The Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement that began in the 1920s, brought enthusiasm and a newfound freedom and voice to African Americans who had long been silent and oppressed. This flowering of African-American culture in European-American society, particularly in the world of art and music, became known as the Harlem Renaissance. After the American Civil War ended in 1865, more jobs and education became available to blacks. Blacks had finally created a middle class in America. Those blacks expected to be cared for and have the same life as white Americans. In 1896, equal rights for all races were ended when the Supreme Court Plessy v. Ferguson declared racial segregation acceptable. Separate but “equal” was their motto. African Americans in the South faced harsh conditions from whites as the need for labor was reduced. Because of this, more and more blacks began moving north because it was considered less cruel. The North gave all adult men the right to vote and provided better education for African Americans. More jobs became available thanks to the First World War and the industrial revolution. This became known as the Great Migration and brought more than seven million African Americans to the North. What was housing like in Harlem? Housing in Harlem was originally intended for white workers commuting to the city, but developers built homes faster than sufficient transportation, forcing middle-class whites to leave. White owners sold their properties to black estate agents such as Philip A Payton and Henry C Parker. Downtown development causes many blacks to move to Harlem; by 1920 the number of blacks had doubled. When the subways and streets came to Harlem, most of the country's best black artists,... at the center of the paper... of the power of the arts. The Harlem Renaissance gave a voice so powerful that it echoed in many streets, bringing about changes in American culture that continue to speak loudly today. Jazz still resonates in the clubs, with nuances of course; even rap music has echoes of that great art form as you listen to voices doing cool things. The Harlem Renaissance left behind writings that many, black and white, still refer to when talking about civil rights. One of these famous speakers was Martin Luther King. The Harlem Renaissance gave America the power to understand why the caged bird sings and now flies free. America will never go back to where it was. Those who were part of the Harlem Renaissance were the breath, life, and energy that unashamedly pushed American culture to change by simply being, creating, and fully living who they were..