The Harlem Renaissance had a lot in common with the hippie generation of the 1960s. Both had an impact on social consciousness, originated within a specific region (one in California and one in New York) and produced its own literature. Also, the two social movements embraced a liberal and socialist point of view.
Some of the most widely read authors of the Harlem Renaissance are Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston and W.E.B Dubois. They are the most frequently read Harlem Renaissance authors in high schools.
The artists of the Harlem Renaissance explored labels that were often imposed upon them, such as the word "primitive." Primitive did not have the same connotation in Harlem Renaissance art as it did in the white art world, where it originally meant ugly or uncivilized. The Harlem artists' definition meant empowerment and a return to their original roots.
Duke Ellington, the iconic jazz musician from the Harlem Renaissance period, was at one point the band leader at The Cotton Club, a famous establishment during the Prohibition era. It featured other well-know performers of the day such as Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole.
Blacks from the south migrated to the north to escape poor living conditions. A significant portion of the migration settled in Harlem as well as Chicago.