The Harlem Renaissance- Langston Hughes

The Harlem Renaissance is a point in African American History where the cultural aspects were really important. Harlem was a place where African Americans could express themselves musically, through poetry, and through culture. It was a time when Jazz was a big hit in the Era. Musicians (Louis Armstrong, Marian Anderson) were able to tell a story through their music in a form of the blues. Blues was a type of music that dealt with hardships of life and love. The music was often very sad and the tunes were depressing. Singers like Billie Holiday and Josephine Baker had to fight as women to stay on the jazz scene because at that time it was known to be done by african american males, only.
When you ride through Harlem now their are many parts that still try to keep the culture of the renaissance alive, however there are some neighborhoods that have fallin off. The Apollo Theatre is perhaps the most legendary building in Harlem where many of the people who dwelled in the Renaissance have came a time or two in their life to speak or perform. They have many pictures in the inside mostly autographed. When I went to the Apollo Theatre to visit it was very breath taking. It felt unreal because I walked through some the same doors that have made a difference in african american culture and history.
I preferbly like to read the poetry of Langston Hughes and W.E.B. Dubois because they were very meaningful as well as educational. You can drown in their words and imagine yourself in the situations that they are describing through their poetry.