Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.

Question

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural, artistic, and intellectual movement that emerged during the 1920s in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. At its heart, the movement was a rebirth of African American culture, emphasizing pride in Black identity and the richness of African American history. Writers, musicians, and visual artists from across the United States gravitated to Harlem, where their work could flourish in a community of shared experience and bold innovation.

Key figures of the Harlem Renaissance included writers such as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Claude McKay. These authors explored themes of racial pride, resistance to oppression, and the complexity of the African American experience. Their work did not shy away from harsh realities but often emphasized beauty, resilience, and the possibility of transformation. Hughes, for example, used jazz rhythms in his poetry to reflect the cultural vibrancy of Black communities, while Hurston preserved African American dialects and folklore in her fiction and anthropological work.

While the Harlem Renaissance was centered in New York, its influence extended nationwide. It helped to reshape how Americans understood race, identity, and artistic value. The movement challenged racist stereotypes by presenting African Americans as intellectuals, creators, and innovators. Though the Renaissance began to wane with the onset of the Great Depression, its impact endured, paving the way for the Civil Rights Movement and continuing to inspire artists and thinkers to this day.

STANDARD: RI2

What is the central idea of the passage?
*
5 points
Harlem was the most important neighborhood in New York in the 1920s.
The Harlem Renaissance was a transformative cultural movement that celebrated African American identity.
The Great Depression ended the Harlem Renaissance permanently.
Langston Hughes was the only major writer of the Harlem Renaissance.
STANDARD: RI4

In the sentence, "Writers, musicians, and visual artists from across the United States gravitated to Harlem, where their work could flourish in a community of shared experience and bold innovation," the phrase “bold innovation” most likely suggests that the artists:
*
5 points
Were cautious in their approach to creating new art.
Emphasized creating traditional art that aligned with European models.
Created new and daring artistic expressions that reflected their culture.
Had no particular style and mimicked others’ works.
STANDARD: RI5

How does the author support the idea that the Harlem Renaissance had a lasting impact?
*
5 points
By stating that Harlem became the richest area in New York
By comparing the Harlem Renaissance to European art movements
By explaining that it inspired later movements like the Civil Rights Movement
By focusing only on Langston Hughes's poetry
STANDARD: RI1

According to the passage, what was one way Langston Hughes reflected African American culture in his work?
*
5 points
He wrote only about political leaders.
He refused to publish his work outside Harlem.
He focused entirely on African history.
He used jazz rhythms in his poetry.
STANDARD: RI6

What is the author’s primary purpose in writing this passage?
*
5 points
To explain the history and influence of the Harlem Renaissance
To compare Harlem to other neighborhoods
To argue against modern interpretations of African American art
To criticize 1920s literature in general

Answer 1

1. What is the central idea of the passage?
   Answer: The Harlem Renaissance was a transformative cultural movement that celebrated African American identity.

2. In the sentence, "Writers, musicians, and visual artists from across the United States gravitated to Harlem, where their work could flourish in a community of shared experience and bold innovation," the phrase “bold innovation” most likely suggests that the artists:
   Answer: Created new and daring artistic expressions that reflected their culture.

3. How does the author support the idea that the Harlem Renaissance had a lasting impact?
   Answer: By explaining that it inspired later movements like the Civil Rights Movement.

4. According to the passage, what was one way Langston Hughes reflected African American culture in his work?
   Answer: He used jazz rhythms in his poetry.

5. What is the author’s primary purpose in writing this passage?
   Answer: To explain the history and influence of the Harlem Renaissance.