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To get a snapshot of the community, listen to the poem "Harlem"
by Walter Dean Myers, and view the illustrations, by his son,
Christopher Myers.
During your first listening, use the Listening
Guide. Imagine being in the Harlem that Myers
describes. What moods and feelings has Myers created?
Listen to the poem again. This time, list the references
to people and places with which you are unfamiliar. Shoe your
list to other students and ask if they can help you identify
some of the items. As you explore this mini-site, keep your
list nearby. Add notes about each person/place you learn about.
Visit the section of this mini-site titled A
Place Called Harlem. Here, you will get a sense
of the important places that made up the neighborhood. Explore
the map. As you explore, add notes to your list of unfamiliar
places and people in Myer's poem "Harlem."
As you explore, think about how these places reveal the spirit of Harlem—the
values and interests of its residents during the Renaissance.
- Begin by locating the places mentioned in Myers' poem "Harlem" (Smalls' Paradise, Abyssinian Church, Lennox Avenue, Strivers' Row etc.).
Click throughout the map to visit a sampling of Harlem's churches, businesses, and residences. Which buildings are next to each other? What kinds of activities and interactions might have taken place in these locations?
- Visit the YMCA, Dunbar Apartments, and 267 House. Who lived in these places? How did each inspire creativity? Community building? Intellectual pursuits? Political debate? Collaboration?
- Locate Connie's Inn and the Cotton Club and read about them. These were places that were either segregated or too expensive for lower- or middle-class blacks. If you lived in Harlem, how would you have felt if you were not allowed to enter these places? If you were an artist during the Harlem Renaissance, you would need a job to earn money for food and rent. You would face the difficult question of whether of not to perform at a place that would not accept you as a guest/audience member. What would you do?
After exploring the map...
- Think about whether the renaissance that happened in Harlem
could have occurred elsewhere. Why or why not? What physical
qualities of Harlem might have contributed to the Renaissance
(e.g., crowded conditions, isolation from other parts of
the city)? What aspects of community life (e.g., attendance
at church, social life) were conducive to the Renaissance?
Share your notes with another student and discuss your ideas.
- Compare and contrast the Harlem with other city neighborhoods
inhabited by African-Americans (Washington, D.C., Chicago,
New Orleans) during the same time period. Did people in
these cities influence people in Harlem and vice versa?
If so, how? Give one example of an influential work from
another African American community and describe how it came
to Harlem. Share the results of your investigation orally
or in writing.
- Return to the list of unfamiliar people and places from Myers poem "Harlem." Which items on the list were you able to identify? If any item(s) on your list are still unidentified, ask other students or your teacher for help.
- Listen again to the poem "Harlem"
in light of your research. In what ways is your understanding
different from the other times you listened to it? To what
extent is the picture Myers paints of Harlem consistent
with your picture of Harlem? How do they differ? Share your
reactions.
- Create an original work to capture some aspect of Harlem during its Renaissance (e.g., a scene from Harlem street life or nightlife, a poetry reading, or a dramatization of a rent party, political meeting, soiree, or other event). Write a poem, create a painting, write/perform a dramatic scene, create a movement sequence, or create a musical collage to depict some aspect of life in Harlem. Your work should include a written commentary that describes the ways in which your work captures the spirit of the community.
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