Renaissance is another word for



Renaissance is another word for _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Harlem is located in ______________. (name state)

There were several events in society that prompted the Harlem Renaissance.

These events were:

• 1 – little opportunity in the South / economic stability of North

• 2 – segregation in the South / educational opportunities of North

• 3 – racial violence in the south / safety of North

• 4 – WWI – soldiers witnessed & experienced better treatment

• 5 – rejection of “racial equality proposal”

Red Summer describes the bloody race riots that occurred in the United States during the summer and early autumn of 1919. On April 11, 1919, the US delegate rejected Racial Equality Proposal in the Paris Peace Conference, then the violent reaction occurred by African Americans. In most instances, however, whites attacked African Americans in more than two dozen American cities, though in some cases blacks responded in groups to a single action against one of their number.

African Americans moved by the thousands to northern cities like Harlem, Chicago, and Detroit.

• This moved is referred to as _____________________________.

• People were drawn to Harlem because

o 1 – there was great housing available

o 2 – segregated neighborhood offered protection

o 3 – economic opportunity fostered growth of African American middle class

o 4 – became center of civil rights activity

Harlem was the home of which groups dedicated to the advancement of African Americans?

• NAACP

• National Urban League

• Universal Negro Improvement Association

What contributions did W.E.B. Dubois make?

• founder of NAACP

• editor of The Crisis

• social activist

It was difficult to make advancements toward social equality because both economic and political doors were closed to African Americans. Because of this, culture was used to ease racial tensions by demonstrating the ways blacks contributed to American Society.

According to James Weldon Johnson, their goal during the Harlem Renaissance was a demonstration of racial equality by utilizing the “Talented Tenth” who would be more appealing to whites, they would achieve higher social standing.

Du Bois used the term "the talented tenth" to describe the likelihood of one in ten black men becoming leaders of their race in the world, through methods such as continuing their education, writing books, or becoming directly involved

The two most popular magazines for advancement of African Americans were: 1) The Crisis & 2) Opportunity

• The original purpose = highlight discrimination

• The modified purpose = showcase literature, art, social commentary

Patrons played a large part in the Harlem Renaissance because they offered economic support to artists. Unfortunately, patronage placed some restrictions on artistic freedom.

The “New Negro” – new images of African Americans to eradicate prevailing stereotypes.

Alan Locke outlined a new standard for African American literature written by blacks that would emphasize beauty & dignity. By carefully utilizing art to portray an accurate image, leaders could impress upon whiles the need to take blacks seriously.

Art not only aimed to highlight not only the unique African American experience, but to also the universal themes that could transcend time and racial lines.

Poet, novelist, playwright

Born: 1902 Joplin, Missouri

Grew up: Lawrence, Kansas

Raised by grandmother because mother had to support family

• Grandmother taught him art of storytelling

• Instilled racial pride

Named class poet in elementary school, faced discrimination

“The Negro Speaks of Rivers” appeared in The Crisis

• written when Hughes was just out of high school

• taking a train ride, crossing the Mississippi

• thought of Lincoln and how he had been horrified at slave trade

o shows racial pride

o “my soul has grown deep like the rivers”

o Euphrates, Nile, Congo, Mississippi

o “golden in the sunset” suggests a positive tone

Hughes’ ideology evolved as he aged. At one time ideals were Marxist, but in court when testifying at the McCarthy trials he stated that he did not follow this any longer.

“Let America Be America Again”

• embodies his ideal that America become truly free and equal

• idea of the American dream: freedom, equality, opportunity

• “America has never been America for me”

o Though some have had the American dream, he did not

o He still did not want to give up on the dream, hopeful

• Shows transcendence of time and race

o Mentioned that serfs under a king may have had the dream

o Mentions Native Americans, Irish immigrants, farmers

“Dream Deferred”

• What happens to a dream deferred?

o Fester like a sore

o Smell like rotten meat

o Negative descriptions act as a foil

o Does it explode? **this can be interpreted in a positive way**

▪ Remember Nike commercial

▪ Girl stored up energy, practice, prepared

▪ Exploded with energy to achieve dream

“Mother to Son”

• advice from a mother to son, “don’t sit on those stairs” “don’t turn back”

