Analysis Of To Be America Again By Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes and I have many things in common.. In “Theme for English B” Hughes talks about his truth, how he is very aware that he has a different skin color, but that is not what he thinks he should be identified by. What identifies him are the accumulation of the things in his life. I can relate with this because although I do not feel like I am discriminated for my race, I do feel like I'm discriminated against for not being like those of my race. I also know that certain points of one’s life shapes it. It is difficult to know what you are suppose to be when you are a the first born generation in a country. Much like Hughes at the time that he wrote the piece, I too am young and am eager to grow, while also being oblivious to what come

The United States of America is thought to be the “land of the free and the home of the brave” yet nothing here is given. There are no easy ways to be an American. Everyone in our country either had to fight to get here, and stay here or had to fight for something they wanted or believed in.Yes, America does have more opportunities and rights than other countries but they aren’t accessible to everybody. Being an American is having determination, independence and courage to fight for something you want and/or need.

The Confederate flag has recently been another hot button issue in education with the events that happened in South Carolina in the summer of 2016. That flag represents different things for different people. African Americans view the flag a symbol of racism and oppression. While white people from the south view it has a symbol of their southern spirit and a salt of the earth hardworking heritage. As this debate continues to wage on, one wonders if the period of Reconstruction is not over. What does one do in the educational setting? If the image of the Confederate flag disrupts the educational setting then it is the principal’s responsibility to make sure the symbol is not scene in school. By doing this some students may believe that their freedom of speech is being suppressed, but the law is on the side of the school districts when it comes to this issue.

It is now a competition of millions of selfish, greedy, and covetious people, searching for riches in America. Equally important, is a clear discrimination of people based on race, religion, class, and gender that is prominent in American society. These inequalities undermine the idea of an impartial ambition permitted to all. Renowned poet, Langston Hughes, discusses this in his poem "Let America Be America Again" when he says, "For all the dreams we’ve dreamed And all the songs we’ve sung And all the hopes we’ve held And all the flags we’ve hung, The millions who have nothing for our pay— Except the dream that’s almost dead (pg 44, line 55) He is arguing that no matter how hard they seem to try, people who are different, cannot get ahead. This poem was written in 1935, if the dream was gone then, it is most certainly not attainable today. Hughes writes "America never was America to me" throughout the poem; it really emphasizes the fact that equality (an essential part of the American Dream) is no longer something made available to various groups of people. In "the land of the free" white males have the upper-hand, cutting off of the dream from everyone else. In a different light, many argue that the American Dream is not dead, and is in fact thriving more now than ever. For example, many take this argument straight from the Declaration of Independence, which laid the foundation of the

Many Americans today are extremely uneducated and misinformed when it comes to the history of their nation purely because they find the learning of it boring. Because of the nature of American history courses and the distribution of knowledge in America, James W. Loewen wrote the book, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, to make history more relevant to people who’ve been “bored to tears by their high school American history courses” (xii) because to be effective citizens today we must be able to understand our past.

Throughout history many people, places, and ideas have been forgotten, and then there are some that we can never forget. These memories can be different for all societies and cultures. The events that are remembered not only affect those living today, but changes the way future generations live. This type of memory was especially prevalent during the American civil war. It affected the soldiers fighting in the war as well as the children of those who fought. It is vital that we have an awareness about the role of children in the Civil War. The understanding of the children in the civil war is important because it shaped the variety of individuals’ affected, motivated troops to continue fighting, and formed race relationships that would define our country for decades to come. It also helps to show how it is the responsibility of historians to inculcate their audiences to the consequences of past events on all levels to influence decision making on contemporary issues.

This week’s timeline encompasses 1903 to 1947. Several key events took place during these pivotal years like World War I, The Great Depression, and World War II. Therefore it is not surprising that these events affected what was being taught in the public schools. In New York State laws had already been passed which required things like flags in every classroom and the incorporation of the Manual of Patriotism into the curriculum. Like today, a majority of the elementary school teachers were women. Since these women could not participate in the military during wartime, they took on the role of educating future military personnel and supporters. These teachers felt that by teaching their students how to be patriots who had faith in their country,

