Lindsay Little - Fruits in the Garden of Harlem lyrics

In the early to mid-1900's, society changed immensely due to the Harlem Renaissance's artisans who created music, literature, and other forms of art to express the issues of the time. Many African-American men and women viewed Harlem, New York as the place to design their American dream by breaking social barriers and creating a new world of artistic paradise for themselves. However, once the newly arrived dreamers experienced the city firsthand, they discovered that Harlem did not hold the oasis of possibilities they were led to believe. Due to this unexpected eye-opening, many authors felt frustrated and oppressed in which they conveyed in their works through the symbol of fruit. Harem was supposed to be a sort of Garden of Eden which soon disillusioned its bewitched citizens once they took a bite of the apple. 1920- By 1920, the majority of Harlem's residents were African-American Excerpt from Langston Hughes' poem, "Harlem": "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore—" 1921-"Before the Feast of Shushan" was published Excerpt from Anne Spencer's poem, "Before the Feast of Shushan": "Or closer press to crush a grape ‘gainst lips redder Than the grape, a rose in the night of her hair" 1922- "Harlem Shadows: The Poems of Claude McKay" was published: Excerpt from Claude McKay's poem, "The Tropics in New York": "Bananas ripe and green, and ginger-root, Cocoa in pods and alligator pears, And tangerines and mangoes and grape fruit, Fit for the highest prize at parish fairs" 1923- Jean Toomer's most famous work "Cane" was published Excerpt from Jean Toomer's poem, "Song of the Son": "O Negro slaves, dark purple ripened plums, Squeezed, and bursting in the pine-wood air, Pa**ing before they stripped the old tree bare One plum was saved for me, one seed becomes" 1926- Helene Johnson moved to Harlem for "Opportunity" magazine's poetry contest award ceremony Excerpt from Helene Johnson's "Sonnet to a Negro in Harlem": "Your head thrown back in rich, barbaric song, Palm trees and mangoes stretched before your eyes. Let others toil and sweat for labor's sake And wring from grasping hands their need of gold." (1927) 1927- "From the Dark Tower" was published Excerpt from Countee Cullen's poem, "From the Dark Tower": "We shall not always plant while others reap The golden increment of bursting fruit, Not always countenance, abject and mute" (1927) 1932- "Cabaret" was published Excerpt from Sterling A. Brown's poem, "Cabaret": "The chorus leaps into weird posturings, The firm-fleshed arms plucking at grapes to stain Bending, writhing, turning" (1932) 1939- "Strange Fruits" was sung by Billie Holiday: Excerpt from Abel Meeropol's poem, "Bitter Fruits" sung by Billie Holiday as "Strange Fruits": "Southern trees bear strange fruit, (Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,) Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze, (Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.)" (1937)