Harlem Rhapsody

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, racism, and gender discrimination.

“I thrust open the taxicab’s door, and the moment my T-strap heels hit the pavement, a cacophony of city sounds welcomes me. The music enraptures me first.”

This is the opening line of the novel that develops Murray’s musical symbolism. When Jessie first arrives in Harlem, she is spellbound by the omnipresent music that represents the culture of the area.

“You can’t compare Philadelphia and Washington, DC, to this. New York is everything.”

This quote develops the setting of the novel. New York has a bigger arts scene than most other places in the US. Many literary publications are headquartered there, and in Harlem, New York offers a thriving center of African American culture and creativity.

“Everyone with a poem or story will want their name inside these pages.”

Will explains that Jessie will be ushering in new writers with her position at The Crisis magazine. As one of the first publications to focus on Black readers and writers, the magazine immediately occupies a central place in the Black literary world. This foreshadows how Jessie will discover Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and other writers.