The Harlem Renaissance

I am a huge lover of vintage photographs and portraits. Of course I love a glamorous Old Hollywood shot of the likes of Lena Horne and Dorothy Dandridge, but I also love collecting portraits of everyday people from the period. You can tell so much of the time period from the fabric and drape of the garments worn as well as the personality and inner emotion of the model. I have seen only a small fraction of a series of Kodachrome photographs taken of some of the most talented and beautiful artists during the Harlem Renaissance. Some popular and some underrated, overlooked, or hard to find African American painters, singers, actors, photographers, dancers, writers, and designers.

I was surprised to learn that this series of photographs was taken by Carl Van Vechten who was a white writer and artistic photographer. It is worth noting that he was an extremely problematic figure in the Harlem Renaissance scene. While he promoted many African American artists such as, Zora Neale Hurston, Paul Robeson, and Ethel Waters, he also wrote problematic and controversial works such as Nigger Heaven (1926). His interest in the artistic African American community of Harlem oftentimes seemed like mere disingenuous intrigue at the way the opposite race lived. Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that this series of beautiful artistic photographs that he captured are worth sharing. I hope that by sharing this post, I may introduce you to some black artists from the past that you may have never heard of or maybe you will see a black artist you love in a different photographic light (like these lovely photographs of Billie Holiday). Either way I hope you guys enjoy!

Jazz singer Billie Holiday, 1949. (April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) Holiday got her start singing in nightclubs in Harlem. She was known for her distinctive, emotional, sometimes haunting vocals with raspy undertones. Some of her most popular songs and performances are "Strange Fruit," "God Bless the Child" and her album Lady Sings the Blues (1956). Holiday is noted for being one of the greatest jazz/blues singer of all time with a boastful 30 year singing career.

Dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey, 1955. (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) Ailey was best known for mastering the art of fusing different dance styles (African, jazz, modern dance, ballet, etc.) with theatrical elements. He also founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958.

Author and anthropoligst Zora Neale Hurston, 1940. (January 7, 1891 – January 28, 1960) Hurston was known for conducting extensive research on various studies dealing with black culture and combining that research with her own African American experience and racial division to write satirical

and critical shorts and novels such as, Mules and Men (1935), Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937); and Moses, Man of the Mountain (1939).

Writer and activist James Baldwin, 1955. (August 2, 1924 – December 1, 1987) Baldwin was best known for his power with words. He wrote essays in magazines such as The New Yorker and Harper and conducted tours and debates to discuss an ideology that was between Malcolm X's ideas and Martin Luther King Jr.'s beliefs. Along with his essays wrote plays such as Blues For Mr. Charlie (1964) and If Beale Street Could Talk (1974).

Singer and Broadway actress Martha Flowers, 1953. (Birthdate and death date unknown) There is not much information out there about Martha Flowers but from what I can gather she had a marvelous, operatic and theatrical singing voice. Don Shirley described in his introduction on her, "she can sing. anything and sing it well, from a Schubert lieder to a tune from a Broadway show." (Full review on her here) She seemed best known for her groundbreaking role in the Broadway Revival Four Saints in Three Acts (1952). A marvelous and rare clip of her singing can be listened to here.

Writer Langston Hughes, 1942. (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) Hughes was known for being a key leader in the Harlem Renaissance. He was a huge African American social activist and wrote a wide variety of poems, plays , children books, and nonfiction works. Some of his most known works include, "The Weary Blues" (1925), The Big Sea (1940), and Tambourines to Glory (1958). One of Hughes' goals in his works was to help inspire the younger generation of emerging black writers.

Opera singer Leontyne Price, 1953. (Born February 10, 1927) Leontyne is most known for becoming the first African American to become a leading operatic artist at the Metropolitan Opera during the 1950s and 60s. She was a soprano singer but according to critics she could also sing a wonderful mezzo. She led internationally acclaimed tours and performances with works such as, Il Trovatore, Madama Butterfly, and The Magic Flute. A clip of her beautiful singing can be found here.

Sociologist and educator W.E.B. Du Bois, 1946. (February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) William Edward Burghardt Du Bois made many contributions to African Americans. He was one of the founders of the NAACP in 1909 and editor of the NAACP's journal The Crisis. He strongly protested against racism and wrote critical essays such as The Souls of Black Folk (1903) and one of the first scientific discourses on American sociology .

Actress and singer Pearl Bailey, 1946. (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) Bailey was known for her wit, humor, and theatrical style in her singing and acting. She had bit roles in films such as Carmen Jones (1954), St. Louis Blues (1958), and Porgy and Bess (1959). She made many appearances on television talk shows. She is most noted for winning a Tony Award for the all-black Broadway production of Hello Dolly! (1967) and appeared and starred in other Broadway shows such as St. Louis Woman (1946) and House of Flowers (1954).

Actress Diana Sands, 1963. (August 22, 1934 – September 21, 1973) Diana had a short but noteworthy list of credits particularly on the stage. She was a star in a 1964 production of James Baldwin's Blues for Mister Charlie (ANTA Playhouse), The Owl and the Pussycat (ANTA Playhouse and Royale Theatre), and 1959 production of A Raisin in the Sun (Ethel Barrymore Theatre and Belasco Theatre).