Langston Hughes is an extremely successful and well known black writer who emerged from the Harlem Renaissance (“Langston Hughes” 792). He is recognized for his poetry and like many other writers from the Harlem Renaissance, lived most of his life outside of Harlem (“Langston Hughes” 792). His personal experiences and opinions inspire his writing intricately. Unlike other writers of his time, Hughes expresses his discontent with black oppression and focuses on the hardships of his people. Hughes’ heartfelt concern for his people’s struggle evokes the reader’s emotion. His appreciation for black music and culture is evident in his work as well. Langston Hughes is a complex poet whose profound works provide insight into all aspects of black

America is rich with history, and the individuals living here are quite proud of many aspects of the past. Hiding beneath the folds of patriotism though, are ugly scars that cannot be forgotten or rubbed away. This facet of the past is common in many countries; however people are hesitant to integrate these unbecoming stories into mainstream history. Slavery and Public History exposes the inclination to ignore those dark areas while at the same time using that knowledge as a vehicle for abhorrence and misunderstanding. When deeply rooted, the feelings these words invoke are difficult to overcome, however Historians can teach us that there is nothing learned from discounting the past no matter how dark or ugly, and approaching subjects such as the meaning behind the Confederate battle flag with knowledge, as well as an open mind, can bring about inspiring and powerful change.

" Let America be America Again" In “Let America be America”, by Langston Hughes, the author expresses his feeling about racism in the 1920s. His intentions are to show the reader that racism and inequality are still prevalent and that even though word “free” does not apply to him now, he believes that America will be free to him in the future. For example, when Hughes states, “America was never America to me”, he is implying that freedom does not apply to him because he is African American. While it is true that slavery was outlawed, Hughes is still being treated as inferior to whites simply because of his skin color.

The turn of the 20th century conveyed new ideas and themes of literature, art, and music. After years of mundane tradition, the Modern Era brought new themes that reshaped American society into something strikingly different. Using a variety of new themes such as alienation and techniques such as stream of consciousness. In Langston Hughes poem, “Let America Be America Again,” the audience can see the traits and techniques that represented writings in the era of modernism and projects a powerful voice about the struggles and prejudice African Americans faced living in the “homeland of the free.”

“History is written by victors,” while the origins of that quote are unknown, it’s message rings true in America, specifically in regards to the US education system. The slam poem Somewhere in America, written and performed by high school students Rhiannon McGavin, Zariya Allen, and Belissa Escobedo, touches on many subjects, from gender equality, to the treatment of minorities, but especially the idea of history being written by the victors or those in power. It focuses on censorship in schools, the whitewashing of history, and the fact that students are often not taught about major events in history because they don’t promote American exceptionalism. In an interview with Queen Latifah, Zariya Allen, one of the writers and performers of the

In the fight for equality, people of color often feel isolated and separated from those whose privilege reinforces their oppression. However, there are and always have been white people who see the inequalities that are practiced in society and speak out against them in hopes of reaching equality for all. Langston Hughes used his voice in poetry to express his experience as a black man in the United States during the Civil Rights Movement, and his is a household name. There is no doubt that his words have power. The reader expects to feel his experience and gain empathy and understanding through his poetry. In his poem, “Let America Be America Again,” Hughes presents his experience of American life in a powerful contrast to the experience

According to Biography, James Mercer Langston Hughes is considered to be an African American poet who is college educated and comes from a middle-class family (Langston Hughes Biography). He attended college in New York City and became influential during the Harlem Renaissance (Langston Hughes Biography). Although Hughes was a talented writer, he faced some challenges early on and it was stated that his “early work was roundly criticized by many black intellectuals for portraying what they thought to be an unattractive view of black life” (Langston Hughes. American Poet). They believed that his work helps the spread the stereotypes of African Americans. “Hughes, more than any other black poet or writer, recorded faithfully the nuances of black life and its frustrations” (Langston Hughes. American Poet). Langston Hughes’s poems “The Negro Mother”, “Let America be America Again” and “The Weary Blues” were influenced by his life during the Harlem Renaissance and the racial inequality experienced in the late 1920s through the 1960s.

   " The poet's life is the focusing glass through which passes the determinants of the shape of his work: the tradition available to him, his understanding of "Kinds", the impact of special experiences (travel, love, etc.)." (Fielder 1431). Langston Hughes did not have an easy life. Being a young black male during the 1920's, Hughes was constantly being discriminated against by the color of his skin. Because of that harsh reality, most of his work was centered around the African American's fight for racial equality. One good example of this is shown in his poem "I, Too". Hughes writes about being discriminated against because he was black.