AFS 210 Harlem Renaissance

This course will examine the cultural and artistic period known as the Harlem Renaissance through the lens of its poets, novelists, and essayists. We will explore several broad themes this semester: the Talented Tenth and racial uplift ideologies; representations of Africa and Pan-Africanism; passing and racial identity; white patronage of literature and the arts; gender and sexuality. Along the way we will consider how this literature engages with the music of jazz and blues, Black dance and choreography, Black painting and sculpture and Black aspirations and disappointments with the “American dream.” Finally, we will think about the assessment of the Harlem Renaissance and its legacy, its promises and opportunities along with its limitations.