Harlem Renaissance-Julia- Deborah's Class

 

This is a picture of the Cotton Club. The Cotton Club was the place to preform during the Harlem Renaissance. Only African Americans were the only people allowed to preform at the Cotton Club. The audience was all white.

It was a long time ago.
I have almost forgotten my dream.
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun—
My dream.
And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream.
Rose until it touched the sky—
The wall.
Shadow.
I am black.
I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me,
Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
My hands!
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand whirling dreams
Of sun!

This is a poem by Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes was one of many poets during the Harlem Renaissance.

Billie Holiday was jazz singer and songwriter during the Harlem Renaissance. 

 

This is a photo of the Cotton Club chorus line in 1929.

 

Ethel Waters was a singer and actress. She sang jazz, gospel and blues. She preformed at many places including the Cotton Club. She had African American and white audiences.