How were African American artist able to use their works to promote cultural and social awareness?

The goals of the New Negro Movement that became known as the Harlem Renaissance were to create a public platform to showcase African American contributions to art and literature in opposition to the racist stereotypes that prevailed at the time. How were African American writers, poets, musicians and artists also able to use their works to promote cultural and social awareness?

The Emergence of the Harlem Renaissance

During the 1920s and into the 1930s, African American literature flourished during the Harlem Renaissance. Known mostly for the emergence of great literature by black authors, the Harlem Renaissance, also known as the New Negro Movement, was a result of several factors. Before the Renaissance, thousands of blacks migrated from the South to the Northern industrial cities as more employment opportunities became available during World War I. In addition, the black middle class was increasing and more educational opportunities were available to blacks. More…..

http://www.iniva.org/harlem/hren.html

http://www.iniva.org/harlem/home.html

http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/circle/harlem-ren-sites.html

http://afroamhistory.about.com/cs/harlemrenaissance/a/harlemren.htm

A Guide to Harlem Renaissance Materials

http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/harlem/harlem.html