Biography of Alain Locke :: essays research papers

During the 1920's, many African Americans migrated to Harlem, New York City in search of a better life a life which would later be better than what they had in the South. This movement became known as the Harlem Renaissance. It was originally called the New Negro Movement. Black literature during this era began to prosper in Harlem. The major writers of the Harlem Renaissance were many, such as, Sterling A. Brown, James Weldon Johnson, Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Zora Neale Hurston and others. The main person, however, was a scholar named Alain Locke. Locke would later be known by many authors and artists as the â€Å"father of the Harlem renaissance.† Alain Leroy Locke was born to S. Pliny and Mary Hawkins Locke on October 13, 1886 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were both teachers. Alain Locke’s father died when he was six years old, and his mother raised him alone. â€Å"She was determined that he receive the best education† (Hardy 34). He did receive what his mother wanted. He earned a scholarship to Harvard University and in 1907, graduated magna cum laude in philosophy. That same year he became the first African American to win a Rhodes scholarship, which allowed him to continue studying in Oxford, England. He studied at Oxford from 1907 to 1910 and then went to University of Berlin from 1910-1911. Locke received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Harvard University in 1918. Philosophy was the subject that attracted Locke the most at Oxford. This was the study of why people and cultures act the way they do. While studying in college, he became acquainted with a number of other well educated African Americans. Through them he gained a new view on America’s racial problems and learned a great deal about Africa and its history. Locke and his African American college friends then founded the â€Å"African Union Society†. The goal of this group was to develop a sense of brotherhood between each other and learn about its members so they could be the future â€Å"leaders of the African Race† (Hardy 34). The members usually discussed about how people believe that blacks and Asians were inferior to whites. Locke started his career teaching English at Howard University. Later on however, he became head of the Department of Philosophy. While he was working, he had developed some other interests in other fields as well. He liked music, art, literature, political theory, and anthropology to name a few. Biography of Alain Locke :: essays research papers During the 1920's, many African Americans migrated to Harlem, New York City in search of a better life a life which would later be better than what they had in the South. This movement became known as the Harlem Renaissance. It was originally called the New Negro Movement. Black literature during this era began to prosper in Harlem. The major writers of the Harlem Renaissance were many, such as, Sterling A. Brown, James Weldon Johnson, Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Zora Neale Hurston and others. The main person, however, was a scholar named Alain Locke. Locke would later be known by many authors and artists as the â€Å"father of the Harlem renaissance.† Alain Leroy Locke was born to S. Pliny and Mary Hawkins Locke on October 13, 1886 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were both teachers. Alain Locke’s father died when he was six years old, and his mother raised him alone. â€Å"She was determined that he receive the best education† (Hardy 34). He did receive what his mother wanted. He earned a scholarship to Harvard University and in 1907, graduated magna cum laude in philosophy. That same year he became the first African American to win a Rhodes scholarship, which allowed him to continue studying in Oxford, England. He studied at Oxford from 1907 to 1910 and then went to University of Berlin from 1910-1911. Locke received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Harvard University in 1918. Philosophy was the subject that attracted Locke the most at Oxford. This was the study of why people and cultures act the way they do. While studying in college, he became acquainted with a number of other well educated African Americans. Through them he gained a new view on America’s racial problems and learned a great deal about Africa and its history. Locke and his African American college friends then founded the â€Å"African Union Society†. The goal of this group was to develop a sense of brotherhood between each other and learn about its members so they could be the future â€Å"leaders of the African Race† (Hardy 34). The members usually discussed about how people believe that blacks and Asians were inferior to whites. Locke started his career teaching English at Howard University. Later on however, he became head of the Department of Philosophy. While he was working, he had developed some other interests in other fields as well. He liked music, art, literature, political theory, and anthropology to name a few.