The decade after World War I and the postwar depression were hard times. Unemployment was up, spirits were down, and emotions needed lifting. Americans needed to have a good time. Still, entertainers were losing their jobs, and a gaping hole was left in the public's source of cheer. The Harlem Renaissance was the time that fixed it. African-American music gained popularity from the time when it was enjoyed free on the street through the time of the dance halls with black bands that were paid to play. African-American literature and poetry also gained a piece of the spotlight, as well as the black philosophers who were often as educated as whites. As the popularity and acceptance of black culture grew, changes started to occur.

The music, literature, and intellectuals resulting from the Harlem Renaissance helped to show whites that blacks could create art, achieve professionalism, and be as...