SOURCE: "Controversial Sounds: Jazz Performance as Theme and Language in the Harlem Renaissance," in The Harlem Renaissance: Revaluations, edited by Amritjit Singh, William S. Shiver, and Stanley Brodwin, Garland Publishing, Inc., 1989, pp. 159-84.

In the following essay, which focuses on the controversy among writers and artists of the Harlem Renaissance over the morality, history, and aesthetics of jazz music, Ogren studies the works of several authors who celebrate jazz performance for its rich folk heritage and power to evoke audience participation. Ogren's essay was first presented as a paper at a conference entitled "Heritage: A Reappraisal of the Harlem Renaissance," in 1985.

The Salvation Army of Cincinnati obtained a temporary injunction today to prevent the erection of a moving picture theatre adjoining the Catharine Booth Home for Girls, on the ground that music emanating from the theatre would implant "jazz emotions" in the babies at the home. The plaintiffs...