The Harlem Renaissance: Bessie Smith and Jessie Fauset

The Untold Female Changemakers of the Harlem Renaissance

The culturally rich and vibrant neighborhood of Harlem, New York became a harbor for many African Americans, as a result of the Great Migration, during the 1920s and 1930s. In this densely populated location, gathered some of the most talented individuals of 20th Century America, including authors, like Zora Neale Hurston, artists, like Aaron Douglas, and musicians, such as Josephine Baker and Ella Fitzgerald. These skilled creatives helped for a cultural advancement to occur in which African American talent was widely viewed and celebrated, consequently resulting in a sensation of pride for their important achievements. Conversely, the Harlem Renaissance would not have been possible without the notable contributions of Bessie Smith and Jessie Fauset.

Without Bessie Smith and Jessie Fauset, the Harlem Renaissance would not have been able to become the prominent era it was. Their talents were utilized effectively to showcase to the world, the innovation of African American America and its beauty.