Alain Locke Negro Art Past and Present and Date

Book by Alain Locke

The New Negro

Editor	Alain Locke
Publisher	Atheneum
Publication date	1925
OCLC	640055594

The New Negro: An Interpretation (1925) is an album of fiction, poetry, and essays on African and African-American art and literature edited by Alain Locke, who lived in Washington, DC, and taught at Howard Academy during the Harlem Renaissance.^[one] Every bit a collection of the artistic efforts coming out of the burgeoning New Negro Movement or Harlem Renaissance, the book is considered by literary scholars and critics to be the definitive text of the movement.^[ii] "The Negro Renaissance" included Locke'south championship essay "The New Negro", as well as nonfiction essays, verse, and fiction by writers including Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Claude McKay, Jean Toomer, and Eric Walrond.

The New Negro: An Estimation dives into how the African Americans sought social, political, and artistic change. Instead of accepting their position in guild, Locke saw the new negro every bit championing and demanding civil rights. In addition, his album sought to change old stereotypes and replaced them with new visions of black identity that resisted simplification. The essays and poems in the anthology mirror existent life events and experiences.^[3]

The anthology reflects the vocalism of middle class African American citizens that wanted to have equal ceremonious rights like their white, heart class counterparts. However, some writers, such every bit Langston Hughes, sought to give voice to the lower, working grade.^[3]

Structure [edit]

Office 1: The Negro Renaissance [edit]

Part i contains Alain Locke'south title essay "the New Negro" as well every bit the fiction and verse sections. One of the poems, "White Houses," represents the African American's struggle to confront and claiming the White House and white America, in order to fight for civil rights. It shows a figure being shut out and left on the street to fend for himself. This is a figure who is not allowed the glory of the within world, which represents the American ideals of liberty and opportunity.^[four]

Function 2: The New Negro in a New Earth [edit]

"The New Negro in a New Globe" includes social and political assay past writers including W. E. B. Du Bois, historian E. Franklin Frazier, Melville J. Herskovits, James Weldon Johnson, Paul U. Kellogg, Elise Johnson McDougald, Kelly Miller, Robert R. Moton, and activist Walter Francis White.^[five]

The book contains several portraits by Winold Reiss and illustrations past Aaron Douglas. It was published by Albert and Charles Boni, New York, in 1925.^[6]

Themes [edit]

The "Old" vs The "New" Negro [edit]

Alain Locke commonly draws on the theme of the "One-time" vs. the "New Negro". The Onetime Negro co-ordinate to Locke was a "creature of moral debate and historical controversy".^[7] The Erstwhile Negro was restricted by the inhumane atmospheric condition of slavery that he was forced to live in; historically traumatized due to events forced upon them and the social perspective of them as a whole. The Erstwhile Negro was something to exist pushed and moved around and told what to do and worried about.^[eight] The Onetime Negro was a product of stereotypes and judgments that were put on them, not ones that they created. They were forced to alive in a shadow of themselves and others' actions.^[ix]

The New Negro according to Locke is a Negro that now has an understanding of oneself. They no longer lack self respect and self dependence, which has created a new dynamic and allowed the birth of the New Negro. The Negro spirituals revealed themselves; suppressed for generations under the stereotypes of Wesleyan hymn harmony, secretive, half-ashamed, until the courage of being natural brought them out—and behold, at that place was folk music.^[ten] They have become the Negro of today which is also the changed Negro. Locke speaks almost the migration having an effect on the Negro, leveling the playing field and increasing the realm of how the Negro is viewed because they were moved out of the due south and into other areas where they could start over. The migration in a sense transformed the Negro and fused them together every bit they all came from all over the earth, all walks of life, and all different backgrounds.^[xi]

Self-expression [edit]

