During the Harlem Renaissance, writers typed manuscripts that transformed American culture.
Between 1919 and the Great Depression, African-American writers transformed the literary landscape of the United States. Centered in Harlem, they published poetry, fiction, essays and books that explored racial identity, challenged racist stereotypes and celebrated African-American culture. During this period, many white Americans learned about African-American experiences and perspectives for the first time. Some wealthy white patrons embraced this literature and supported it. However, the relationship between white patrons and Harlem Renaissance writers carried racial and political baggage.
Funding
Wealthy white patrons gave Harlem Renaissance writers money for travel, research and living expenses. Without these financial contributions, many literary works might never have found their way into print. Sometimes, white patrons maintained personal relationships with writers. For example, Charlotte Osgood Mason donated funds to many individual artists, including Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston and Claude McKay, according to Cary D. Wintz and Paul Finkelman in the Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance. White patrons like Mason also donated money to institutions founded by African-American artists, such as the Negro Art Institute.
Reinforcing Stereotypes
Although white patrons helped Harlem Renaissance writers, they did not always respect their artistic and political independence. Some patrons tried to make African-American literature conform to stereotypes. The Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance notes that Mason demanded a "primitive" writing style from her prot g s. In fact, Langston Hughes cut off ties with her when she tried to dissuade him from political poetry. Mason also made her funding of the Negro Art Institute contingent on writers producing "primitive" writing, according to the Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance.
Claiming Ownership
Harlem Renaissance writers labored over their literary works, only to find that some white patrons claimed to own their writing. When Mason funded Zora Neale Hurston's folklore research, she wrote a contract forbidding publication and claiming all material belonged to her, states an article entitled "The Problem of White Patronage: Charlotte Osgood Mason and Zora Neale Hurston" on the University of Virginia's "Zora Neale Hurston's Mules and Men and E-Project" website.
Critics as Patrons
Literary critics and well-known writers such as H.L. Mencken promoted Harlem Renaissance writing to white audiences and helped African-American writers meet potential publishers. While white critics sincerely sought to promote black writing and culture, many tended to portray it as "primitive" and "emotional." Even though these white critics embraced "primitivism" as a positive trait, their patronage fed into cultural stereotypes. It also treated the Harlem Renaissance as a cultural movement primarily for white people to enjoy as opposed to a way to empower African Americans.
End of an Era
The relationship with white patrons ended abruptly as money ran dry during the Great Depression. When the stock market crashed in 1929 many white patrons took financial hits. Even those who survived relatively unscathed spent their money more cautiously, and that meant cutting off funds to Harlem Renaissance writers. The extreme poverty in Harlem also sparked crime and violence, and white patrons fled.