• hopeful in tone: “reaching landings” & advice of keep going

• tacks, splinters, boards torn up = hard times, oppression, discrimination

• poem can apply to individuals or to entire culture

• Hughes’ idea = advice = keep going

“I, Too”

• for the extremely disadvantaged, it has not always been easy to hold fast to dreams

• Negro people believed in the American dream

• In Hughes’ time, African Americans had come a long way, but there was still a long way to go for the Nego & democracy

• “I am the darker brother”

• send to eat in kitchen, he laughs, eats well grows strong *hopeful*

• looks to future: next time, no one dare send to kitchen *hopeful*

• “they’ll see how beautiful we are” *hopeful*

• “I, too, am America”

Similarities to other artists:

• transcendence of time,

• transcendence of race,

• celebration of cultural heritage,

• speaks out against discrimination

Different than other artists:

• Incorporated jazz rhythms into poetry

Born: January 1891 in Alabama

During Harlem Renaissance: in 30’s

Father: preacher, mayor of Eatonville Mother: teacher

Siblings: 7

Moved to Eatonville, Florida when a toddler

College: Howard University

o began writing career, published in univ. lit. mag. (1921)

o took classes on and off for years

o earned associates degree

Moved to New York: 1925

Created magazine: Fire! (along w/Langston Hughes & Wallace Thurman)

College: Barnard College, studied anthropology

Their Eyes Were Watching God, 1937

• Novel criticized by contemporaries

o For the language, not sophisticated

o For the presentation of African Americans, not sophisticated

o For the political ideas presented

▪ Some people take advantage of the system

▪ Some people discriminated against those of their own culture

▪ Some didn’t think that it was political enough

Hurston fell into obscurity

• Ended up in the 50’s working as a maid

• Had a stroke in the late 50’s

• Died penniless in Jan. 1960

Alice Walker rediscovered Hurston’s work in the late 1960’s

• Spike Lee’s first feature film, She’s Gotta Have It, parallels Their Eyes Were Watching God and can be viewed as an interesting modern adaptation of the novel.

Key facts can be found at:



Eatonville

Eatonville, Florida is a small community of great significance to African-American history and culture. Of the more than one hundred black towns founded between 1865 and 1900, fewer than twelve remain today. Eatonville is the oldest.

Reconstruction after the Civil War was a time of joy and for building a better way of living for blacks. At first, newly freed blacks began to establish homes and businesses in white communities. By the 1800s, tensions from this new coexistence gave rise to segregation, the separation of blacks to a particular area in the community.

Rather than endure the indignities of restriction, some blacks established race colonies, communities of their own. These colonies often resembled extended families. They were centered on education and religion. Eatonville was a community founded in this tradition.

[pic]

On August 15, 1887, 27 registered voters, all black men, met in a building they call Town Hall and voted unanimously to incorporate. Eatonville was born and history was made.

Eatonville’s cultural importance was secured when the town was immortalized in the works of its renowned native daughter, Zora Neale Hurston. Her words captured forever the culture of the community and painted an image of an environment typical of the rural southern working-class African-American. Today the town continues to celebrate its connection with Hurston through the annual arts and humanities events at the Zora Neale Hurston Festival.



Recently, the vice president of a multinational technology company I know needed someone on his team to lead a critical project. It wasn’t enough to find someone who would do a good job. He needed a leader who would do a great job.

After careful thought and consideration, he approached a colleague, whom I’ll call Bob, who was considered an up-and comer. Bob had demonstrated tremendous potential. His work on previous projects had been exemplary. As past performance is one of the best indicators of future performance, the VP decided to sit down with him.

After explaining the project and what he wanted Bob to do, the VP extended an invitation to him to lead the project.

After a brief pause, Bob responded, “I assume you’ll make me a director if I take this on.”

His unexpected response caused the VP to pause. What were Bob’s real motivations? Was he a person driven by the need to contribute, or the need to gain? Would he act in the best interest of the organization, or only himself ? After brief hesitation, the VP explained that the title change didn’t go with the assignment. Furthermore, he went on, given Bob’s concern, maybe Bob wasn’t the right person to lead the project. The VP withdrew his offer and went back to the drawing board. After more deliberation, he came up with an alternative candidate. The person who came to mind was a woman, Gail, who had also shown great promise. Gail wasn’t actually a member of his team—in fact, she acted in a freelance capacity. But the VP knew Gail’s can-do attitude and strong people and problem- solving skills were what was needed. Despite her lack of an official position within the company, the VP decided to ask Gail to lead the project.

