Question

How was the "negro nationalism" reflected in the art and politics of the Harlem Renaissance a reflection of previous societal events?

Answer 1

During the 1920s, the "negro nationalism" developed as a way to create a new identity for Black Americans. The effects of both slavery and discrimination (for example, with Jim Crow laws) made many people believe that Africans Americans could not possibly integrate into mainstream White American culture. It also made African Americans more reluctant to deny or forget their past. Therefore, many black artists focused on creating an identity that was still American, but also of black legacy. This was reflected in the art and politics of the Harlem Renaissance.