emselves. In terms of the black community, being part of the community meant that all people were equal and that the things they said did and stood for were no less credit worthy because of their skin color.In the larger national community the black culture fought to be part of and not subservient to the white community and the Harlem Renaissance was a way of trying to get into the mainstream. They were voicing their opinion through art first in the form of poetry and stories and then through music, painting and dance. It seemed, when viewed from a distance, as though they were slowly being accepted in to mainstream community.Harlem is located on the northern end of Manhattan island and was a predominately black area. Downtown, as it was called, was the southern end of Manhattan, the area known as New York City, and this was where the majority of the whites lived. However, at night the people from downtown would make their way north to partake in the festivities which included night clubs, cabarets and social clubs where liquor was served and live shows played for the viewers delightment. It would appear that the communities were not two separate but know one.However as one writer noted, “We haven’t made any advancement, we still occupy the same role, below the whites.” After the evenings of fun and laughter the clientele would make their way back downtown and the line would be once again visible. The only thing that had changed was that these shows and performers had become cultural icons. They were a trend, if you will. It was the thing to do for the white businessmen.Many of the important players in the Harlem Renaissance dealt with issues other than race. While the main issue that I have discussed has been black vs. white there have been other dilemmas. Many of the people that wrote and portrayed their feelings were dealing with struggles that may have not been simply about race. Homo- vs. heterosexual...
