The 1920s was a decade of racial and ethnic intolerance in the United States. This was reflected in a number of events, such as the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan, the passage of restrictive immigration laws, and the continued disenfranchisement of African Americans in the South.
In contrast to this climate of intolerance, the Harlem Renaissance was a period of cultural and artistic flowering among African Americans in New York City. During the 1920s, Harlem became a hub of African American literature, music, art, and theater. Artists such as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Duke Ellington used their work to express their racial pride and to challenge stereotypes about African Americans.
The Harlem Renaissance was a significant cultural movement that helped to change the way that African Americans were perceived in the United States. It paved the way for future civil rights movements and helped to create a more inclusive society.