The Harlem Renaissance at 100 Years

Abstract In considering the shifting status of Harlem Renaissance literature, I point out that its place in the African American canon was open to debate through the 1960s. In addition, what we understand the term “Harlem Renaissance” to mean has undergone and continues to undergo significant change in light of new research and revisionist theoretical approaches. I then comment on current trends in Harlem Renaissance studies represented by the essays in this special issue of American Literary History.