The interwar period was a watershed decade in black history due to the development of an international discourse and vehicle that focuses on a transnational solidarity and commonness of the African diaspora known as the Harlem Renaissance. Harlem Renaissance has been detrimental in the celebration of the black race and in redefining the notion of being Black in America in a more positive way. Harlem Renaissance has influenced other revolutionary movements within the black diasporic community such as the negritude movement. This paper summarizes the main events and publications that helped shape the Harlem Renaissance with the role of Black women in this cultural, philosophical and literary movement created in Harlem in the 1920s. Through this movement, transnational exchanges helped shape the black community’s worldwide experiences, and specifically formed a strong feeling of belonging, self-determination, and cultural celebration of the black race. Black writers, activists, and scholars celebrate their African heritages and call for solidarity in the black community. Thus, they challenged colonization, oppression and white supremacy, helping the black community gain independence and self-awareness.
Keywords: Harlem renaissance; identity; diaspora; self-determination; women; African heritages
