The Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a time period of improvement and development within American society. An artistic movement began during these times and people had begun to gain a bigger appreciation for music and theatre. During the time period of the Harlem Renaissance, jazz became the most popular genre of music. Due to the Great Migration, after many Blacks moved North and gained more freedom, they shared their culture among the rest of the Americans. During these times, jazz music made its way into the hearts and souls of thousands and changed America and its arts forever. Huge advancements in the music industry came about during the decade of the 1920s. The music industry grew larger as more citizens became more interested. The more popular
The talented composers and musicians that assembled in Harlem and other large cities drew inspiration and energy from each other, causing the brilliant formation of a mighty stream of exciting new music. The Whites became fascinated with Black culture, due to the popularity of jazz and blues. The Blacks were referred to as “New Negroes” and were viewed as confident and self aware African Americans who were determined to assert both their civil rights and pride in their ethnic heritage. Technological advancements were key factors in the rise of jazz music. Jazz and its bouncy rhythms seemed to embody America’s quickening economic pulse and growing industrial power. Jazz was then incorporated into the communication and entertainment industries which caused the genre of music to be spread at a rapid rate. Phonograph records and commercial radio, for example, enabled jazz orchestras and blues singers based in New York, Chicago, and New Orleans to spread their music to American cities and towns thousands of miles
People like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington helped alter the general perspective held towards African Americans. It was with their work and creativity that brought abut greater tolerance and acceptance of Black culture. Louis Armstrong came from a poor family background and eventually rose up because of his hard work and determination to make it big in the music industry. Armstrong began to perform in small clubs and was later on invited to move up to Chicago so he could spread his musical talent unto others. He later on moved to New York City where the name Louis Armstrong became widely known. Armstrong made in onto the Broadway stage where he interpreted a pop songs through jazz. This helped with the acceptance of jazz music by the public. It was because of this man that jazz and other kinds of African American music came to be better appreciated by the whites and the general public. Armstrong is a key figure when discussing the time period of the Harlem Renaissance since he helped shape America and opened up the minds and souls of Americans to jazz music. Another important character who played an important role in the creation of jazz music is Billie Holiday. Holiday began to perform in small jazz clubs as a teenager and rose to fame once she was discovered by a prestigious music producer. She was the first black woman to work with a