Jazz Poems in The Harlem Renaissance vs The Black Arts Movement
John Coltrane recording at Van Gelder Studios, NJ (1963) All throughout their journey towards a just and equal society, African Americans have used poems to spread their ideas and stories, inspiring others to join them in their effort. One specific form of poetry used in much of this journey is Jazz poetry, which first emerged during the Harlem Renaissance. However, much like the people themselves, forms of poetry changed dramatically as the 20th century progressed, to the point where a Jazz poem from the 1920s and one from the 1960s are barely recognizable as using the same form of poetry. How and why is the Jazz poetry from the Harlem Renaissance so different to that of the Black Arts Movement? What does this say about the evolution of the vision behind these movements? The Characteristics of Jazz Poetry Jazz poems are exactly what their name says they are; poems that contain elements of Jazz music. Jazz poetry originates from Blues poetry, and it also shares many similar features wi...
