Alain+Locke

**Alain Locke (1886-1954) ** **Alain Locke** was Born Allen LeRoy Locke, September 13, 1886, in Philadelphia to Ishmael Locke and Mary Hawkins Locke (two well know social elites that spent their time helping the African American community and they were also educators) but he later changed his name to Alain Locke after he became captivated by French Literature, Alain died June 9, 1954, in New York City. When Alain was six years old his father died, and his mother supported him through teaching. Alain attended the Ethical Culture School, which was a school for educated African Americans with ideas about education, teaching moral principles and human values that were very different from what was being taught at other schools. When Alain was young he became ill with rheumatic fever early. The disease permanently damaged his heart which confined him to his house. He spent a lot time reading books and learning to play the piano and violin. Locke attended Central High School, graduating second in the class of 1902. Alain went to college at the Philadelphia School of Pedagogy, where he was first in his class, Then he attended Harvard University and completed Harvard's four-year program in three years in 1907, he won many awards and honors while attending school including and winning the school's most distinguished award, the Bowdoin Prize, for an essay in English. It was a remarkable achievement for anyone, especially an African American during this highly segregated era. Locke was named a Rhodes Scholar (a person who receives a scholarship to Oxford University for two to three years), the first African American chosen for this award, and sailed to England in 1907 to attend Oxford University. In 1910 he received a bachelor's degree in literature. From Oxford he moved to Germany for advanced work in philosophy at the University of Berlin from 1910 to 1911. This time in Europe helped to intensify his interest in modern art, music and literature.
 * Growing up**:[[image:http://www.npg.si.edu/img2/harmon/lockharm.gif width="168" height="248" align="right" caption="Alain Locke"]]

Locke is best known for his involvement with the Harlem Renaissance, although his work and influence extend well beyond that. Through The New Negro, published in 1925, Locke popularized and most adequately defined the Renaissance as a movement in black arts and letters. His interest and writings cover a wide range of topics, including philosophy, music, art, literature, anthropology, political theory, sociology, and African Studies. Besides his chairing and teaching in the Department of Philosophy at Howard University, he many years advising and encouraging a variety of African American artists. Lock is sometimes called the father of the Harlem Renaissance.
 * Harlem Renaissance**

Alain Locke was an American writer, philospher, and educator. He is known for his writings about the Halem Renaissance. He is unoffically called "The Father of the Harlem Renaissance. Locke's philosophy served as a strong motivating force in keeping the energy and passion of the Movement at the forefront. He wrote one of the most famous books about the Harlem Renaissance called __The New Negro.__ Locke also faced hardships even though he was extremely smart. He was denied entry into five different Oxford colleges because of his race and he took extreme offense to that. Locke later became the very first African American to win the Rhodes Scholar award. . W.E.B. Du Bios, one of the most famous African Americans, said that Locke has become “co-workers in the kingdom of culture.” Locke did not officially take of residence in the district of Harlem until after his retirement. While in retirement he issued his journal of __//Survey Graphic//__ in 1925. Locke understood Harlem well enough to write this journal. Though Locke acknowledged important urban movements elsewhere in the North and Central Midwest, it was Harlem that could offer the New Negro Movement the “cosmopolitan scale” necessary to rise above racial provincialism. Characterizing the Harlem Renaissance was an obvious racial pride that came to be represented in the idea of the New Negro, who through mind and production of literature, art, and music could spread through racism and stereotypes to promote progressive or socialist politics, and racial and social integration. The creation of art and literature would serve to "uplift" the race. This whole idea comes from the book __The New Negro__ which was written by Alain Locke. He used art to prove their humanity and their equality. Another key theme was the use of diverse literary expression which Locke did very successfully. This drew attention to more and more whites and therefore resulting in whites giving blacks oppurtunity to do thing.

**The New Negro:**

In 1925 Alain Locke published his essay “The New Negro”. “The New Negro” is an essay that depicts the concept of Alain Locke's ‘New Negro’ (who is independent and not influenced by America’s habits and stereotypes) compared to the imaginary ‘Old Negro’ (who is considered a “formula”, a “topic of discussion, or a stereotypical African American slave). Alain Locke uses this essay to encourage African Americans to become more independent and to not let the white race see them just as a “thing”.  The main theme of Alain Locke's “The New Negro” is to encourage African Americans to stand up for themselves. Alain uses an instructional yet optimistic tone to help set the theme of his essay. Through-out his persuasive essay “the New Negro” Locke uses several literary devices to help his message get across to the African American community. First Locke uses a metaphor; for example in the opening paragraph he describes the ‘Old Negro’ as a formula, not a human being. Locke also uses personification when stating that the human mind has   “thus burrowed in the trenches of the Civil War and Reconstruction” (Locke). In this line he uses personification to help the reader understand that the mindsets of people are still in the setting of the Civil War, rather than the 1930’s. Locke also uses rhetorical questions like " Why should our minds remain sectionalized when the problem itself no longer is?" to help emphasize the stupidity of the 'Old Negro' and to make the reader think about life without sectionalism or life as the 'New Negro'. Finally, Locke uses another metaphor when stating that the "wash and rush of this human tide on the beach line of the northern city centers"; he is comparing the African American migration from sourthern states to the northern industrial cities to a tide rolling onto the beach.  In “The New Negro” Alain Locke uses the following poem to help state his message: “We have tomorrow Bright before us Like a flame. Yesterday, a night-gone thing A sun-down name. And dawn today Broad arch above the road we came. We march!” (Locke) This poem has the rhyme scheme XXAXAXAX. It has several literary devices such as simile in “We have tomorrow Bright before us Like a flame”. He compares the future to a flame, flaming brightly. This poem also has alliteration in line two by repeating the letter "b". Locke uses this poem to help portray the Afican American's future as being bright if they march "above the road we came"; in other words, when they transform from the stereotypical 'Old Negro' to the independent and successful 'New Negro'.

Locke, Alain. //The New Negro//. 1925. //The Heath Anthology of American Literature//. Ed. Paul Lauter et al. 5th ed. Vol D. Boston: Houghton, 2006. 1490-1500.