The Harlem Renaissance was an African American cultural movement in Harlem, New York during the 1920’s. The Great Migration took place in the early 1900s, when 500,000 African Americans moved from the south to big cities in the North to escape discrimination. Many moved into Harlem, which became the biggest black urban community in the world.
Originally, Harlem was developed for wealthy whites, but more African Americans started to move there because the housing was cheap. Many African American artists and scholars moved into Harlem such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston. With so many artists living in the community, Harlem became the epicenter for African American culture. This led to the cultural movement known as the Harlem Renaissance.
African Americans began to express themselves through new creative outlets like fashion and dance. One of the most famous artists during the Harlem renaissance was a jazz musician named Louis Armstrong. He entertained the masses playing his saxophone and producing famous songs like What A Wonderful World. Another famous artist during the Harlem Renaissance was Ella Fitzgerald. She became a household name because of her beautiful rendition of Mack the Knife. The Harlem Renaissance was a time when African American artists, singers and actors influenced culture in America.