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Lesson Plan
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sti Lesson 2: Langston Hughes and the Blues

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Explore relationship between music and poetry in this African-American history lesson on Langston Hughes, the Harlem Renaissance, and other artists such as Bessie Smith, John Hammond, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones.
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Activity
Smithsonian Institution

Anacostia Museum: The Renaissance: Black Art of the Twenties

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides an informative description of the "Black Arts of the Twenties," which was better known as the Harlem Renaissance. Learn about the culture, art, music, and writings of this period.
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Website
Digital History

Digital History:the Great Migration

For Students 9th - 10th
The Great Migration for African Americans began during World War I as blacks left the segregated south to find jobs in the north. Read about how segregation followed them into their northern neighborhoods. See also how the Harlem...
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Website
African American Literature Book Club

African American Literature Book Club: Alain Locke

For Students 9th - 10th
A biography of African-American writer Alain Locke, chief interpreter of the Harlem Renaissance, the video [5:30] "Ossie Davis: Dr. Alain Leroy Locke's Influence," and links to three of his books.
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Lesson Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: Primary Source Investigation

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Choose from a list of photos from the Civil War, Reform, Harlem Renaissance, and Campaign to study and record observations.
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: African American Odyssey: World War I and Postwar Society

For Students 9th - 10th
Collection of primary source material from the Library of Congress chronicles the plight of African Americans during WWI and the Harlem Renaissance that followed.
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Activity
University at Buffalo

University at Buffalo: The Jean Toomer Pages

For Students 9th - 10th
The Jean Toomer Pages surveys the life and work of this Harlem Renaissance poet and novelist.
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Website
University of Illinois

University of Illinois: Modern American Poetry: On "From the Dark Tower"

For Students 9th - 10th
The Harlem Renaissance poem "From the Dark Tower" by Countee Cullen along with an analysis of the poem.
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Handout
Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press.

New Georgia Encyclopedia: Georgia Douglas Johnson

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about Georgia Douglas Johnson, an important Harlem Renaissance poet and playwright. List of suggested readings included.
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Handout
Duke University

Shuffle Along Orchestra

For Students 9th - 10th
This section focuses on the people created the hit musical, "Shuffle Along," which helped to spur the Harlem Renaissance. Other information on the site about the importance of other black theater during the period.
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Website
Other

Jazz Age Culture: Part 1

For Students 9th - 10th
Features numerous links to external sites that provide information pertaining to the flapper era, jazz and the Harlem Renaissance, prohibition, racial violence, and crime.
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Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Langston Hughes

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lesson plan based around the use of metaphor in Langston Hughes's "Dreams" poem. A good reference for teachers looking for lesson ideas on the Harlem Renaissance.
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Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Portrait Gallery: American Women: Jessie Fauset

For Students 9th - 10th
Read a brief biography of Jessie Fauset, who was a leader in the Harlem Renaissance. See a portrait of her painted by Laura Wheeler Waring.
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Handout
Other

E Notes: Short Story Criticism: Jean Toomer

For Students 9th - 10th
A review of Jean Toomer, an influential writer during the Harlem Renaissance. Presents a biography and a look at his contributions to short fiction.
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Handout
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: American Culture in the 1920s

For Students 9th - 10th
The First World War had a crippling effect on any notions of positivity in the artists, writers, and intellectuals of that time and they became known as the Lost Generation. This page discusses this group of people, the emergence of jazz...
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Handout
Other

E Notes: Twentieth Century Literary Criticism: Dorothy West Criticism

For Students 9th - 10th
A complete biography of Harlem Renaissance writer Dorothy West. Highlights her major works and critical reception.
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Handout
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian American Art Museum: William H. Johnson

For Students 9th - 10th
The Luce Foundation Center for American Art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum presents this short biography and photographic portrait of William H. Johnson, the influential African-American painter participant in the Harlem...
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Handout
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian American Art Museum: Jacob Lawrence

For Students 9th - 10th
The Luce Foundation Center for American Art presents the African-American painter and Harlem Renaissance figure, Jacob Lawrence, with a short biography, image, and description of his work on view in the collection and a video interview...
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Handout
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian American Art Museum: Beauford Delaney

For Students 9th - 10th
As part of the Smithsonian Art Museum's database of artists, Beauford Delaney is described here along with information on his contributions to art through his association with the Harlem Renaissance and his portraits of African Americans.
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eBook
Other

Blues Online: Langston Hughes' Weary Blues

For Students 9th - 10th
Langston Hughes' collection of "Weary Blues" is posted on this page by Blues Online. With eleven poems and a picture of the Harlem Renaissance poet.
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Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Cullen, Countee

For Students 9th - 10th
The brief encyclopedia article tells about Countee Cullen, famous poet of the Harlem Renaissance.
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Website
Art Institute of Chicago

Art Institute of Chicago: Art Access: African American Art

For Students 9th - 10th
The Art Institute of Chicago's collection of African American art provides a rich introduction to over 100 years of noted achievements in painting, sculpture, and printmaking. Ranging chronologically from the Civil War era to the Harlem...
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Handout
National Women’s History Museum

National Women's History Museum: Anne Spencer

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the life and works of Harlem Renaissance poet Anne Spencer who lived her entire life in Virginia and fought for equal rights for African Americans.
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Handout
Other

Wittenberg University: Major Figures of the Harlem Renaissance

For Students 9th - 10th
Brief overview, followed by biographical sketches of people making this time memorable.

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