Presentations – Music of the Harlem Renaissance

Have students work in partners to select one of the following musicians from the Harlem Renaissance.

Bessie Smith
Louis Armstrong
Gladys Bentley
Ma Rainey
Chick Webb
Duke Ellington
Billie Holliday
Ella Fitzgerald
Cab Calloway
Eubie Blake

Each pair should research their musician and their music and prepare an interactive presentation for the class. Presentations should include the following elements:

A biography of the musician
A sampling of their music and a description of its genre
An explanation of the musician’s significance, contributions to, and legacy in the Harlem Renaissance
A primary source related to the musician’s significance in the Harlem Renaissance
A bibliography of sources consulted for the project