The After-Party: A Celebration of the Harlem Renaissance
The Opportunity dinner was the event that solidified the Harlem Renaissance as a cultural movement to be reckoned with. After the success of the Civic Club dinner, where Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston had already made waves with their artistic talents, the Opportunity dinner took things to the next level.
Langston Hughes, fresh off a win for his poem “The Weary Blues,” and Zora Neale Hurston, who had impressed with her play “Color Struck,” were just two of the many talented individuals who gathered at the dinner. The mainstream news media took notice, with The New York Herald Tribune declaring it a “novel sight” to see white critics and Black writers coming together on common ground.
Veronica Chambers, editor of Projects and Collaborations at The Times, and Michelle May-Curry, Ph.D., a curator and writer, both recognize the significance of this moment in history. They see it as a turning point for the American Negro, who was finally finding their artistic voice in a society that had long ignored their talents.
The contributions of Susan C. Beachy and Sejla Rizvic in reporting on this event cannot be understated. Their dedication to capturing the essence of the Harlem Renaissance is evident in the vivid descriptions of the dinner and its impact on the cultural landscape of the time.
As we look back on the Harlem Renaissance, we can’t help but marvel at the talent and creativity that flourished during this period. The after-party of the Opportunity dinner was just the beginning of a movement that would forever change the way we view art, literature, and culture.
