Miss Anne in Harlem - The White Women of the Black Renaissance

Celebrated scholar Carla Kaplan’s cultural biography, Miss Anne in Harlem: The White Women of the Black Renaissance, focuses on white women, collectively called “Miss Anne,” who became Harlem Renaissance insiders.

 

The 1920s in New York City was a time of freedom, experimentation, and passion—with Harlem at the epicenter. White men could go uptown to see jazz and modern dance, but women who embraced black culture too enthusiastically could be ostracized.

 

Miss Anne in Harlem focuses on six of the unconventional, free-thinking women, some from Manhattan high society, many Jewish, who crossed race lines and defied social conventions to become a part of the culture and heartbeat of Harlem.

 

Ethnic and gender studies professor Carla Kaplan brings the interracial history of the Harlem Renaissance to life with vivid prose, extensive research, and period photographs.

This landmark work of American history uncovers the real stories behind the myth of "Miss Anne" and explores:

Crossing the Color Line: Meet the six white women—including patrons, artists, and activists—who defied convention to become part of Harlem's vibrant cultural scene. Race, Gender, and Identity: A deep dive into the complex identity politics of the 1920s, exploring why these women risked social ostracism to embrace black culture when it was most dangerous to do so. Patronage and Primitivism: Uncover the complicated dynamics between white patrons and black artists, and how the search for the "primitive" shaped the art and relationships of the New Negro movement. Meticulously Researched Narrative: Based on years of archival research, this essential work of African American studies brings a forgotten chapter of the Jazz Age to life with vivid detail and period photographs.