Introduction
At the beginning of the 20th century, the black population had to assess that they became the plaything of history and they did not have a bearing on their position in society. First of all, the African-Americans had to change their self-conception and their self-perception to achieve a special position in society as an individual. In these years, the black intellectuals were profoundly convinced that the new awareness of the Negro would mark a Renaissance in the history of the African-Americans.
The discovery respectively the awareness about personal values, the newfound self-confidence on the one hand and the search for respect and appreciativeness on the other hand formed the base to create a new identity of the black population. Associated processes in politics, arts and especially in literature mobilized the creative strengths of many artists who lived primarily in Harlem at that time.
At the beginning of this work, I want to look at theories about the term of the New Negro written by Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois and Alain Locke. After that I want to illustrate the changed awareness and the soul of the New Negro with the help of selected poems written by Claude McKay. By doing so I want to show and highlight different aspects that the New Negro of the Harlem Renaissance embodied. The poems of Claude McKay, which were published in 1917, already dealt with the topic of the New Negro and therefore Claude McKay was believed to be a forerunner and the new voice of the Negro literature before the Harlem Renaissance had begun. The new self-image of the African-Americans, which was based on the pride of the own race, was not protected against the permanent discriminations initiated by the white population in America. None other could embody and process the ambivalence between the ideal and the reality in the United States as good as Claude McKay.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 The Harlem Renaissance – history of origins
2.1 Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois about the New Negro
2.2 Alain Locke about the New Negro
3 The New Negro in the poems written by Claude McKay
3.1 The militant New Negro
3.2 McKay’s universal opinion about the color problem
3.3 The return to African traditions
3.4 Between the identities
4 Conclusion
5 Bibliography
6 Poems used in the Term Paper
Objectives and Core Topics
This academic paper examines the evolving self-perception of African-Americans during the Harlem Renaissance, specifically through the poetry of Claude McKay. The research aims to highlight how the concept of the "New Negro" was embodied in literature, bridging the gap between historical intellectual theories and the lived experience of racial discrimination.
- Theoretical definitions of the "New Negro" by Washington, Du Bois, and Locke.
- The impact of racial violence and the "Red Summer" on Black identity.
- Analysis of militant themes and universal resistance in Claude McKay's poetry.
- The psychological struggle of double-consciousness and alienation.
- The exploration of African traditions versus Western colonial influences.
Excerpts from the Book
3.1 The militant New Negro
W.A. Domingo, a Jamaican and temporary employee of the newspaper Negro World, tried to define the New Negro in the magazine Messenger in August 1920. According to Domingo the New Negro could be seen as the opposite of the Old Negro and his “doctrine of nonresistance“. The battle readiness of the New Negro that was shown in the radical conflicts in Longview, Texas, Washington D.C. and Chicago in 1919 showed that he was determined to create his own space in the United States. The New Negro did not want to consider himself satisfied with a second-class life.
After World War there was an insecure employment situation, which was noticeable in the cities, because of the inflation. The white population was afraid of the migration of the black population form the South to the North because they thought that the Blacks would take their workplaces. Therefore the Blacks became the target for the desperation of the white population.
McKay was amazed of the discrimination of the black race, which he observed in the United States after his arrival in 1912. McKay could not arrange violence and hate with his moral but more and more he bottled rage and anger up because of the racial prejudices against the Blacks. McKay experienced the Red Summer and the bloody Race Riots in 1919 in constant fear. The daily advices from the press that always told about new encroachments about Blacks and a lot of dead persons warned McKay to be attentive.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the societal context of the early 20th century and sets the focus on analyzing the "New Negro" concept through Claude McKay’s literature.
2 The Harlem Renaissance – history of origins: This section provides a historical overview of the Harlem Renaissance as a psychological movement and discusses the theories of Washington, Du Bois, and Locke.
2.1 Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois about the New Negro: This sub-chapter contrasts the economic self-help approach of Washington with the intellectual and protest-oriented views of Du Bois.
2.2 Alain Locke about the New Negro: This sub-chapter explores Locke's effort to redefine the Black identity by moving away from the "Old Negro" stereotype created by white society.
3 The New Negro in the poems written by Claude McKay: This chapter bridges historical theory with the literary analysis of Claude McKay’s poems as embodiments of the era's spirit.
3.1 The militant New Negro: This sub-chapter examines how poems like "If We Must Die" reflect the defensive and resistant mindset of Black Americans during the 1919 race riots.
3.2 McKay’s universal opinion about the color problem: This sub-chapter discusses the tension between McKay being labeled a "Negro poet" and his own intent to write universal works about human abuse.
3.3 The return to African traditions: This sub-chapter analyzes how intellectuals and artists began re-exploring their African roots to construct a stronger cultural identity.
3.4 Between the identities: This sub-chapter focuses on Du Bois’ theory of "double-consciousness" and how McKay portrayed the feeling of being an outsider in both Western and African contexts.
4 Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance and the role McKay played as a forerunner and critic of the movement.
5 Bibliography: Contains the primary and secondary literature as well as internet sources cited in the paper.
6 Poems used in the Term Paper: Provides the full text of the poems analyzed, including "If We Must Die" and "The Harlem Dancer".
Keywords
Harlem Renaissance, New Negro, Claude McKay, African-American Literature, W.E.B. Du Bois, Alain Locke, Racial Identity, Double-consciousness, If We Must Die, Race Riots, Cultural Heritage, Resistance, Migration, Red Summer, Booker T. Washington.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper explores the emergence of the "New Negro" identity during the Harlem Renaissance and analyzes how this social and psychological shift is reflected in the poetry of Claude McKay.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The core themes include the transition from the "Old Negro" stereotype, the influence of historical race riots, the search for cultural roots, and the struggle with double-consciousness.
What is the author's primary research goal?
The goal is to illustrate the changed self-perception of African-Americans by connecting sociological theories of that time with the literary expressions found in McKay's work.
Which scientific methods are applied?
The paper utilizes a literary analysis approach, contextualized by historical and sociological documentation from key figures of the era like Alain Locke and W.E.B. Du Bois.
What does the main body cover?
It covers the historical origins of the movement, theoretical foundations regarding the "New Negro," and detailed poetic analyses of resistance, identity, and cultural belonging.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include Harlem Renaissance, New Negro, Claude McKay, African-American identity, resistance, and double-consciousness.
How does the paper differentiate between the "Old" and "New" Negro?
It defines the "Old Negro" as a construct of white prejudice and passivity, whereas the "New Negro" represents a militant, self-confident, and culturally aware individual determined to claim equality.
What role does the poem "If We Must Die" play in the author's argument?
It is used as a prime example of the militant "New Negro" zeitgeist, serving as an appeal to resistance during the racially violent climate of 1919.
How does McKay address the "color problem" in his work?
McKay often navigated between his Jamaican background and his experience in the United States, positioning the racial struggle as both a specific Black experience and a universal human struggle against oppression.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Victoria Schneider (Autor:in), 2011, The New Negro of the Harlem Renaissance in the poems of Claude McKay, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/173675
