Zora Neal Hurston once said, “There are years that ask questions, and years that answer.” We are enlightened through cultural contributions in music, art and literature produced during the Harlem Renaissance. Beginning in 1916 to about 1940, Harlem in the area of Manhattan, became the symbol of Black culture. Harlem had given Blacks a new sense of beauty, pride, and power. This was the era of the New Negro. However, having that information alone would produce an uneven landscape. Some scholars, artists, and intellectuals had forged their careers prior to the 1920s while other careers blossomed after the end of the great depression. This text takes a pathway that gave meaning to the descendants of the enslaved after Reconstruction that stepped away from a mundane lifestyle to rewrite the Negro’s contribution to American culture. Not lost in the conversation are the contributions of historically Black colleges and museums who had positioned themselves as holders of specialized knowledge, and a haven for the Black experience.
