Harlem Rhapsody

Throughout Harlem Rhapsody, motherhood functions as a motif symbolizing the theme of The Importance of Mentorship. Images of motherhood symbolize Jessie’s creative mentorship. She chooses to help other writers instead of becoming a mother. This is, in part, due to how Black motherhood has functioned to oppress and harm Black people. Jessie says, “For the enslavers, [Black] women’s wombs held a pecuniary value. Without Negro women and our bodies and our babies, America would not be what it is today” (178). The children of Black women, and women’s ability to procreate, were commodified for the benefit of enslavers, and children were often separated from their mothers under slavery.

Jessie transforms the idea of motherhood in her mentorship of Langston, Countee, Jean, and other famous authors. Langston says that Jessie “birthed most of [them]. It’s like [she’s] a literary midwife” (359). In other words, her motherhood is helping writers grow and become known. Charles, who runs a rival publication, also says that Jessie is “the midwife of this movement” (359), acknowledging that her work at The Crisis gave the world some of the most famous poetry of the Harlem Renaissance.

Motherhood is at the crux of the conflict that ends Jessie’s affair with Will. Despite her extensive work on The Crisis, Will claims that “The Crisis is [his] dream that [he] birthed alone” (360). Jessie explains that she’s attending Charles’s event because of her children. She tells Will, “I attended the dinner to support my babies” (361). He has no right to ban her from attending events and supporting her mentees. Will admits that they “both have babies in this literary world” (361). Will also has literal children with Nina. However, Jessie focuses her maternal energies on birthing creative endeavors.