African American Cultural Values

The 1920’s was a great and important decade for the United States. After World War I, the United States went through events and changes that, overall, made the United States a much better place to live. New advances in technology and industry improved American life in more ways than just one. Americans had better wages during this time, more leisure time, and overall, had a better life than ever before. In addition, the 1920’s advocated social and cultural change as well. During this time period, the United States did not return to Normalcy, and instead developed attitudes that changed the life of the people of the United States forever thanks to social changes, cultural changes and changes in technology.

In I, Too, Sing America when Langston Hughes writes of a darker brother who is told to eat in the kitchen you know that he is talking about African Americans. In this poem Langston Hughes writes a stanza that changes your idea of what the poem is about. He says “ Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table when company comes. Nobody’ll dare say to me, “Eat in the Kitchen,” then”. This line is is clearly stating the main idea of the poem right there. It’s telling us of how now there is segregation, but one day in the future all men will be equal.

In the United States, the 1920s was a pivotal decade marked by dynamic social and cultural changes alongside political inertia. This period witnessed a profound transformation in American society, commonly known as the "Roaring Twenties," and was characterized by economic prosperity, technological advancements, and shifts in societal norms. The emergence of flapper culture, rapid urbanization, and the adoption of new technologies such as automobiles and radios fundamentally altered American life. Amidst these societal upheavals, the political landscape remained relatively stagnant, with Republican dominance and a retreat from international involvement shaping the decade. The 1920s marked a significant shift in societal norms and values,

The roaring 20s effected, the economic and people in western civilization. During this period, people’s attitude shifted after WW1 as people became more carefree as the

Life in America dramatically changed during the decade of the 1920s, which marks a turning point in American history. Among these changes included the creation of new laws, which controlled major aspects of society. To continue, not only did the creation of these new laws contribute to the dramatic changes of life in America, but the changes in music, the roles and views of women in society, and entertainment had a big impact, as well. As a result, everyone living during this time period was affected in one way or another. The wide range of changes that took place in America’s society during the 1920s, has ultimately made this decade notorious for influencing culture in America because of the “anything goes” attitude the people developed.

In your opinion, how does the election of Barrack Obama to president influence the way society will understand African-American culture?

I’ve been raised in North Bethesda, a city inside of Montgomery County my whole life . A county that values education and success more than most things, and rightfully so. To live in this county you have to have money and to have money you must be successful, and also to be able to have the things you want , such as a nice car, nice houses, nice clothes and local and clean grocery stories, etc. that they have here. It motivates and instills values on us to try our hardest and make the most out of school as possible to get a job that will help us and our community in the future. Which is why I see myself as an educated , adventurous , and hungry for success. My dad is from Cameroon, which is a country in Africa and lived there up until adulthood then he came to the states because he felt that his

of them in Sierra Leone - for sale in the West Indies. Hawkins traded the

The “Roaring Twenties” was the beginning of change for America, from the economy to the society and culture. A few months after World War 1, the 18th Amendment took effect in the United States, which began the prohibition and a spark for change in the lives of the people. The simplistic way of living was no longer used in the urban cities; life had changed from its conservative moral values to a more carefree “live as you please” type of mentality. Due to this change in mental state, the priorities of the people changed and seemed to center on illegal alcohol, liberalism, and money. This made it possible for the arrival of a new culture.

Each individual has there own set of ideals and values that motivate them towards specific and non-specific goals, and luckily for everyone, the goals themselves can be molded to these values. Values can be influenced by a plethora of factors, from environment to predispositions, and can range from relationships to materialism. Values and goals may represent a person, or a person may represent the values and demonstrate the context that formed these values. Family, pride, education, finances, and identity ideals are all present in the “Raisin in the Sun”, and the characterizations that take place in the realistic play expose these ideals. A “Raisin in the Sun” uses a mid to late twentieth century African American family to portray each character

Langston Hughes was a poet with many artistic abilities. His writing and drawings established the lifestyles of many African Americans during this time. In a poem called “I, Too” Hughes express his feelings as an African American, a brother, and someone who deserves to fit in society. He states “I, too sing America” (1039). Hughes saw himself as an individual who has a voice in America even though his skin is a little darker. In a poem called “Democracy” Hughes states: “I have as much right as the other fellow has to stand on my own two feet and own the land” (1043). Hughes was speaking for every African American whom were still dealing with segregation, racism, and freedom.

The fourth book I found about African American culture and identity is called Mr. Williams (Barbour, 2005). This book was a story about Mr. Williams and all of the stories from his childhood. Throughout the story, he described his living standards, work life, education life, and relationships he had with whites. As mentioned in the beginning of the story, Mr. Williams was born February 28, 1929 in Arcadia, Louisiana. This time frame was given to inform the reader that it was during slavery and the same year Martin Luther King Jr. was born. It helps the audience gain perspective on historical events that occurs, specifically before the Civil Rights Movement. There was never a timeline of events with specific conflicts and a solution in this

The 1920s, often referred to as the Roaring Twenties, was a time of great change and a time of powerful enthusiasm in many areas of society. The world had just finished the biggest war in history, the First World War, and the United States was left almost unharmed by the war. The United States was able to experience a decade of peace and success following the war. During this decade, America became the wealthiest country in the world (Trueman, 2000). The people in the United States went through a colorful period during the twenties. However, at the same time the 1920s was also a very rebellious and difficult time for many. The culture of the 1920s has influenced the culture of America’s society today.

The 1920s is often stereotyped as the “Golden Twenties”, “Jazz Age”, and the “Roaring Twenties”. This was because the 1920s glorified and fantasized this era as being a wonderful time of excitement. During this time, there was also dramaturgic divide between the America’s pastime, and future. The nineteenth century, before World War I remained rooted culturally, without alteration. With the rise of the next generation, America seemed to disconnect its current attachment to the past, and guide into a more modern age. The divide between innovation and tradition created extreme contradictions as it switched over to urbanism and modernism (Zeitz). The 1920s also showed the economic boom from post World War I, the great migration of African American’s from the South to search for opportunity, and racial violence with the rise of the KKK.

The use of symbolism in “Harlem” and “I,Too” by Langston Hughes supports the theme of aspiration for equality. The poem “I, Too” is essentially about how the “darker brother” is not able to eat with the company at the table, only able to eat in the kitchen and how one day will be able to eat with everybody. On the other hand, the poem “Harlem” explains what happens to a dream when it is left alone. In “I, Too,” the author writes how he will be at a table with everybody eating dinner without any threats. This is expressed in “Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table When company comes.