Romare Bearden's The Family

This collage by Romare Bearden, called The Family, embodies what the Civil Rights Movement was about. During the Civil Rights Movement family was played a significant role. In this picture it looks like the family may work on a farm as sharecroppers. They seem to look defeated, like they have given up hope. I don't think they have a lot of money seeing as someone is bathing right next to the dinner table and there is not a lot of food on the table.

Freedom Songs (1965)

Analysis:

This song tells the history of Africans Americans and the struggles they have been through. For example, slavery and not having natural rights. Being a white male singing this song it spreads information to a new audience. This song also builds support for this movement because people will sympathize with Beau John.

Gwendolyn Brooks:Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward

Say to them, say to the down-keepers,the sun-slappers,the self-soilers,the harmony-hushers,"even if you are not ready for day it cannot always be night."You will be right.For that is the hard home-run.Live not for battles won.Live not for the-end-of-the-song.Live in the along.

Analysis:
This poem is directed towards people who have little hope. It encourages them to have more hope. The poem is saying that though they may not be ready the time for change is now. It is also saying that you should not dwell on the past but live in the now.

Aaron Douglas

Analysis:

This picture is depicting the history of African Americans and representing their struggle for freedom. Just as this man is pulling off the chains, African Americans are breaking free from preconceived judgements and oppression. I think the reason why this person has no feature and monochromatic is because they do not want the person to seem real, kind of like African Americans have no feelings or say.

Zora Neale Hurston: Their Eyes Were Watching God

Analysis:
This book embraces independence and taking opportunites. Throughout the book the main character, Janie, celebrates life which represents the mind set of people during the Harlem Renaissance.

Compare and Contrast of Art Work

Harlem Renaissance

Civil Rights Movement

Analysis: These two pictures are very similar in the fact that they both show African Americans struggle with obstacles in everyday life. In the picture on the top the men have been working and seem to be very tired. In the bottom picture a young girl is walking with people from the U.S. Army because she attending a school that is predominately white. Also, in this picture you can see where someone has thrown a tomato at the five people. This action shows peoples disapproval of this African American child getting an education. In the top picture the men are wearing what looks like outfits prisoners would wear. I think this is saying that they can't live like real people but must be treated like prisoners. I think they are different because the bottom one is showing change, on the other hand the top on continues to show African Americans being oppressed.

http://www.eyeconart.net/history/Harlem.htm

Background: Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights movement lasted from 1955-1965 when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed. This gave basic rights to all Americans no matter the person's race. Through this time period artists expressed the importance of freedom and natural rights.

Background: Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance which was originally called the New Negro Movement was an era of African American writers and artists that lasts from after World War One till after the Great Depression. A major cause of the Harlem Renaissance was African Americans moving from the rural areas of the south and into the big cities of the north. During this time African Americans became more intellectual because there were more opportunities for them in the North. There were also a lot more jobs offered in the North.

Louis Armstrong

Analysis:

This song represents the positive and optimistic views that African Americans have after their migration to the north because of the many opportunies that it provided.

Langston Hughes

I went down to the river,
I set down on the bank.
I tried to think but couldn't,
So I jumped in and sank.
I came up once and hollered!
I came up twice and cried!
If that water hadn't a-been so cold
I might've sunk and died.
But it was Cold in that water! It was cold!
I took the elevator
Sixteen floors above the ground.
I thought about my baby
And thought I would jump down.
I stood there and I hollered!
I stood there and I cried!
If it hadn't a-been so high
I might've jumped and died.
But it was High up there! It was high!
So since I'm still here livin',
I guess I will live on.
I could've died for love--
But for livin' I was born
Though you may hear me holler,
And you may see me cry--
I'll be dogged, sweet baby,
If you gonna see me die.
Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine!

Anlysis:
Despite the hardships they have been through life is still fine. Life is worth living even though it contains many obstacles. By the end of the poem it shows the strength that many African Americans found with in.