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147Introduction This research mainly centers upon the period between the years mass influx of African Americans to the cities and the Great Depression This thesis examines the case of Harlem in African American culture during the 1920s and 40s Finally it is aimed to clear up the period between these years The impacts of the Great Migration which experienced up to the 1920s the Harlem Renaissance which emerged from 1920 and the Great Depression which marked the era 1930s and 1940s on Harlem and African Americans are three aspects of this research Events such as the Great Migration Harlem Renaissance and the Great Depression which took place from the beginning of the 1900s until the 1950s contribute to find out Harlem s significant role in American culture This thesis focuses on the era of the 1920s through the 1940s Cultural boom in the 1920s and the 1930s and 1940s were marked by Great Depression culminating in worsening living conditions reveal the dual portrayal of Harlem as a cultural capital or a ghetto During the American Civil War Harlem witnessed many uprisings but also experienced the impacts of the economic development followed the end of the war Advancements were started shortly after the economic crisis of 1873 Large scale house construction in Harlem has been made and the railroad to Harlem has led to an increase in Harlem s population
This paper focuses on how the duality created by these two different roles attributed to Harlem manifest itself through art Harlem has historically been recognized as both cultural capital of African Americans and also ghetto blacks lived Duality of cultural capital ghetto emerged between 1920s and 1940s is Harlem s role in the cultural development of African American Subject of this thesis is to describe this duality of artistic expression focusing on reality of life in Harlem and its fictional interpretation between the years 1920 and 1940 This analysis aims to explain how Harlem s dual perception of cultural capital versus ghetto is reflected in the artistic expression of African American artists In this research it was tried to clarify the subject by using examples from the works of that period The main African American writers including W e b DuBois Langston Hughes James Weldon Johnson Alain Locke Ralp Ellison and Claude Mckay published novels essays and poem which reflected history of Harlem Fictional works such as poetry and novel are also considered significant evidence of culture and history since they also contain a part of reality The academic sources referenced in this research aim to clarify the following questions How did African American culture and identity form What is the value of Harlem symbolically and historically How Harlem s racial and class subjects in the changing world affected the works of art How is Harlem reflected in literature music and art as a ghetto and a cultural centre