Boxer Joe Louis, 1954. (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) Louis competed professionally in boxing from 1934 - 1951. He is known as one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time. He was a huge fan and lover of professional golf as well and was able to bypass the "Caucasian Only" golf clause leading to its amendment in 1961.

Painter Lady Bird Cleveland, 1954. (July 24, 1926 – June 2, 2015) Mother of model Pat Cleveland. Much of Lady Bird's work is hard to uncover but it is gathered that during the 1940s, she was known for painting works that reflected the nightlife of Harlem. She painted the likes of Eartha Kitt, Josephine Baker, and Duke Ellington. Later in life she painted historical figures such as Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass.

Actress, dancer, and choreographer Carmen De Lavallade (1955). Carmen acted in films such as Carmen Jones (1954) and Odds Against Tomorrow (1959). She was married to dancer and actor Geoffrey Holder with whom she collaborated choreographic routines with. She appeared on television and in several Off-Broadway productions and was a prima ballerina for shows at the Metropolitan Opera. She was also a principle guest dance performer with the Alvin Ailey Dance Company.

Actor James Earl Jones, 1961. (Born January 17, 1931) Jones is considered one of the "most versatile and distinguished actors of all time." He's won the Tony Award multiple times for starring roles in The Great White Hope (1969)--to which he also won a Golden Globe for this role--and Fences (1987). He's won Emmy Awards for Heat Wave (1990), Gabriel's Fire (1990), and many other noteworthy awards and nominations. He is also known for voice acting as Darth Vader in the Star Wars film series and Mufasa in Disney's Lion King (1994).

Actress and singer Muriel Rahn, 1944. (1911 – 1961) Muriel starred and costarred in a small selection of theatrical productions but was best known for playing the lead role of Carmen Jones in the Broadway production in 1943. She also made television appearances on hit shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show. She hit a huge milestone in 1959 by becoming the first black musical director of the Städtische Bühnen Theater in Frankfurt, Germany.

Pianist Eugene Haynes, 1947. (1927–2007 Haynes was a classical pianist and composer. He began studying his craft at Julliard but eventually moved to Paris to continue his studies. He was good friends and classmates with Miles Davis. Being a black musician, he found it extremely difficult to breakthrough to popular media and wrote about his experiences in diaries and letters which ended up being part of a later biography, To Soar with Eagles (1952). Unfortunately his music is very hard if not impossible to find but his contribution and experience in the music industry is noteworthy.

Singer and actress Ethel Waters, 1940. (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) Waters had a long lasting and successful singing career and later on became a prominent actress on the Broadway stage. She's known for her recordings to tunes such as, "Stormy Weather," "Heat Wave," and "Miss Otis Regrets (She's Unable to Lunch Today)." She starred in feature films such as, Cabin in the Sky (1946) and Pinky (1949) and made many stage appearances from as early as 1919-56.

Singer Mahalia Jackson, 1962. (October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) Mahalia was a gospel singer and civil rights activist. Her powerful voice was noted on songs such as, "Come Sunday," "Amazing Grace," "Go Tell It On the Mountain," and "His Eye is on the Sparrow." She had a long lasting career from 1940s - 1970s and ended up in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy Hall of Fame to name a few honors.

Singer, actor, and activist Harry Belafonte, 1954. (Born March 1, 1927) Belafonte is known for popularizing Caribbean musical style particularly on his album Calypso (1956). He co-starred in three films with Dorothy Dandridge, Bright Road (1953), Carmen Jones (1954), and Island in the Sun (1957) and starred in other films such as The World, the Flesh and the Devil (1959) and Odds Against Tomorrow (1959). He was a confidant of Martin Luther King Jr. and was an early Civil Rights advocate.

Singer and actress Joyce Bryant, 1953. (Born October 14, 1928) Joyce was known as "The Bronze Blond Bombshell", with her startling silver hair and body con mermaid dresses. She was sultry and performed with a great deal of sex appeal inspiring singers such as, Eartha Kitt. Joyce performed regularly at La Martinique, a popular club in New York, during the 1940s. She was in a 118-show tour on the same bill as Josephine Baker. In 1952 she recorded a series of songs such as "Drunk with Love" which was banned due its vulgarity. She was also outspoken on race issues which made her a target of the KKK. Eventually she left the industry during the height of her career.

Actor Avon Long, 1942. (June 18, 1910 – February 15, 1984) Avon was a Broadway actor and singer. He peformed on Broadway in shows such as, Black Rhythm (1939), Porgy and Bess (as Sportin' Life in the 1942 revival), Beggar's Holiday (1946), and Shuffle Along (1952 revival). He also played in small roles in films and TV shows.

Last but certainly not least, jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, 1940. (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996) Ella had a long lasting (60 year long) singing career and recorded notable musical collaborations with singers and composers such as, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie. She is noted for song such as, "Dream a Little Dream of Me," "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," "Let's Do It," "Summertime," and "My Funny Valentine."

Hope you all enjoyed this rather lengthy but important post. I really enjoyed writing it and celebrating so many wonderful, talented, and beautiful African American artists that were prominent, helped develop the Harlem Renaissance, and paved the way not only artistically but socially and politically for future African American artists.

I will see you lovely people next week!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the photographs in this post.