 Some common themes represented during the Harlem Renaissance were the influence of the experience of slavery and emerging African-American folk traditions on black identity, the effects of institutional racism, the dilemmas inherent in performing and writing for elite white audiences, and the question of how to convey the experience of modern black life in the urban North.The Harlem Renaissance was one of primarily African-American involvement.It rested on a support system of black patrons, black-owned businesses and publications.