In the time frame around 1937, the year that Their Eyes were Watching God was
published, Americans were trying to get back on their feet. With the stock
market crash in 1929, people spent the 30s looking for employment anywhere they
could and trying to get their minds off of the economic status. The economic
status in America during this time frame determined what would happen in
politics. The people were looking for someone to help them, and the presidents
were searching for ways to turn the country around; the two presidents of the
1930s were Herbert Hoover and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Many Americans turned
to music, dancing, and radio during this time period. In these things they
found relief and a getaway from the stresses around them. Jazz music filled the
air and swing dancing filled the clubs. Along with dancing and music, many
Americans became very interested in the radio. Listening to the radio gave
Americans the opportunity to laugh, listen to stories, and learn about news
around the country and the world. In this era, Zora Neale Hurston would have
been right in the middle of the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance gave
African Americans the opportunity to flourish in art, literature, and music. In
the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston was quick to get involved and eager to make her
mark on the world of literature. photo credit: George A. Smathers Libraries