Take the A Train: Poetry, Music, and Art of the Harlem Renaissance

Introduction

The Harlem Renaissance was a Black, cultural movement that flourished from the 1910's into the 1930’s. Considered a golden age of African American culture, this movement celebrated the music, writing and art of Black Americans. How did the movement affect political and social movements that came after and still continue today? How did the Harlem Renaissance forge a new path for Black artists and change African American identity? How can understanding this movement help us fight racism and inequality today? These are some of the questions we will explore as we read and write poetry, explore art and music of the time, and discover how identity is shaped by the individual and society.

Essential Questions

• How is art powerful? 

• How did the Harlem Renaissance get its name? 

• Why is it important to understand the historical context of a work of art? 

• What individuals and experiences have shaped my beliefs about myself and the world around me? 

• How is each one of us connected to the past? How does history and the legacy of past generations influence who I am today?

• How do the acts of reading, writing, and storytelling impact the way I understand myself and make sense of the world around me?

Learning Objectives

• Use poetic devices to write their own poetry as a way to share and reflect on different aspects of their identity

• Demonstrate close reading of a text by making inferences and citing specific evidence and examples

• Analyze how specific word choices affect meaning and tone

• Determine the central idea or theme of a text

• Analyze and discuss how point of view shapes the content of a text

• Demonstrate understanding of how historical events shape literature