The Harlem Renaissance originated with the Great Migration of the early Twentieth century. In the Great Migration or the Black Migration, millions of African American migrated from South of the United States to the Northeast and Mid-West of the United States, in quest of seeking economical opportunities. In the words of Alain Locke, it was "a spiritual coming of age." Many African Americans migrated from south to flee the violent and pervasive racism that prevailed in the country after "Jim Crow Law", which enforced racial segregation in the South.
The term "New Negro" was populated by Alain Locke, in his book "The New Negro". And this term gained popularity during the Harlem Renaissance. In his book, Locke asserted that these "New Negro's" are different from the "old" ones as these "New Negro's" are self-confident.