How Did The Cotton Club Influence In Harlem

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Influence of the Cotton Club of African Americans in Harlem
The Cotton Club was an establishment that had an exotic atmosphere with loud, rhythmic music constantly flowing throughout. Although the Cotton Club was owned by a white gangster, only African Americans performed and most of the workers were African American.Celebrities and very rich people came from all parts of the country to see the entertaining dances and listen to the popular jazz hits. Although most performers at the Cotton Club were African American, they did not all have the same opportunities to be able to perform. The 1920’s Cotton Club was a perfect symbolization for the Harlem Renaissance because it brought about several African American poets, dancers and musicians.
Many artists have made their name by performing at the Cotton Club. One of the most popular musicians in the Harlem Renaissance was Duke Ellington and he started his career by performing at the …show more content…
There were the famous dancers, artists and the people who ran the whole show, the gangsters. The Cotton Club dancers were the key aspect and trademark of the entire establishment. Dressing in exotic and beautiful costumes that had influence from all parts of the world, the Cotton Club girls described themselves as “Tall tan and terrific,” (Bailey). The outfits of the dancers were said to be one of the number one reasons that people would want to see the show. The Cotton Club had strict color barriers and restrictions. All of the workers and performs knew about this yet they stayed. The Cotton Club provided a great deal of exposure for upcoming African American artists. If it weren’t for this establishment, young black artists would not be recognized for being as creative as they were. Although the Cotton Club primarily only allowed lighter skinned performers, when these people began to bring in incredible amounts of revenue, the owners of the club began to allow darker skinned girls to
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