The New Negro represented a shift in the collective black consciousness during the early nineteenth century. It embodied racial pride and challenged the white hegemony in American society. For Alain Locke, the New Negro engaged in “artistic self-expression” so that he could stimulate social progress and essentially change the dynamics of American society (Locke xxv). The Harlem Renaissance resonated with Locke, as he believed that artists, writers and intellectuals of the movement were essential to the construction of this New Negro. Davarian Baldwin contests this assertion, arguing that black working-class migrants and popular public figures outside of academia were responsible for the creation of the New Negro mentality.
A key component of Baldwin’s argument was that the New Negro could be personified by public figures such as Jack Johnson and Andre “Rube” Foster. Both of these athletes were popular figures that could inspire the black masses, especially considering the role that sports play in any society. The entertainment value of sports contributes to its mass appeal, which is something that academia cannot always accomplish. The cocky attitude of Jack Johnson exhibited towards other white boxers and their fans combined with his skill and technique encouraged the Negro to challenge the notions of inferiority which dated back to the days of slavery. In addition to the mind-set of Johnson, the successes of both Johnson in the ring and of Andre “Rube” Foster on the baseball field allowed them to attain economic security.
Andre “Rube” Foster, like Jack Johnson, was able to achieve notoriety through sports. Similar to Johnson, the combination of unique talent combined with “promotional acumen” allowed him to increase his financial capital while breaking down these notions of inferiority (Baldwin 212). With this accumulation of capital, Foster was able to form his own team. He built community networks while pushing to create a black league, but the Chicago race riots exiled him from all the major league ball parks. Despite the threats and intimidation, he defied white authorities and created a black league, which was seen by the working-class as “a direct expression of New Negro resistance against white supremacy and racial violence” (Baldwin 214). Johnson and Foster were able to use mass consumer marketplace as a means to somewhat achieve the goals of the New Negro. The economic power that they obtained allowed them to fight against the dominant hegemony of American society.
Both Locke and Baldwin assert that the New Negro challenged white supremacy while instilling a sense of racial pride. Both the artistic and entrepreneurial New Negro worked to motivate the black masses while establishing a sense of personal recognition based on their merit. The New Negro utilized both economic power and sociopolitical rhetoric to fight for racial parity.
Pointing out the mass appeal that sports has versus the struggle that artists sometimes have to get there work seen by a large number of people is an excellent point that I think might be overlooked by some. The wide appeal and easier access to professional sports helped push into view the things that these "New Negroes" were accomplishing and helped create a movement that included the "intellectual" as well as the everyday man.
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