The New Negro Movement

The New Negro Movement “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything” (George Bernard Shaw). Change is a powerful thing. The Harlem Renaissance had a major impact on the Civil Rights Movement. The Harlem Renaissance was an African-American cultural movement that began after World War I, in the early 1920s. It was centered in Harlem, New York. It was led by African-American activists, writers, poetics and athletes. The Harlem Renaissance was also known as the New Negro Movement because it was time when African-Americans’ works were taken seriously. Art, literature and sports played important roles throughout the Harlem Renaissance. Blacks used art and literature to embrace their African …show more content…
The Great Migration started the Harlem Renaissance. Total of six million African-Americans moved up North for a better lifestyle. “This declaration of African-American independence became known alternately as the Harlem Renaissance, the new Negro Renaissance or the New Negro Movement. It was an artistic and sociocultural stirring that occurred in the African-American as a result of the Great Migration” (West). Many African-Americans moved from down South to up North to have better opportunities. Many moved for hope, prejudice and self-employment. Blacks started creating organizations to express their feelings towards racial …show more content…
“Professionals athletics attained such a high degree of popularity during the 1920s through 1940s that era was called ‘the golden age of sports.’ African-Americans excelled in boxing, basketball, baseball, football, tennis, track and golf; and, in the face of racist Jim Crow laws, many initiated their own athletic associations” (West). It was called “The golden age of sports” because African Americans did so well, that they had a large fan base full of whites and blacks. Because of the Jim Crow laws African-Americans could not participate in international athletics associations, so they had to form their own. During the Harlem Renaissance, Many African-Americans fighters were known as one of the greatest fighters in the boxing history. As of today, Henry Armstrong is still known as one of the greatest boxer alive. Henry had held three diverse boxing titles during the 1930s. Armstrong was even inducted as one of the top Black Athletes Hall of Fame in 1975. Baye Phal was known as the Battling Siki, he became the first African-American athlete to hold the light heavyweight title. Joseph Louis Barrow, known as Joe Louis, was an African-American professional boxer and World Heavyweight Champion from 1937 through 1949. He was considered as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. He was also known as the Great Black Hope of America. Louis influenced many upcoming African-American athletes such as Jackie Robinson