MS01.01.03.B02.F05.030

4. But beauty was select in its Renaissance Plan.
Local dialect, black folkways and the untutored
speech of the newly arrived southern black
were looked upon by the elitist Harlem
community as something to overcome, not
as something to cherish. The Afro-American community
in New York, unlike the Irish and Italian-
American immigrant community, had not previously
relished the idea of glorifying and rom-
anticizing Africa as European immigrants
had about the land of their origin. But the black cultural awaken-
ing then underway sought to inculcate
certain ideals and traditions of African culture into
the New Negro Movement so long as
they were not in conflict with the upward
mobility plans of the "talented tenth" -
the real beneficiaries of the Renaissance.
Indeed, the entire roster of principles applicable
to the establishment of a black ethos
in art underwent close scrutiny by the
anointed ones, those who were able to influence black
cultural history and decide upon 'its direction'. Most importantly, the
architects of the Harlem Renaiisance
felt the need to stay in close touch with
those persons who were monitoring black
political and economic progress in the
black community. They needed total community support
of so bold an effort. The "Niagara Movement" had spearheaded
the plan to move Black Americans into
a position which permitted them to start demanding the
civil and human rights all other
citizens, save the Native American, enjoyed.
Marcus Garvey's "Back to Africa Movement"
had been seen as a bold attempt not only to
re Africanize but also to repatriate persons of
African ancestry to the motherland
in the same manner as had been done in the 19th century when