Black artistic exhibit 'Harlem Renaissance' to open at museum

This unique period in American art history spotlights works by many black artists who became part of a "Great Migration” to northern Manhattan’s Harlem.

Following World War I, Harlem became a mecca for artists who celebrated the black culture through their art. This "Negro metropolis,” as it was known, became a symbol of pride and achievement, as well as a place where jazz, cabarets and speakeasies flourished.

Artists ranging from Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden to Archibald J. Motley Jr. and Faith Ringgold created images of black life and culture as part of a "New Negro” era.

Encouraged by Alain Locke and W.E.B. DuBois to look beyond caricature and racial stereotypes, these artists invigorated traditional subjects.

The lasting legacy of the Harlem Renaissance can be found in the continued interest in exploring, modernizing, and visualizing the black experience.