Given his experience with Bob, he approached her with some apprehension. After extending the offer, he added: “I want you to know that if you accept this challenge, and succeed, I can’t automatically make you a director.”

Gail didn’t even hesitate. “That’s all right,” she said. “I don’t need a title to be a leader.”

Leadership is Influence

I couldn’t have said it any better. You don’t need a title to be a leader in life. And the simple fact of having a title won’t make you a leader.

I’ve found that everyone has the opportunity to lead, every day. It doesn’t matter what your position is, or how long you’ve worked at your job, whether you help to run your family, a PTA committee, or a Fortune 1000 company. Anyone at any level can learn to be a leader and help to shape or influence the world around them.

• Do you shape your life and career?

• Do you inspire or influence others?

• Do you work to achieve specific goals by working with or coordinating the efforts of others?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions whether you realize it or not, you are a leader.

Leadership expert John Maxwell describes leadership as positive influence. That is the most simple and elegant definition of leadership I know.

In my experience, people lead for different reasons. The one thing they do have in common is passion — passion for life and for what they do. It’s an attitude that applies in spades to West Point’s Karen Wood. For more than twenty years, Karen has worked as an aide to the adjutant general.

Had it not been for Karen’s dogged perseverance, Donald Stewart, a World War II veteran, might not have gotten the recognition he deserved for his service as a medic on the front lines in 1943. He had saved the lives of countless soldiers while under fire himself. When Karen discovered that Mr. Stewart had never been awarded a Bronze Star for his valor and courage, she worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make the award presentation a reality. Given the veteran’s advanced age, Karen knew it was critical to get him the award as quickly as possible. She found a way to cut through the red tape and make it happen, as she had orchestrated so many important events at West Point.

For years, Karen’s own dream had been to become a protocol officer. But rather than interviewing for the position, she simply worked as hard, and passionately, and selflessly in her role as aide as she knew how, consistently giving her best efforts to the officers she worked with. The higher-ups at the Academy were well aware of her exemplary performance and leadership, and her qualifications for the job. Given that, you won’t be surprised to learn that Karen was recently promoted. She is now a protocol officer, working for the superintendent of the Academy.

“I believe that if you give 110 percent in your work it will come back tenfold,” she says. As the single parent of a fifteen year-old daughter, this is the work ethic she tries to teach her daughter, as well.

“Life is what you make of it. The more you put into it, the more it reflects back on you.”

How Does a Leader Act?

What are the key characteristics of titled and untitled leaders?

They:

• Believe they can positively shape their lives and careers.

• Lead through their relationships with people, as opposed to their control over people.

• Collaborate rather than control.

• Persuade others to contribute, rather than order them to.

• Get others to follow them out of respect and commitment rather than fear and compliance.

The Leadership Test

Despite popular myth, leaders—whether titled or untitled—aren’t born. They learn how to lead. The real test of leadership is: If you had no title or ability to reward or penalize others, could you still get them to follow you?

You may be unaware of just how much of a leader you already are. You may be part of a large group of people I call the “undertitled.” In other words, your title doesn’t reflect all that you do or accomplish. If that describes you, don’t let your lack of a title hold you back. You are a leader. (Conversely, we all know “leaders” who have impressive titles but who are anything but leaders.)

For those of you who would like to have a greater impact on those around you, this book will help show you how to become a leader.

One last thing. There are plenty of books written about leadership with a capital L. The focus of this book is on “little l” leadership—whether you are a clerk or an accountant, or a manager, or a salesperson or a small-business owner. It is about the small things each of us can do every day to positively influence our customers, our colleagues, our friends, and our communities.

You aspire to lead if you want to:

• take control of your life

• make your organization better

• seize new opportunities

• improve the service your customers receive

• influence others to be their best

• solve problems

• contribute to the betterment of others

• make the world a little better place

And you don’t need a title to do it.

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