Jazz
Throughout the 1920s, jazz music evolved into an integral part of American popular culture. The "primitive" jazz sound that had originated in New Orleans diversified, and thus appealed to people from every echelon of society. The effect of jazz music upon society can be depicted through a close examination of different aspects of popular culture. Jazz music had a profound effect on the literary world, which can be illustrated through the genesis of the genre of jazz poetry. Fashion in the 1920s was another way in which jazz music influenced popular culture. The Women's Liberation Movement was furthered by jazz music, as it provided means of rebellion against set standards of society. The status of African Americans was elevated, due to the popularity of this distinctly African American music. For the first time in American history, what was previously considered "bottom culture" rose to the top and became a highly desired commodity in society.
Jazz music spread from New Orleans with the Great Migration of African Americans in search of improved economic opportunities during World War I. It was pioneered by Handy "Jelly Roll" Morton and Joseph "Joe" King Oliver, both blacks, but all-white bands, such as the one led by Paul Whiteman, soon followed. W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" became an instant classic. Jazz captured the spirit of the time, and even today it is considered classical American music. The blossoming African American communities in the north witnessed a new sense of racial pride. In New York City, with about 100,000 African American residents during the 1920s, Harlem became one of the largest black communities in the world. A new spirit of of artistic, cultural, and social creativity soon flourished. Whites flocked to the Cotton Club in Harlem and nightclubs on the south side of Chicago, such as the Savoy, to witness performances by Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Honore Dutrey, Baby Dodds, King Oliver, Lil Hardin, Bill Johnson, and Johnny Dodds. Alain Locke, a black intellectual, believed political and social advancement could be made through the arts. The United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) was founded by Marcus Garvey, also from Harlem. He promoted the resettlement of African Americans to their "African Homeland" and went so far as to sponsor the Black Star Steamship Company. His goal was essentially to keep blacks' dollars in their own pockets while promoting the "back to Africa" movement.
Jazz music spread from New Orleans with the Great Migration of African Americans in search of improved economic opportunities during World War I. It was pioneered by Handy "Jelly Roll" Morton and Joseph "Joe" King Oliver, both blacks, but all-white bands, such as the one led by Paul Whiteman, soon followed. W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" became an instant classic. Jazz captured the spirit of the time, and even today it is considered classical American music. The blossoming African American communities in the north witnessed a new sense of racial pride. In New York City, with about 100,000 African American residents during the 1920s, Harlem became one of the largest black communities in the world. A new spirit of of artistic, cultural, and social creativity soon flourished. Whites flocked to the Cotton Club in Harlem and nightclubs on the south side of Chicago, such as the Savoy, to witness performances by Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Honore Dutrey, Baby Dodds, King Oliver, Lil Hardin, Bill Johnson, and Johnny Dodds. Alain Locke, a black intellectual, believed political and social advancement could be made through the arts. The United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) was founded by Marcus Garvey, also from Harlem. He promoted the resettlement of African Americans to their "African Homeland" and went so far as to sponsor the Black Star Steamship Company. His goal was essentially to keep blacks' dollars in their own pockets while promoting the "back to Africa" movement.