The Harlem Renaissance

Description: The Harlem Renaissance was a period of cultural and artistic flourishing among African Americans in Harlem, New York City, spanning the 1920s and early 1930s. This quiz will test your knowledge about this significant era.
Number of Questions: 15
Created by:
Tags: african american history harlem renaissance literature art music
Attempted 0/15 Correct 0 Score 0

What was the name of the literary movement associated with the Harlem Renaissance?

  1. The New Negro Movement

  2. The Harlem School of Writers

  3. The Black Arts Movement

  4. The Negritude Movement


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The Harlem School of Writers was a group of African American writers who emerged during the Harlem Renaissance and produced influential works that explored the African American experience.

Who was the most prominent poet of the Harlem Renaissance?

  1. Langston Hughes

  2. Claude McKay

  3. Countee Cullen

  4. Jean Toomer


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Langston Hughes was a prolific poet, playwright, novelist, and short story writer who is considered one of the most important figures of the Harlem Renaissance.

Which novel by Nella Larsen won the Harmon Foundation Award for Literature in 1929?

  1. Quicksand

  2. Passing

  3. The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

  4. Cane


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Nella Larsen's novel "Passing" won the Harmon Foundation Award for Literature in 1929. The novel explores the complexities of racial identity and passing in Harlem society.

Who was the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize for Literature?

  1. James Baldwin

  2. Ralph Ellison

  3. Gwendolyn Brooks

  4. Zora Neale Hurston


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize for Literature, which she received in 1950 for her book of poetry "Annie Allen."

Which Harlem Renaissance artist is known for his vibrant paintings depicting African American life?

  1. Jacob Lawrence

  2. Aaron Douglas

  3. Palmer Hayden

  4. William H. Johnson


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Jacob Lawrence was a renowned Harlem Renaissance artist known for his series of paintings that depicted African American history and culture.

What was the name of the Harlem Renaissance theater company founded by W.E.B. Du Bois?

  1. The Negro Experimental Theatre

  2. The Harlem Players

  3. The Krigwa Players

  4. The Lafayette Players


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The Krigwa Players was a Harlem Renaissance theater company founded by W.E.B. Du Bois in 1926. The company produced plays that explored African American life and history.

Who was the first African American to conduct a major symphony orchestra?

  1. James Reese Europe

  2. Will Marion Cook

  3. Duke Ellington

  4. Fletcher Henderson


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

James Reese Europe was the first African American to conduct a major symphony orchestra. He led the 369th Infantry "Hellfighters" Band during World War I and later conducted the Clef Club Orchestra in New York City.

Which Harlem Renaissance musician was known as the "King of Jazz"?

  1. Louis Armstrong

  2. Duke Ellington

  3. Cab Calloway

  4. Fletcher Henderson


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Duke Ellington was a renowned jazz musician, composer, and bandleader who is often referred to as the "King of Jazz."

What was the name of the Harlem Renaissance nightclub that hosted legendary jazz musicians?

  1. The Cotton Club

  2. The Savoy Ballroom

  3. The Apollo Theater

  4. The Lenox Lounge


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Cotton Club was a famous Harlem Renaissance nightclub that hosted legendary jazz musicians such as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, and Louis Armstrong.

Which Harlem Renaissance writer published the influential essay "The New Negro" in 1925?

  1. Alain Locke

  2. James Weldon Johnson

  3. W.E.B. Du Bois

  4. Marcus Garvey


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Alain Locke was a philosopher, writer, and editor who published the influential essay "The New Negro" in 1925. The essay articulated the cultural and intellectual aspirations of the Harlem Renaissance.

What was the name of the Harlem Renaissance magazine that published the works of many prominent African American writers?

  1. The Crisis

  2. Opportunity

  3. Fire!!

  4. The Messenger


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Opportunity was a Harlem Renaissance magazine that published the works of many prominent African American writers, including Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Countee Cullen.

Which Harlem Renaissance artist is known for his sculptures that depicted African American life and history?

  1. Augusta Savage

  2. Meta Warrick Fuller

  3. Richmond Barthé

  4. Hale Woodruff


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Augusta Savage was a renowned Harlem Renaissance artist known for her sculptures that depicted African American life and history.

Who was the first African American to win an Academy Award?

  1. Hattie McDaniel

  2. Sidney Poitier

  3. Whoopi Goldberg

  4. Denzel Washington


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to win an Academy Award, which she received in 1940 for her supporting role in the film "Gone with the Wind."

Which Harlem Renaissance writer published the novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God" in 1937?

  1. Zora Neale Hurston

  2. Nella Larsen

  3. Jessie Fauset

  4. Marita Bonner


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Zora Neale Hurston was a renowned Harlem Renaissance writer who published the novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God" in 1937. The novel is considered a classic of African American literature.

What was the name of the Harlem Renaissance movement that sought to promote African American culture and identity?

  1. The New Negro Movement

  2. The Harlem School of Writers

  3. The Black Arts Movement

  4. The Negritude Movement


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The New Negro Movement was a Harlem Renaissance movement that sought to promote African American culture and identity. It emphasized the importance of self-expression, racial pride, and social justice.

- Hide questions