Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What was the Harlem Renaissance, and how did it embody an upsurge in racial awareness and artistic expression for Black Americans?

Teaching Suggestion: If some or all of the students in your class are likely to have limited knowledge about the Harlem Renaissance, consider asking them to share what they already know about this cultural movement before they discuss the question. This can take the shape of a “chalk talk” or silent discussion on the board, in small groups, etc. Viewing the short video linked below, either before or after their discussion, can help students build a more complex working understanding. You might emphasize the video’s brief discussion of Alain Locke and the New Negro Movement, as that will segue nicely to the second Short Answer question. (This question connects to the theme of The Challenge of Creating Black Art in a White World.)

• “The Harlem Renaissance,” a 3-minute video from Black History in Two Minutes (or so), produced and hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., helps provide a context for the Harlem Renaissance and explains how it fits under the umbrella of the New Negro Movement.