The New
Harlem
The Genesis of Culture
A common perception of history is that it is a timeline: a series of dates and events that seem unrelated to the present day. History can be unapproachable and uninteresting due to both the mediums it is presented in and the material it covers. In the age of technology where differently colored screens shove the most relevant information towards people, the desire to open a history book and try to digest its material is all but gone. Therefore, our digital resource, called “The New Harlem,” caters to all the senses using a combination of texts, images, sound clips, maps and videos. “The New Harlem” provides a different angle and sheds new light on the Harlem Renaissance. These resources are dynamic and engaging, specifically designed for a modern audience using the latest technology. This digital media caters to an audience willing to visit Harlem for its historic value – one that represented a social and artistic change in America.
RATIONALE (Excerpts)
"In The New Negro, Alain Locke mentions the metamorphosis of the black American community in Harlem, saying that “the younger generation is vibrant with a new psychology; the new spirit is awake in the masses (Lewis 46)."
"In their eyes, the pen was mightier than the sword, literature figures such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston illustrated the real culture of the black community along with their fight for equality."
"Since the historical landmarks are so strongly entwined in Harlem and American culture today, society can no longer continue “fighting prejudice by mental passive resistance, in other words trying to ignore it,” as people had done during the 20th century and decades before (Lewis 49)."
"These historical sites in Harlem today serve as a permanent reminder to posterity that understanding and visualizing differences is an important step in fighting ignorance."
"The New Harlem servers to promote culture and inspire others to be proud of their roots and appreciate the diversity within and around us."
