Baldwin & Locke: The New Negro

In my investigation of the New Negro, I have discovered two definitive strains of New Negro thought. The New Negro articulated by Davarian L. Baldwin in “Chicago’s New Negroes” is more easily recognizable. This set of the New Negro expressed their freedom by engaging in the capitalist market system for purpose of advancing themselves and their race. In doing so, these entrepreneurs challenged White hegemony in beauty, power, masculinity, and economics. Baldwin introduces Jack Johnson as a central example in this challenge by New Negroes. Through Johnson’s career achievements, he was able to progress economically and help to build a sense of pride that was an instrumental characteristic of the New Negro.

In contrast, Alain Locke primarily focuses on the artistic expression of African Americans which formed and represented the New Negro. These artistic manifestations represented a New Negro that was unwilling to take the Southern oppression. These narratives in the form of stories, essays, and poetry helped to illustrate the resistance of the Great Migration. The New Negro’s sheer unwillingness to accept oppression is carefully documented in Locke’s work.

The two New Negroes are similar, however, in both of their ultimate goals and underlying themes. Their ultimate aim, in my opinion, was to uplift themselves and their race by destroying Black inferiority and White superiority. Cultural expression could also be seen in both situations. Cultural expression is obvious in Locke’s work. It serves as the vehicle for an articulation of resistance and freedom. The New Negro that Baldwin articulates attains this cultural expression by first controlling the economic marketplace by building a symbiotic relationship with Black producers and consumers. These entrepreneurs were able to insulate finances in their own communities, allowing for more possible avenues for cultural expression and racial pride.