One of the themes in Locke's anthology is cocky-expression. Locke states, "It was rather the necessity for fuller, truer self-expression, the realization of the unwisdom of allowing social bigotry to segregate him mentally, and a counter-mental attitude to cramp and fetter his ain living—and then the 'spite-wall'... has happily been taken down."^[12] He explains how information technology is important to realize that social discrimination can mentally bear upon you and bring y'all downwardly. In order to break through that social discrimination, cocky-expression is needed to show who you truly are, and what you lot believe in. For Locke, this thought of self-expression is embedded in the poetry, art, and pedagogy of the Negro community.^[13] Locke includes essays and poems in his album that emphasize the theme of self-expression. For example, the poem "Tableau," by Countée Cullen, is nearly a white boy and a black boy who walk with locked arms while others judge them.^[14] It represents that despite the history of racial discrimination from the whites to the blacks, they show what they believe is right in their cocky-expression, no thing how other people judge them. Their cocky-expression allows them non to let the judgement make them conform to societal norms with the separation of blacks and whites. Cullen's poem, "Heritage," also shows how one finds self-expression in facing the weight of their own history every bit African Americans brought from Africa to America every bit slaves. Langston Hughes' poem, "Youth," puts forth the bulletin that Negro youth have a vivid future, and that they should rising together in their self-expression and seek liberty.^[15]

Jazz and Blues [edit]

The publication of Locke's album coincides with the rise of the Jazz Age, the Roaring Twenties, and the Lost Generation.^[16] Locke's album acknowledges how the Jazz historic period heavily impacts the individually and collectively inside the African-American community as well every bit on America'due south robust cultural industries, music, motion picture, theater—all of which fully benefited from the creativity and newly discovered contributions of African Americans. Locke in the album The New Negro explains how African American used music such equally Jazz and Blues to escape poverty. It was Alain Locke who said that the Jazz age was, "a spiritual coming of age"^[17] for African American artists and thinkers, who seized upon their "starting time chances for group expression and self-determination." Harlem Renaissance poets and artists such as Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Georgia Douglas Johnson explored the dazzler and pain of black life through jazz and dejection and sought to define themselves and their customs exterior of white stereotypes.^[18]

Some of the most prominent African American artist that were greatly influenced by the "New Negro" concept that reflected in their music and concert works were William Grant Still and Duke Ellington. Duke Ellington, a renowned jazz artist, began to reverberate the "New Negro" in his music, particularly in the jazz suite Black, Dark-brown, and Biscuit.^[19] The Harlem Renaissance prompted a renewed interest in black culture that was even reflected in the work of white artists, the most well known example being George Gershwin'southward Porgy and Bess.^[twenty]

Renewal and Rebirth [edit]

Alain Locke'due south, The New Negro, includes different forms of literature. Many center around the idea of a "rebirth and renewal" of black Americans that would help in their efforts to overcome oppression. In his essay, Locke gives the reader an image to illustrate the idea. He writes, "By shedding the former chrysalis of the Negro problem we are achieving something like a spiritual emancipation".^[21] He continues to explain by encouraging a alter in the oppressed mindset that promotes transforming our problems into constructivism. In this act, the oppressed undergoes a sort of metamorphosis, abandoning the psychological and social limitations of the past to strive for social and economical freedom.^[21] This sense of metamorphosis is apparent in a poem included in the album chosen "Baptism" by Claude McKay.^[22] It tin can exist read every bit a narrative of a spiritual renewal in which someone enters a furnace naked, weak, and afraid but returns strong and dignified.^[23] This spirit of renewed dignity and strength is captured in many of the writings included in The New Negro.^[24]

Reception [edit]

The release of The New Negro and the writing and philosophy laid out past Alain Locke were met with wide support. However, not everyone agreed with the New Negro motility and its ideas. Some criticized the author selections, specifically Eric W. Reader, who wrote the collection of short stories "Tropic Decease" (1926). He found Locke's selected "gimmicky blackness leaders inadequate or ineffective in dealing with the cultural and political aspirations of black masses".^[25] Others, like the African American academic Harold Cruse, fifty-fifty found the term New Negro "politically naive or overly optimistic". Even some modern tardily 20th century authors like Gilbert Osofsky were concerned that the ideas of the New Negro would go along to stereotype and glamorize blackness life.^[26] Still, Locke would get on to continue defending the idea of the New Negro.^{[ citation needed ] [27]}

