NY Social Studies 11.7b
The Standard
African Americans continued to struggle for social and economic equality while expanding their own thriving and unique culture. African American cultural achievements were increasingly integrated into national culture.
New York State K–12 Social Studies Framework
Key Idea 11.7
PROSPERITY AND DEPRESSION (1920 – 1939): The 1920s and 1930s were a time of cultural and economic changes in the nation. During this period, the nation faced significant domestic challenges, including the Great Depression.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students analyze Harlem Renaissance literature, music, and visual art for messages about identity, racial pride, inequality, and freedom. They explain how these works shaped national culture and compare their ideas with Marcus Garvey’s Black nationalism.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students use details from primary sources to explain how artists and activists challenged racism and defined Black identity. They can identify cultural influence without claiming that popularity ended discrimination or economic inequality.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may assume the Harlem Renaissance ended racism or benefited all African Americans economically. They may also treat Marcus Garvey, Harlem Renaissance artists, and all Black Americans as sharing one political vision.
How to Assess It
- Give students a short Langston Hughes poem and a Marcus Garvey speech excerpt. Ask them to name one shared idea, one difference, and evidence for each claim.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Set up a gallery walk with poems, paintings, photographs, and jazz recordings, then have students label themes and evidence at each station.
Discuss: Did wider national attention to Black art create social equality, cultural influence, or both? Support your answer with two sources.
Play a source-matching game where teams pair artists, works, themes, and evidence, then explain each match for a point.
Have students trace one Harlem Renaissance influence in a current song, poem, film, or artwork and present the connection with specific evidence.
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Printable 11.7b Worksheet
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