Question 1

Which Caribbean-born author of Batouala played a crucial role in providing the budding writers of the Harlem Renaissance with an international audience?

Accepted Answer

René Maran, a Caribbean-born author, is known for his novel "Batouala," which earned him the prestigious Prix Goncourt. His work and influence were significant in providing Harlem Renaissance writers with an international audience, showcasing the depth and diversity of Black literature and culture on a global stage.

Question 2

Which author of Plum Bum also played a critical role in introducing and encouraging much of the new talent associated with the Harlem Renaissance?

Accepted Answer

Jessie Redmon Fauset was instrumental in the Harlem Renaissance, not only as an author but also as an editor at The Crisis magazine, where she encouraged and promoted the work of many African American writers.

Question 3

Which European city experienced an explosion of black artistic creativity reminiscent of the Harlem Renaissance and fueled by performers like Louis Mitchell's Jazz Kings,Florence Embry Jones,and Eugene Bullard?

Accepted Answer

Paris became a hub for black artistic creativity in the early 20th century, similar to the Harlem Renaissance in New York. Artists, musicians, and performers like Louis Mitchell's Jazz Kings, Florence Embry Jones, and Eugene Bullard found the city to be a welcoming place where they could express their talents freely, contributing to a vibrant cultural scene.

Question 4

The poetry of Langston Hughes was marked by all of the following characteristics EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Langston Hughes was known for his innovative use of jazz rhythms and the vernacular of African Americans, rather than adhering strictly to traditional poetic structures. His work often broke from classical forms to better express the experiences and culture of African Americans.

Question 5

Whose hotel on West 53^rd Street was the center of black bohemia in New York before the First World War?

Accepted Answer

Jimmie Marshall's hotel on West 53rd Street was known as the center of black bohemia in New York before the First World War.

Question 6

Which black iconoclast argued that the concept of a unique black artistic movement was a myth,and that the artistic works of African Americans were essentially as European in influence as the works of white Americans?

Accepted Answer

George Schuyler argued that the concept of a unique black artistic movement was a myth, emphasizing that the artistic works of African Americans were as influenced by European traditions as those of white Americans.

Question 7

Which of the following statements about Claude McKay is LEAST accurate?

Accepted Answer

Claude McKay was already an established poet before the Harlem Renaissance. His early work, including poems in Jamaican dialect, was recognized and appreciated prior to the movement, contradicting the claim that his work was ignored until the Harlem Renaissance.

Question 8

Born Peyton Cole Hedgeman,which artist won fame for A Midsummer Night in Harlem and other scenes of urban black life?

Accepted Answer

Palmer Hayden is the artist known for winning fame with "A Midsummer Night in Harlem" among other scenes depicting urban black life. His work is celebrated for its portrayal of African American experiences and culture during the Harlem Renaissance.

Question 9

As a poet,Countee Cullen

Accepted Answer

Countee Cullen insisted on his right to explore non-racial subjects in his poetry, emphasizing the universality of his artistic concerns rather than limiting himself solely to the exploration of racial themes.

Question 10

Which dancer,having enjoyed success on Broadway,became a legendary figure in Europe through the Revue Negre?

Accepted Answer

Josephine Baker became a legendary figure in Europe, particularly in France, through her performances in the Revue Nègre. Her success on Broadway was followed by immense popularity in Europe, where she broke racial barriers and became an icon of the Jazz Age.

Question 11

Which of the following statements about the Harlem Renaissance is LEAST accurate?

Accepted Answer

The Harlem Renaissance was generally supported by leaders of civil rights organizations, who saw the cultural movement as a way to challenge racial stereotypes and promote African American achievements. It was not viewed as a distraction from the struggle against racism, but rather as a component of it.

Question 12

Which Chicago artist shifted from realist portraiture to modernist depictions on nightlife in his Bronzeville series of paintings?

Accepted Answer

Archibald Motley is known for his vibrant, modernist paintings that capture the complexity and dynamism of African American life, particularly in his depictions of the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago.

Question 13

Which New Negro artist's West Coast setting introduced him to artistic styles such as California modernism which distinguished his work from that of East Coast artists?

Accepted Answer

Sargent Johnson's work was distinguished by his exposure to California modernism, a result of his West Coast setting, which set his work apart from that of East Coast artists.

Question 14

Which artist's photographs of ordinary blacks,later exhibited as Harlem on My Mind,played a crucial role in shaping popular images of the Harlem Renaissance?

Accepted Answer

James Van Der Zee was a prominent photographer whose work, particularly his photographs of ordinary African Americans, was later showcased in the exhibition "Harlem on My Mind." His images played a significant role in shaping the popular perception of the Harlem Renaissance.

Question 15

Whose 1923 novel Cane is widely recognized as the first black modernist work?

Accepted Answer

Jean Toomer's novel "Cane" is widely recognized as the first major work of African American modernism, published in 1923. It is a groundbreaking collection of sketches, poems, and stories that explore African American life in the early 20th century.

Question 16

Which Howard University professor and editor of the anthology The New Negro emerged as the architect of the Harlem Renaissance in 1924?

Accepted Answer

Alain Locke is widely recognized as the intellectual architect of the Harlem Renaissance. His work as an editor for the anthology "The New Negro" was instrumental in defining the movement's direction and showcasing the talents of African American artists and writers during the 1920s.

Question 17

In Their Eyes Were Watching God,Zora Neale Hurston

Accepted Answer

In "Their Eyes Were Watching God," Zora Neale Hurston praised the authenticity of rural black culture, focusing on the life and struggles of African American women in the early 20th century, particularly in the rural South.

Question 18

As a group,the writers of the Harlem Renaissance believed that

Accepted Answer

The Harlem Renaissance writers believed that art could serve as a powerful tool for social change, advocating for civil rights and challenging racial stereotypes through their creative expressions.

Quiz 16: The Arts at Home and Abroad