Historian+10

=The Harlem Renaissance!! = The Harlem Rennaisance was a turning point in the culture of America. It began During WW I, when the immigration from Europe was at an all time low. Many of the African Americans who had been suffering discrimination decided to migrate northward, increasing the northern population. The African American population seemed to gather in Harlem, which had become an affordable place to live. African Americans had the general additude of pride and hopefulness. They had just gotten away from a troubled life in the south where persecution was very common, and were looking forward to a better life. Another part of this attitude is dissapointment. The dissapoinment was in that sometimes life didn't always turn out for the better and sometimes got worse. Through the hard times, some of the most brilliant African American minds contributed their works to the Harlem Renaissance, a time of cultural rebirth in the U.S. Some of these minds include Langston Hughes, Evelyn Preer, Booker T. Washington, and W. E. B. DuBois.  Booker T. Washington was one of the most influential spokespersons for the African American poulation of the Harlem Renaissance. He was also an educator, a reformer, and the founder of the Tuskeegee University. As a nine- year old, he began working, but was determined to get a formal education. He then enrolled in a school of agriculture. He believed in expression through art, and that African Americans should express their feelings this way. He was able to convince many African American laborers to temporarily abandon thier efforts to gain civil rights and cultivate their knowledge of agriculture instead. Through this knowledge, they would attain respect from the white population through the gradual growth of wealth and culture. These ideas were called the Atlanta Compromise by his critics. Though this idea was popular, many people became upset at Washington's influence with the white population. His ideas were never put into place, but his cause would become known a few decades later.  W.E.B. DuBois was an African American scholar who protested injustice and believed in freedom. He studied other African Americans as a social group. He was determined to find a so called "cure" for color prejudice. His studies revealed that instead of disease carrying filth, African Americans were a strong, proud people who strived to make a good life. DuBois also studied many African cultures. He was also in a political debate with Booker T. Washington, who is mentioned above. Unlike Washington, DuBois believed that African Americans should apply to the government instead of waiting for ecinomical change to gain respect. It was a debate that would last a long time. If anyone has any questions of the above information, please post them in the discussion forum. Thanks! Works Cited [|**http://www.duboislc.org/html/DuBoisBio.html**] [] [] []