“C” is for Charleston Renaissance

“C” is for Charleston Renaissance (ca. 1915-1940). The Charleston Renaissance was a multifaceted cultural renewal that took place in the years between World Wars I and II. Artists, musicians, writers, historians, and preservationists, individually and in groups, fueled a revival that shaped the city’s destiny. The Charleston Renaissance benefited from a large number of books, many illustrated with paintings and prints by local artists, as well as documentary photographs. One story, more than any other, brought national attention to Charleston: the tale of Porgy by DuBose Heyward. It appeared in 1925, first as a novel and then in its best-known form, as the folk opera Porgy and Bess in 1935. Through words, melodies, pictures, and even a dance step, the idea of Charleston was broadcast to the nation via the creative energy generated by the Charleston Renaissance.