Transcript How did Gwendolyn Bennett and Duke Ellington influence the

How did Gwendolyn Bennett and
Duke Ellington influence the
Harlem Renaissance age?
Tara Bauer and John Kenney
Gwendolyn Bennett (1902-1981)
Writer (poet and columnist) Artist
(paintings)
 Earned college degree from Pratt
Institute
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How Gwendolyn Arose To Fame
She wrote articles for NAACP’s The Crisis
and Urban League’s Opportunity
 Submitted her art work to those
magazines
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Gwendolyn’s Contribution
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Belonged to a group that centered around
spreading awareness about African
American culture
What Did Her Work Reflect?

Themes common to Harlem Renaissance
– racial pride, rediscovery of Africa, and
recognition of black music and dance
Kara Walker: A Modern Painter
Received Master of Fine Arts degree in
painting in 1994 from Rhode Island
School of Design
 Work explored race, gender, violence and
identity

Duke Ellington (1899-1974)
Key figure in history of jazz
 Musician (pianist, conductor, composer)
 Preformed in Broadway nightclubs in the
20’s
 Earned 12 Grammy’s from 1959 to 2000,
nine while he was alive

How Duke Came To Fame
Became successful bandleader in NY in
1923
 Traveled throughout Europe & regularly
made trips to South America, Asia, and
Australia spreading his music

Duke’s Contribution to Harlem
Renaissance
Important component in the
establishment of jazz
 Famous songs included “It Don’t Mean A
Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing”,
“Sophisticated Lady”, and “Prelude To A
Kiss”

George Benson (b. 1943)
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Began successful solo career alternating
between jazz, pop, R&B singing, and scat
singing
Won 10 Grammy awards as a jazz artist
Songs talked about race, romance, and
friendship
Works Cited
Aruelio Araujo. “Duke Ellington – It don’t
mean a thing (1943)”. Online Video Clip.
YouTube.YouTube, 3 Jan. 2008. Web. 17
March. 2013.
 “Duke Ellington Biography”. The
Official
Site Of Jazz Legend Duke
Ellington. N.p. 2008. Web. 17
March.
2013.
www.dukeellington.com“George
Benson”.

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George Benson Guitar Legend. N.p.
N.d.
Web. 17 March. 2013.
www.georgebenson.com
Govan, Sandra. “Gwendolyn Bennett’s Life
and Career”. Oxford University Press. 1997.
Web. 17 March. 2013.
www.english.illinois.edu
“Gwendolyn Bennett”. Biography True Story.
A+E Television Networks, LLC. 2013. Web.
17 March. 2013.
www.biography.com
Haas, Theresa. “Gwendolyn, Bennett”.
Pennsylvania State University. N.p.
2005. Web. 17 March. 2013.
http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu
 “The Art of Kara Walker”. Walker Art.
N.p. N.d. Web. 17 March. 2013.
learn.walkerart.org/karawalker
 “To A Dark Girl”. All Poetry. N.p. N.d.
Web. 17 March 2013.
http://allpoerty.com
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