Legacy [edit]

After Locke published The New Negro, the anthology seemed to have served its purpose in trying to demonstrate that African Americans were advancing intellectually, culturally, and socially. This was important in a time like the early 20th century where African Americans were yet beingness looked down upon by virtually whites. They did not go the same respect every bit whites did, and that was changing. The publication of The New Negro was able to help many of the authors featured in the anthology get their names and work more widely known. The publication became a rallying weep to other African Americans to try and join the upward-and-coming New Negro motility at the time. The New Negro was besides instrumental in making strides toward dispelling negative stereotypes associated with African Americans.^[28]

Locke'southward legacy sparks a reoccurring interest in examining African civilisation and fine art. Not only was Locke's philosophy of import during the Harlem Renaissance period, but continuing today, researchers and academia continue to analyze Locke'due south work. Locke's album The New Negro: An Estimation has endured years of reprinting spanning from 1925 until 2015.^[29] Locke's anthology has been reprinted in volume form most thirty-five times since its original publication in 1925.^[29] Locke's original anthology was published in 1925 by New York publisher Albert and Charles Boni.^[30]  The near recent reprint was published by Mansfield Center CT: Martino Publishing, 2015.^[31]

Beyond Locke's work beingness reprinted, Locke'southward influences extend to other authors and academics interested in Locke's views and philosophy of African culture and art.  Author Anna Pochmara wrote The Making of the New Negro. ^[32] Journal articles past Leonard Harris, Alain Locke and Community and Identity: Alain Locke's Atavism.^{[33] [34]}  Essays past John C. Charles What was Africa to him? : Alain Locke in the book New Voices on the Harlem Renaissance. ^[35]

Locke'due south influence on the Harlem Renaissance encouraged artists and writers like Zora Neale Hurston to seek inspiration from Africa.^[1]  Artists Aaron Douglas, William H. Johnson, Archibald Motley, and Horace Pippin created artwork representing the "New Negro Movement" influenced by Locke's anthology.^[36]

See as well [edit]

• Fire!!
• The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke
• Jeffrey C. Stewart

References [edit]

