How the Harlem Renaissance affects us today

 When one thinks of the Harlem Renaissance, one thinks of the great explosion of creativity bursting from the talented minds of African-Americans in the 1920s.   Although principally thought of as an African-American literary movement, the Harlem Renaissance's influence extended through every form of culture: art, dance, music, theater  literature, history, and politics.   Along with the great contribution this period made towards art and entertainment, the Harlem Renaissance also made a great impact on a social level.   The Harlem Renaissance gave birth to the first African-American cultural identity and played a significant role in the political thought of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. But when I think about the Harlem Renaissance I see how much it affects music in our lives every day. 

Music is the joy to my life and I realized how much music I listen and play that is influenced by the Harlem Renaissance. The syncopated rhythm I love to play, such as in The Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin, was actually invented in the Harlem Renaissance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMAtL7n_-rc  Even music such as Rap and Hip Hop would not have existed without the cultural movement in the early twentieth century. Yes the Harlem Renaissance basically invented Rap! Many poems had a unique musical quality which eventually turned into the popular type of music played on the radio everyday. 

It is truly incredible how African-Americans fought for their rights and finally just let go of their emotions in the Renaissance. And what is even more amazing is that they would never thought that their role in this cultural movement would be historic and would change every person's life in the United States forever.