First published 1982
The years after World War I brought unprecedented hope to Harlem's Black community. Lewis examines how figures like Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Paul Robeson, Eubie Blake, and Marcus Garvey transformed American culture during this explosive period. African Americans appeared on Broadway stages for the first time. Exclusive supper clubs drew white patrons seeking exotic entertainment. Lavish rent parties helped residents survive financial hardship while wealthy socialites from both races hosted integrated gatherings. Lewis captures the electric atmosphere of an era when Black Americans believed they could achieve artistic greatness and force the nation to acknowledge their equality. His updated preface addresses later criticism about exploitation within the Black community, examining who truly shaped and benefited from the Renaissance while exploring deeper questions about race relations, class dynamics, cultural integration, and the tension between art and activism.
Genres: 20th-century, african-american, biography-memoir, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: cultural-transformation, historical-figures
Setting: Harlem
Period: Post-World War I
381 pages · Paperback · Vintage Books