Final answer:
The Harlem Renaissance was influenced by the Great Migration, the creation of a black middle class, Harlem's development as a cultural hub, and a new political agenda for racial equality, all of which combined to fuel this significant cultural movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The groundwork for the Harlem Renaissance was laid by a combination of factors that significantly influenced African American society in the early 20th century. Here are the four pivotal factors that contributed to the birth and advancement of this cultural movement:
- Great Migration: A significant number of African Americans moved from the rural South to the urban North in search of better job opportunities and to escape racist Jim Crow laws, leading to major demographic changes in cities such as New York, especially Harlem.
- Development of the black middle class: With more economic opportunities available in the North, an African American middle class began to emerge, providing both a new audience and participants for cultural and intellectual pursuits.
- Harlem: This neighborhood in New York became the symbolic and literal center of the Renaissance, an epicenter of African American culture, where a flowering of art, literature, and music defined the "New Negro" identity and became influential worldwide.
- A new political agenda advocating racial equality: The migration and subsequent changes led to increased political activism, laying the foundation for later civil rights movements. Organizations like the NAACP became crucial in this shift towards seeking social and political advancements for African Americans.