The Harlem Renaissance was shaped by Berkshire natives, W.E.B. DuBois and James Van Der Zee, and was given its moniker by James Weldon Johnson, who spent summers in south county. Many authors, musicians, and artists of the Harlem Renaissance are now being rediscovered and recognized for their powerful, pioneering work. In this course, we will consider their work, including the interaction among different art forms and the interplay between the artists of the "Lost Generation" and their African-American contemporaries. We will also consider how questions raised by the key players in the Harlem Renaissance about African-American identity and the place of African Americans in US society resonate today.

This course is curated by Katherine Kidd. Frances Jones-Sneed, PhD, emeritus professor of history at MCLA, will set the historical stage for the Harlem Renaissance. David Mickenberg, who had directed museums at Northwestern and Wellesley Universities and regional museums in Roanoke, VA and Allentown, PA will teach the classes on the visual artists of the Harlem Renaissance including those whose works are currently on view at the Met in New York City. David Langston, PhD, emeritus professor of English at MCLA, will teach the classes on the authors of the Harlem Renaissance. They will be joined by guest speakers throughout the course.

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