INTRODUCTION TO VISUAL ARTS

    INTRODUCTION TO VISUAL ARTS

            The Harlem Renaissance is a period as traced in the history of African American and White American people that lasted between the year 1930 and 1940. As a result of Jim Crow staunch laws in the south, and mainstream of population experiencing economic depression and the impacts of post war, most of African Americans decide to migrate towards the industrialized, Northern cities (Bremer & Sydney, 2012, p.47). This is after decades of staunch prejudice, slavery and exclusion laws and now the African Americans have hope in this Northern region of the country. However, on beginning to make their way to these Northern cities, they discover that prejudice still reside in the greater populace.

Segregationist opinions forced many migrants to fake close links with one another. This leads to an emergence of “white neighborhoods” and “black neighborhoods” throughout the cities. With rare economic prospects at the moment, artistic expression becomes the only option for the black scholars, photographers, writers and artists. Although not confined within a specific neighborhood, many find themselves exposing their talents in Harlem, New York (Bremer & Sydney, 2012, p.47).

Through acceptance of their numerous artistic talents, most of the African Americans decide to seek self-expression through their works. Many participants initially in the New Negro movement perceive this crucial time a chance to expose the preconception stereotypes they had been struggling for centuries. This becomes a catalyst for re-conceptualization and national social movement about the number of blacks who saw themselves inferior (Hutchison & George, 2012, p.126).

Alain LeRoy Locke, a writer as well as a sociologist devised this time in history as “The New Negro Movement”. Due to their prior resolute cultural subjugation, most of the youths from African American race perceived this time as festive; they debate that it was the Harlem Renaissance hence re-conceptualizing the New Negro vision that played the role of promoter for the African American Civil Rights Movement (Hutchison & George, 2012, p.126).

            Artists during this Harlem Renaissance movement period greatly impacted and contributed out of their talents to address several issues which were affecting the black Americans. This paper outlines the contribution made by the artists Augusta Savage and. W.E.B Du Bois.

Augusta Savage is famous in the history because of her expertise in the field of sculpting. Although her parents seems to oppose her in her early stages of passion towards her sculpting talent, they later on acknowledge and accept her talent after she sculpts a statue of virgin Mary(Krasner & David, 2012, p.172).

During the Harlem Renaissance period, Augusta Savage’s themes include determination in fighting for the oppression. She is greatly involved in the process of fighting for equal rights to both the Black Americans as well as the White Americans. Starting from the point when her application to go to France for a summer art program is rejected by the international judging committee just because she was black, she becomes more furious in fighting for the rights of Blacks (Krasner & David, 2012, p.172).

She fought against the committee which had turned down her application and continued to fight the acts of oppression against blacks through her great art. She later on establishes herself in France.

Despite of being influential in her sculpting work, Savage is also career teacher in the Harlem community. She establishes the savage Studio of Arts and Crafts which acted as the Harlem Community Arts Center. She is the first director in the center. The center became successful in teaching young artists in Harlem while inspiring other centers for art in different parts of America (Krasner & David, 2012, p.172).

Many of Savage students became famous artists and activists following her footsteps and joined the struggle to fight for equal rights.

The contribution of Augusta Savage cannot therefore be ignored in this period of Harlem Renaissance. Despite of being a woman she really stands to defend the rights of the Blacks. She struggles to ensure that both the Black Americans and White Americans are accorded equal rights. In addition to this, she also fights against the oppression to the Blacks which was rampant during the period. She accomplishes the struggle in two different ways. First, she is personally involved in the real fight and second she inspires her students in Harlem Community Arts Center who joins him as activists to fight for their rights and against oppression (Krasner & David, 2012, p.172).

W.E.B Du Bois

Du Bois was very well known during this time of Harlem Renaissance movement. First of all, he was an author who had already published “The Souls of Black Folk”  as well as an activist. It is important to note that Du Bois over his education journey had attended Harvard an Ivy League school, a pretty great step considering how that was almost impossible before emancipation. Following some circumstances he had outlined in his book “The Souls of Black Folk” many authors offered to contribute in writing “The New Negro”, each adding some different ideas. This was the first book that tried to repaint the portrait Du Bois had previously painted of black America in his “The Souls of Black Folk” book (Watson & Steven, 2013, p.143).

            As aforementioned before he wrote this new book, he wrote of what the new African American was like and all of the possibilities of what amazing things they could accomplish and be. His book was crucial in the changing of what many people thought African Americans were. The uniting of these peoples both men and women gave a sense of assurance that they were on the verge of something like a second emancipation (Watson & Steven, 2013, p.143).

Although, this one would not have anything to do with law but with the people themselves and their will to accomplish great things, Du Bois also became an editor for the Crisis Magazine, which was seen as a very important part of the National Association for the Progress of black People (Watson & Steven, 2013, p.143).

Du Bois also added the idea that African American people shouldn’t be okay without having rights. He knew that they deserved more and that they could be so much more. He thought that the African American people deserved to be able to have an education and that way they would be able to move up in life (Watson & Steven, 2013, p.143).

Unlike Washington who was a believer in that the African American people should be contented with the freedom they received after the emancipation. Du Bois showed people that they could be so much more and that they should fight for their right to have more.

He also thought that through higher levels of education, black America would be able to accomplish changes in America over time. Just in the writing of his book he gives rise to many different ideas such as the “color-line”. This eventually became a very important term (Watson & Steven, 2013, p.143).

It is without doubt that Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois made some very important contribution to the Harlem Renaissance. I believe the most important of all was letting African’s Americans know their worth and showed them what they deserved. Du Bois was one of the many men who laid down the foundation to help get African Americans where they are today (Watson & Steven, 2013, p.143).

Through Du Bois strong opposition towards the Atlanta compromise which had been pioneered by T. Washington to diminish the Black Americans as compared to White Americans, both the races are accorded equal rights.

This is an achievement which has played a very crucial role in ensuring that regardless of individual race, gender and origin, rights are accorded equally without any discrimination (Watson & Steven, 2013, p.143).

Du Bois second outstanding achievement can also be seen in his success to enlighten the Black Americans on their role to demand and fight for their rights. This aspect has been highly adopted in the modern society. Workers are constantly seen on streets demonstrating whenever their rights have not been met for instance Low salary and poor working conditions. The achievement by Du Bois to enlighten people on their role when it comes to defending their rights has therefore minimized the cases of employee misuse in private and even government institutions.

Work cited

Bremer, Sidney H. “Home in Harlem, New York: Lessons from the Harlem Renaissance   Writers.” Publications of the Modern Language Association of America (2012):           47-56.

Hutchinson, George. The Harlem Renaissance in black and white. Harvard University       Press, 2012.

Krasner, David. A beautiful pageant: African American theatre, drama, and performance in the Harlem Renaissance, 1930-1940. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.

Watson, Steven. The Harlem Renaissance: Hub of African-American Culture, 1930-          1938. New York: Pantheon Books, 2013.