Politics
of the Harlem Renaissance
Influential leaders of the Harlem Renaissance
Some very influential leaders of this historic time period were activists such as Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Dubois. Influences such as these men rose to fame, and gained a concrete place in history, through their tireless attempts to advance African Americans as equals in society. Dubois was known as one of the fathers of the renaissance because of the way he captured society's mind and gave insight to the reality of African Americans. Booker T. Washington was highly respected in the African American community and gave memorable speeches such as the "Atlanta Compromise" where he urged his fellow African Americans to not let adversity get them down and to rise up, become educated, and prove themselves to America. Men like these are largely responsible for making progress towards equality for all in a time when the white man was seemingly "inferior".