The Harlem Renaissance: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Catalog description

The newly offered graduate course "Harlem Renaissance" will take an interdisciplinary approach to the early 20th century (1918-1930) African-American urban cultural phenomenon. We will examine primary texts crucial to the movement's foundation. There will be a focus on key figures from the visual arts such as Romare Bearden, Aaron Douglas, Lois Mailou Jones, Augusta Savage and James Van der Zee; as well as contributors in literature, music, theatre, dance and politics. The course includes site visits to the era's important landmarks within the Harlem landscape. Case studies of exhibitions such as the MET's groundbreaking "Harlem on My Mind" and MoMA's recent "One Way Ticket: Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series" will be included. Additionally, we will examine period works from the Permanent Collection of the Studio Museum in Harlem.