Themes in American History

The 1920s, also known as “The Roaring Twenties” was a great time period for the United States. New York City, especially, flourished with many inventions as well as political, cultural, and structural changes. New York was becoming more modern than ever, it was finally being known as the American New York. With all the other changes in the city, there was a big change occurring in Harlem, New York. Many African-Americans were migrating from the South and entering Harlem. New York was experiencing an explosion of culture. The African Americans brought a huge change culturally. The black population brought with them new ideas and had a great influence in poetry, literature, music, and photography to New York. Jazz, a style of music brought by the African American community, became the musical tradition in this time period. Also, with a great boom in the black population in New York, African American officials were now finally being elected.

Musical Influence

The Harlem Renaissance

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The HarlemRenaissance was a cultural movement that covered the 1920s. It was also known as the “New Negro Movement”.  During this time period, the musical style of blacks was becoming more attractive to whites.  In this time period, the “Jazz Age” emerged and with the introduction of jazz came a totally new movement in the United States. The jazz was mainly credited to African Americans, but expanded and improved to become socially suitable to middle class white Americans. Jazz was the sound of the 1920s; it became the “people’s” music despite some trouble being accepted by the black “cultural elite”. Music in general exploded during the 1920s. Jazz were key to nightclubs, Apollo Theater, and the Cotton Club. Harlem Renaissance music was defined by lively clubs and characters who constantly improved and modified jazz’s sound. Men like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Willie “The Lion” Smith were the “gladiators” of jazz. Harlem Renaissance music was more than just music, but for many, jazz was a way of life.

Louis Armstrong

Duke Ellington

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