanently as a white man.

What does the phrase 'I have sold my birthright for a mess of pottage' signify in the novel?

It critiques the narrator's decision to abandon his Black identity for material comfort.

What does the quote 'The great burden of the South is the color-line' relate to?

It situates the novel within broader discussions about race and racial hierarchy.

Who is considered the 'Father of the Harlem Renaissance'?

Alain Locke

What is the central manifesto of the Harlem Renaissance authored by Alain Locke?

The essay 'The New Negro'.

What transformation does Alain Locke describe in 'The New Negro'?

The shift from the 'Old Negro' to the 'New Negro', characterized by self-awareness and cultural confidence.

How does Locke connect the New Negro movement to the Great Migration?

He links it to the relocation of Black Americans to urban centers, fostering creativity and collective pride.

What does Locke argue about the role of art in the New Negro movement?

Art is socially powerful and capable of reshaping perceptions of Black identity.

What does the term 'double consciousness' refer to in the context of these works?

The internal conflict experienced by marginalized groups in a racially divided society.

What literary style is used in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man?

A hybrid of fiction, memoir, and social commentary.

What does the narrator's musical talent symbolize in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man?

The creative potential of African Americans.

What does the narrator's decision to abandon his artistic ambitions represent?

The tragic consequences of societal pressures on Black identity.

What is the significance of the quote 'I found myself classified among the Negroes'?

It marks the narrator's realization of his racial identity.

What does Alain Locke emphasize about the New Negro's approach to identity?

The rejection of imposed identities and the construction of self-defined identities.

What does the term 'cultural pluralism' mean in Locke's philosophy?

The idea that different cultural groups contribute uniquely to a democratic society.

What is a key characteristic of the New Negro as described by Locke?

Culturally confident and ready to redefine Black identity.

What does the narrator's struggle with belonging illustrate in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man?

The complexities of living between two racial identities.

How does Johnson's work reflect early modernist themes?

Through fragmented identity, self-reflection, and shifting tone.

What is the impact of systemic racism as depicted in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man?

It creates psychological costs and pressures that affect identity and expression.

What does the narrator's choice to pass suggest about societal values?

It highlights the prioritization of safety and economic stability over cultural identity.

What does Locke argue about the relationship between art and societal change?

Art can reshape how Black people see themselves and how America perceives them.

What does the narrator's ambivalence at the end of The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man signify?

The tension between personal safety and authentic identity.

What does the Great Migration refer to?

The movement of African Americans from the South to the North, leading to psychological and cultural change.

What does the phrase 'The Negro today wishes to be known for what he is' signify?

It emphasizes the importance of honesty, authenticity, and self-definition in the identity formation of African Americans.

What is the tone of the statement 'We have, as it were, a new vision of opportunity'?

It captures optimism and forward momentum, reflecting the goals of the Harlem Renaissance.

What does Locke mean by 'Art must discover and reveal the beauty which prejudice and caricature have overlaid'?

He believes artistic expression can restore dignity and challenge racist representations.

Why is Harlem significant in the context of the Harlem Renaissance?

Harlem is positioned as the symbolic center of Black cultural renaissance.

Who was Arthur Alfonso Schomburg?

A historian and major intellectual force behind the Harlem Renaissance, known for collecting works related to the African diaspora.

What is the main argument of Schomburg's essay 'The Negro Digs Up His Past'?

African Americans must reclaim their history to combat centuries of misrepresentation.

What does Schomburg mean by 'The American Negro must remake his past in order to make his future'?

Historical recovery is essential for racial progress and cultural identity.

What does the quote 'History must restore what slavery took away' imply?

It suggests that history should correct the erasure of Black achievements caused by slavery.

What critique does Schomburg offer regarding racist scholarship?

He argues that it perpetuates the idea that Black people lack a worthy past.

What does Schomburg mean by 'The Negro must revise his own history'?

He links historical knowledge to self-esteem and collective pride.

What does 'The day of opportunist leadership that apologized for the Negro is past' signify?

It represents a rejection of old narratives and a shift towards assertive self-definition.

Who was Jessie Redmon Fauset?

A novelist and influential intellectual of the Harlem Renaissance, known for her exploration of racial identity and gender expectations.

What is the central theme of Fauset's novel 'Plum Bun'?

It critiques the moral and emotional costs of passing as white and emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance.

What does Angela Murray's character represent in 'Plum Bun'?

She embodies the struggle of light-skinned Black individuals navigating racial identity and societal expectations.

What is the significance of Angela's relationship with her sister Virginia in 'Plum Bun'?

It highlights the disparities in privilege and the emotional toll of racial passing.

What does Fauset suggest about the pursuit of whiteness in her novel?

She suggests that self-acceptance and community are more fulfilling than assimilation into a prejudiced society.

How does Schomburg's work connect to the broader goals of the Harlem Renaissance?

His emphasis on historical reclamation aligns with the movement's aim to redefine Black identity through art and scholarship.

What does the phrase 'the pulse of the Negro world has begun to beat in Harlem' imply?

It indicates that Harlem is a vibrant center for Black cultural expression and creativity.

What role did Schomburg's collection play in African American history?

It became the foundation of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, preserving the history of the African diaspora.

What does Schomburg argue about the erasure of Black history?

He argues it produces a false narrative that denies the meaningful past of Black people.

What is the psychological importance of historical knowledge according to Schomburg?

It empowers individuals and communities by restoring dignity and correcting false narratives.

What does Fauset's work reveal about the interior experiences of educated Black women?

It challenges stereotypes and highlights the complexities of their social realities.