Britannica Sources used in this answer

Which writers were major figures of the Harlem Renaissance?

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John Smith: Map of Virginia — American literature Map of Virginia from John Smith's *The Generall Historie of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles*, 1624.

The Harlem Renaissance was a pivotal movement in African American literature that flourished between approximately 1918 and 1937. It was characterized by a celebration of African heritage, racial pride, and a rejection of long-standing stereotypes.123

Key literary figures of the movement included:

Langston Hughes: Often called the "poet laureate of Harlem," he was a central figure who experimented with jazz poetry and blues rhythms.42
Zora Neale Hurston: A pioneer of "folk fiction" who celebrated the culture of the rural South, most notably in her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God.25
Alain Locke: An educator and philosopher considered the movement's leader; he edited the influential anthology The New Negro.23
Claude McKay: A prominent poet and novelist known for works such as Home to Harlem.12
Countee Cullen: A gifted poet featured in early anthologies of the movement.13

Other significant writers included Jean Toomer, Nella Larsen, Rudolph Fisher, Wallace Thurman, and Alice Dunbar Nelson.13