The story of Harlem: The Cultural Capital of the New Negro illuminates similar accounts and themes that are found in the Warmth of other Suns. Both texts highlighted three major themes; the significance of Harlem as a refuge, symbolism of Harlem as cultural mecca, and the interplay of music as instrument for political and social critique.
As we discussed and read in the New Negro, Harlem became home for many blacks who fled the south in search for equal rights, dignity and endless opportunity. Harlem; The Cultural Capital story from the New Negro emphasizes the role Harlem played as a safe heaven or refuge for new blacks migrating north from the south. In response to Harlem as refuge for blacks, we can assert that there is a direct correlation for why George Swanson Startling's story line takes place in in New York. His story which comes out of the Warmth of Other-Suns is set in the 1990's, which seems to drastically challenge the concepts of the New Negro that originates in the early nineteenth hundreds. However, we can take the time differences of the two stories to illustrate the significance of Harlem as a endless time refuge. In other words, Harlem as mentioned in both text could be seen as an eternal asylum for blacks in search of better conditions and reality.
Migration to the North gradually transformed the Harlem into a vibrant place. The increase inflow of blacks into harlem created a giant cultural center that enabled southerners to create a new identity by combining past with present life. One of the means that transformed Harlem into the cultural center is the fusion of music between north and south. Jazz at Home in the New Negro asserts that Jazz is joyous revolt from convention, custom, authority, boredom, even sorrow. As ragtime of the Negro, Jazz developed and become release of all suppressed emotions at once, a blowing off of the lid, as it were. Similarly, The Warmth of Other Suns, depicts a major significance musical culture by referring to hip hop or rap of Tupac. Both the Jazz at Home and Story in the Warmth of other Suns illustrate the importance of Harlem as cultural mecca by depicting music which came out of Harlem or the north.
I like your analysis of how Harlem became a collaboration of both past and present identities reflecting the familiar cultural literacy with the attainment of a new identity. It allowed blacks to assert themselves and define themselves in a greater way through a familiar lens. The importance of Harlem in granting blacks cultural capital cannot be understated and you highlight its importance as a mecca and center of creation of culture for the New Negro to continue to advance. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThank you Javier!
ReplyDeleteI would like to add to the last piece of my blog...
The interplay of music both as an instrument for political and social critique is cleverly captured in both stories of New Negro and the Warmth of Other Suns. Jazz at home explains the phenomena and emergence of Jazz as one that directly defines the culture of the observant poor worker. The unsophisticated Negro as it is put, expresses his true sprit through jazz because he recognizes the political, economical and societal structure are not in his favor. Although the poor Black has dejected emotions, he chose jazz, a fusion of two cultures one from the north and one from the south, to celebrate his new meaningful life in Harlem his Mecca.
Similarly, The Warmth of Other Suns, illustrates the significance of Hip Hop as instrument for conscious art by strategically embedding the presence of boom boxes and Tupac in the story. Hip Hop like Jazz originated with a blend of two cultures in New York and developed as political movement. Ultimately, hip hop now is an avenue for not only Blacks and minorities to speak of their struggle but serves as a form of language for all communities creating the American culture.
Abrham A.