Leading Figures of the Harlem Renaissance

Marion, Cornelius. Formal photograph of W. E. B. Du Bois 31 Dec. 1917. Library of Congress

W. E. B. Du Bois co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). During the period after World War One, protests were focused on passing anti-lynching legislation. During this time the NAACP was the main protest organization with Du Bois leading.

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 Langston Hughes is one of the most recognizable names associated with the Harlem Renaissance. He was a poet during the renaissance and also wrote essays and novels. His goal was to portray the realities of life as a working-class African American, avoiding negative stereotypes and idealization.

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Zora Neale Hurston was a world-renowned writer and anthropologist who wrote novels, short stories, depicting African American life in the South. She dedicated herself to studying and promoting black culture. 

Armstrong, Louis. Encyclopædia Britannica

Louis Armstrong's impact on the Harlem Renaissance was through music. He was one of the most important musicians from the Harlem Renaissance. Armstrong's improvised solos changed jazz from ensemble-based music to a soloist's. He also popularized a style called scat singing, using random syllables or sometimes no words.