Initially, the idea of leading class for a day didn’t seem too daunting of a task. But it was only after we started planning how the class session should go that we realized that there were many more challenges to it (Shout out to all teachers and professors at this time!). But it was definitely a fruitful experience as we learned how to be more effective and interactive in our communication with the audience.

During the planning process, we knew that we had to make it as fun and engaging as possible. So we decided to have an ice breaker that related with the assigned readings – a simplified version of the Numbers game was perfect. Although no one won, it was a good way to lead into the discussion. Then we asked everyone to write down their ideas on the board. This led into a time of discussion with the whole class, when we explored various parts of chapters eight, nine and ten. As we started talking about the Harlem Renaissance, we also explored two poems that were written during that time period. To better examine each chapter, we finally split the class into three groups. We did this because small groups facilitate a space for more thorough discussion. To conclude the class we then asked few people from each group to share the ideas that their group brought up.

Here are some of our notes that we made in preparation for the class:

CHAPTER 8- ETHNIC AND RACE ENTERPRISE

  • Harlem had lack of strong entrepreneurial base. Harlem can be helped if more negros engaged in business
  • Everyone (socialist’s and communist’s) wanted blacks to do well in business because it “served as a model of the race’s capabilities in a field in which the african americans lacked.”
  • However, the caribbean immigrant population owned a lot more of the businesses than the African Americans in proportion. Because of better general education and initiative.
  • There was a “west indian presence” in the harlem market. But whites had a good control of it so it didn’t have too much of an effect.
  • Although there was an emergence of black merchants, white customers would not be willing to buy from them.
  • Blacks couldn’t prove their craft skills as craft unions had strict initiation policies. Barred black entry.
  • Sarco Realty, Renaissance Theatre Building etc were key achievements for immigrants.
  • Even with all the upcoming businesses, most property belonged to other white people. So it was difficult to gain complete control.
  • The boom of Caribbean entrepreneurs in 1920s put them in influential positions among the Afro American community as well.
  • Colored Merchant’s Association- group of a lot of black owned businesses. Purpose to buy merch cooperatively.

CHAPTER 9 – THE UNDERGROUND ENTREPRENEUR

  • The Numbers game: An illegal lottery was the biggest employer in Harlem.
  • State law in 1901 made it illegal.
  • Parts of the Numbers game: a Banker, group of collectors who took bets from customers, and other controllers who took bets from consumers. Legal staff like accountants and typewriters etc were also there.
  • Bankers were well respected in the society because of the employment opportunities they provided. Yet they had to be shrewd  to achieve it. They achieved a lot of profits.
  • Even though chances of winning were low, people still played it because of the gaudy returns.
  • White gangsters, like Dutch Schultz, step in to take down the black numbers market. He would fix it to make blacks lose more money.
  • Bankers started closing down, went to legitimate businesses or left the country (Panama Francis)
  • Alexander Pompez (another banker) was forced to give part of his profits to schultz if he had to continue his business
  • Madame Stephanie St Clair gained fame as the “Number’s queen” as she was able to defy Dutch Schultz when other men bankers couldn’t even do it at that time.
  • She also began an open public campaign against sudden searches by the police saying they framed individuals at times.
  • Casper Holstein had intricate connections to Harlem’s black establishment. But after becoming a millionaire he gave back a lot of his money. Therefor he was praised by the community. He bought Liberty hall to keep it in “Black hands.” He did a lot for black arts as well. Gave a lot of funds to universities for education etc.
  • Marcellina was a pioneer in the numbers business in Harlem. He was a foreign bor banker.
  • Caribbean immigrants played a huge part in the numbers game. Black middle class received greater advantage from the numbers game than the masses who were mostly just players.

CHAPTER 10 – Harlem Writers and Intraracial Ethnicity

  • Claude McKay, a Jamaican immigrant, had struggled with cultural pluralism and the his true ethnic identity due to moving around constantly.
    • Much of his poems and literary works reflected his views on racial equality and the struggles that incoming immigrants faced.
  • Home to Harlem –  Work written by Claude McKay. Follows the life of Ray, the protagonist, and his struggles with his racial identity within New York as he moved from Haiti.
    • Struggles not only to find good opportunities for living but also struggles to assimilate with the native African American community.
  • Eric Walrond, another writer who emigrated from British Guyana, also deals with the same issue of racial conformity.
    • Many of the native African Americans tried to resent and discriminated against these new immigrants. Believe that they are too deeply rooted with their home heritage.
  • America – Written by Claude McKay
    • Discusses the irony in the nation, especially for immigrant blacks. Provides them opportunities of succeeding in the country, except they are highly discriminated against.

 

This was our planned schedule for class

5:05 – 5:15: Ice Breaker – Numbers Game simulation

5:15 – 5:20: Write ideas on the board

5:20 – 5:40: Read out all of the ideas from the board and go over the info from the chapters. Give some of our input and bring up related resources.

5:45 – 6:00: Renaissance poem discussion

6:00- 6:10: Break class into 3 groups and have them discuss a chosen question.

6:10 – end: One person can present ideas brought up in group discussions