1. ^ ^{a b} "Alain LeRoy Locke". Biography . Retrieved 2019-05-18 .
2. ^ Arnold Rampersad, introduction to The New Negro: Voices of the Harlem Renaissance, 1992
3. ^ ^{a b} "Issues and Debates in African American Literature". University of Delaware; library. 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-24 .
4. ^ Locke, Alain (1925). White Houses from The New Negro: An Interpretation.
5. ^ Richard A. Long, "New Negro, The", The Concise Oxford Companion to African American Literature. Ed. William L. Andrews, Frances Smith Foster, and Trudier Harris. Oxford University Press, 2001. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford Academy Printing. [1]
6. ^ Winold Reiss (illustrator) & Aaron Douglas (illustrator) (1925). Alain Locke (ed.). The New Negro. New York: Albert and Charles Boni. {{cite book}}: CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
7. ^ Locke, Alain (2015). The New Negro An Interpretation. Mansfield Centre, CT: Martino Publishing. p. 3. ISBN978-1-61427-802-three.
8. ^ Locke, Alain (March 1925). "Enter the New Negro" (PDF). National Humanities Centre . Retrieved May 14, 2019.
9. ^ Locke, Alain (2012-08-01), "The New Negro (1925)", Within the Circle, Knuckles University Press, pp. 21–31, doi:10.1215/9780822399889-002, ISBN9780822399889
10. ^ Locke, Alain (March 1925). "Enter the New Negro"(PDF). National Humanities Heart. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
11. ^ Hutchinson, George; Hutchinson, George Evelyn (2007-06-xiv). The Cambridge Companion to the Harlem Renaissance. Cambridge Academy Press. p. 31. ISBN978-0-521-67368-vi.
12. ^ Locke, Alain. ""Enter the New Negro," Survey Graphic" (PDF). National Humanities Center . Retrieved May 14, 2019.
13. ^ Locke, Alain. "The New Negro" (PDF). National Humanities Center . Retrieved xviii May 2019.
14. ^ Locke, Alain (1997). The New Negro. New York: A Touchtone Book. p. 130.
15. ^ Graham, Maryemma (2011). "The New Negro Renaissance". Africana Historic period.
16. ^ "American culture in the 1920s". KhanAcademy . Retrieved May xviii, 2019.
17. ^ Locke, Alain. "Enter the New Negro" (PDF). National Humanities Middle . Retrieved May xviii, 2019.
18. ^ "An Introduction to the Harlem Renaissance". The Poetry Foundation . Retrieved May 24, 2018.
19. ^ Oppenheim, Mike (March iii, 2013). "The Harlem Renaissance And American Music". All About Jazz . Retrieved May 24, 2018.
20. ^ Booker, Rashid. "The Harlem Renaissance and the "New Negro"". NoirGuides . Retrieved May 24, 2018.
21. ^ ^{a b} Locke, Alain (1997). The New Negro. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. p. 4. ISBN978-0-684-83831-1.
22. ^ Locke, Alain (1997). The New Negro. New York: Touchstone. p. 133. ISBN978-0-684-83831-1.
23. ^ "The Nascency Of A 'New Negro' : Code Switch". NPR.org . Retrieved 2021-02-26 .
24. ^ Locke, Alaine. "Enter the New Negro"Links to an external site. (PDF). National Humanities Eye Resources Toolbox. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
25. ^ Walrond, Eric (1972). Tropic Death . Collier Books.
26. ^ Osofsky, Gilbert (1996). Harlem, the making of a ghetto : Negro New York, 1890-1930. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee. ISBN978-1-56663-104-4.
27. ^ Locke, Alaine. "Enter the New Negro" (PDF). National Humanities Center Resource Toolbox . Retrieved May 13, 2019.
28. ^ Hutchinson, George; Hutchinson, George Evelyn (2007-06-14). The Cambridge Companion to the Harlem Renaissance. Cambridge Academy Press. p. 141. ISBN978-0-521-67368-six.
29. ^ ^{a b} Formats and Editions of The new Negro : an interpretation [WorldCat.org]. OCLC 1888432.
30. ^ Locke, Alain LeRoy; Reiss, Winold (1925). The new Negro: an interpretation. New York: A. and C. Boni. OCLC 238841541.
31. ^ Locke, Alain; Reiss, Winold (2015). The new Negro: an interpretation. ISBN9781614278023. OCLC 957434639.
32. ^ Pochmara, Anna (2011). The Making of the New Negro: Black Authorship, Masculinity, and Sexuality in the Harlem Renaissance . Amsterdam Academy Press. ISBN9789089643193. JSTOR j.ctt45kffb.
33. ^ Harris, Leonard (1988). "Identity: Alain Locke's Atavism". Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Order. 24 (one): 65–83. ISSN 0009-1774. JSTOR 27794948.
34. ^ Harris, Leonard (1997). "Alain Locke and Community". The Journal of Ideals. 1 (3): 239–247. doi:10.1023/A:1009720305495. ISSN 1382-4554. JSTOR 25115549. S2CID 141214677.
35. ^ Tarver, Australia, and Paula C. Barnes (2006). New Voices On the Harlem Renaissance: Essays On Race, Gender, and Literary Discourse. Madison [N.J.]: Fairleigh Dickinson Academy Printing.
36. ^ "Artists by fine art movement: Harlem Renaissance (New Negro Movement)". www.wikiart.org . Retrieved 2019-05-18 .

External links [edit]

• The New Negro: An Interpretation at the Internet Archive
• New Introduction to The New Negro an Interpretation (Konecky & Konecky, March three, 2020)
• "Harlem" past Alain Locke

freedwhost1976.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Negro

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