Literature of the Harlem Renaissance documents the essence and emergence of a new post-reconstructionist Black culture. Blackness, which has never before been given the platform to develop and evolve in Western society, is now burdened with the responsibility of creating its own identity, values, aspirations, and limits. During this early 1920’s time frame it is a culture that’s still young; still growing. In other words, it is still in its infancy. Now that Blackness has an opportunity to grow beyond colonialist discourse and pre trans-atlantic Africanism, Blacks and African Americans must now find new ways to define themselves. As a result, this creates a rush to rebrand American Blackness. Periodicals, essays, fictive stories and artwork begin to emerge from Black artists attempting to shape this new identity. WEB DuBois creates Crisis, Charles S. Johnson introduces Opportunity and many more authors such as Zora Neal Hurston, Georgia Douglas, Langston Hughes et al continue crafting this American Black image. Interestingly enough, however, these crafted images are not always cohesive and congruent. Narratives, both artistic and nonfictive, usually highlight different ideals that not only vary but, at times, outright contradict each other. DuBois’s presentation of Crisis tends to highlight lighter skinned Blacks while Opportunity strays away from intentionally constructed narratives in favor of a more realistic presentation of Blackness during this time. These contradictions thus create moments of intraracial conflict. Alternate views on colorism, sexuality and what constitutes as racial uplift are now given a platform to clash both academically and culturally. Out of these intraracial conflicts and the growing pains of cultural infancy comes the crux of Harlem Renaissance texts and images. By examining these important works we can trace and contextualize many of the current ideals of Blackness birthed out of this culturally chaotic time. 

In order to begin the tread through this time, we have to first confront and define this idea of Cultural Infancy. This term, which already exists within some academic spaces, comes with various (and often time-demeaning) definitions. However, I use this term to define the moment in time in which a new culture is “born”. Blackness (and even American Blackness) of course existed before this time, but now