Racism In Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes is probably the most influential and remembered poet of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes writes about how the African-American people have been all over the world. In “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” he talks about them bathing in the Euphrates, building huts by the Congo, and singing of the Mississippi. I think that this poem is showing how these people are everywhere. In America we act as if they are lesser, but he is saying to the white people, look at all my race has accomplished. For example, “We” built the pyramids, and we have been around as long as these rivers. This poem is meant to be positive. It

Langston Hughes was an African American poet, social activist, novelist, and playwright. His works are still studies, read, and, in terms of his poems and plays, performed. He is best known for being a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. Within his works, he depicted black America in manners that told the truth about the culture, music, and language of his people. Besides his many notable poems, plays, and novels, Hughes also wrote essays such as The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain which Hughes gives insight into the minds of middle-class and upper-class Negroes. Prior to reading this essay, I never heard of, nor did I know, Langston Hughes composed essays, much less an essay that outwardly depicts aspects of life that most are accustomed to and see nothing wrong with. The Negro and the Racial Mountain formulated this view that Langston Hughes was more than a poet who wrote about jazz music as he is depicted within grade school textbooks, but instead, a man who had a great passion for the African American race to develop a love for themselves and for non-African American audiences to begin to understand how the African American race can be strong and creative despite struggles that may be occur. There is a possibility that this essay, The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain, is not more commonly known because it has the ability to make the reader uncomfortable, no matter if he is an African American or white. For the African American, one can find himself reflecting back

In his life, his elders and people around him were “...descendants of slaves..” (Napierkowski 5). His ancestors had a slave and slave owner relationship so Hughes was handed the short-end of the “stick” of life. Because Hughes was neither completely African American nor was he completely white, Hughes was seen as an outcast or in better words, different. Hughes first hit the spotlight during the Harlem Renaissance when African-American culture was very prominent in society, music, and poems. During this time, people had an “urgent need to express a cultural identity” (Napierkowski 182). In most of his poems, Hughes shares the hardships of living in a society where African Americans were not thought of. “The southern legislatures,

Langston Hughes declares “Negroes - Sweet and Docile, Meek, Humble, and Kind: Beware the day - They change their minds”. Originally, society has been involved in racial stereotypical events. During Hughes’s era individuals with darker skin tone were focal points of racism and segregation. The racism associated with African-Americans was a general experience that persisted even after the abolishment of slavery. One effective means of alleviating racial stereotyping was relating African-Americans to Caucasians within the equality of being American citizens. Langston Hughes, in his short poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers, generalizes not just being American, but the experiences throughout history. Hughes’ poem shows relative cultural and historical events to promote an integrated lineage among all races. Hughes work ethic, style, technique and achievement lead to him being an innovative writer.

In Langston Hughes' poem, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", he examines some of the roles that blacks have played throughout history. Ultimately, the poem asserts that in every one of these aspects the black people have been exploited and made to suffer, mostly at the hands of white people. The poem is written entirely in first person, so there is a very personal tone, even though the speaker symbolizes the entire black race. The examples of each role cited in the poem are very specific, but they allude to greater indignities, relying on the readers' general knowledge of world history. To convey the injustice that has taken place, Hughes utilizes the symbolism of the

Langston Hughes’, “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain” claimed that African Americans face racial and cultural challenges with finding their own identity in a society mainly influenced by Eurocentric American culture. More specifically, Hughes discussed the challenges of African American artists in embracing their black and remaining successful. Hughes recalled a conversation with a black poet, who stated that "I want to be a poet-not a Negro poet,” (Hughes, 964). Hughes interpreted his statement to mean that subconsciously he wanted to be white. He used this conversation and others to support his beliefs about African American identity and culture. He communicated that African Americans try to blend into the Eurocentric American culture,

Continuing his poem, Hughes delves even more into the idea of truth. “I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like/ the same things other folks like who are other races” (“Theme B” 25-26). The lines are relatively easy to understand. There is the notion that the difference in race changes what you can or can’t like, which is an ignorant thought. Race has nothing to do with your likes or dislikes. The speaker of the poem mentions his color, yet again, and questions why it should matter. Towards the end of the poem Hughes leaves the reader with something to think about:

The Harlem renaissance bought many changes into African American history and allowed Africans to express their culture. During the Harlem renaissance, the Africans migrated to America and drew black writers, musicians and poets into American literature. Many artists influenced the Harlem in there writing, one of them was Langston Hughes. Hughes lived his life mostly in Harlem, his writing reflected African culture and the Harlem. He described how Harlem was still a place of fear for the Africans, as they still faced racism and ethnicity. One of his writings that he published was “powder-white faces”, in this writing Hughes described how difficult African-Americans lives were. As he used one character named Charlie who changes his name while migrating to America to sound more white type, got a job as a waitress and was faced racism and ethnicity towards him during this period. Another famous poetic writer was Zora Neale Hurston, who published the “story in the Harlem slang.” In this writing, she described what the life was like during Harlem period, how they talked using their “slang” language. She described how they still faced racism during this period of their life. She used the type of slang to show how their race and culture were different back then. Both writers used powerful sources of imagery to describe how the African Americans faced racism and ethnicity during the Harlem renaissance. The writers gave us an image in our mind as we read these stories about how

In today’s society, people have many racial prejudices whether they are displayed to the public or not. Racial tensions were even more prevalent in the twentieth century. Langston Hughes was a poet who really tried to bring attention to the growing racial tensions until his death in the late 60s. Throughout his life, Hughes was influenced by the time he grew up in and by his own family; he wrote to free the black culture and literature from racial pride.

The Harlem Renaissance during the 1920’s and 1930’s was a period of time in which many African-Americans were treated unfairly. In order to bring this issue to attention, writers such as Langston Hughes used literature in an attempt to bring equality for all through various forms including art, poetry, music, theater, and politics. Specifically, Langston Hughes was often recognized as “the poet laureate of Harlem.” “He also worked as a journalist, dramatist, and children's author. His poems, which tell of the joys and miseries of the ordinary black man in America,” have helped to inspire others to act for change and increased racial consciousness and pride (Howard University, 1).

In his poem entitled “The Negro”, Langston Hughes discusses what it’s like to be a negro from the very beginning of slavery to present day. Written in 1922, the poem came at a tumultuous time. African Americans were fighting the injustice of prejudice and discrimination as well as fighting towards civil rights and equality; a fight that still goes on today in America. Langston Hughes was an African American poet, social activist, novelist and one of the earliest innovators of the then new literary art form called Jazz poet. “Langston Hughes” n.d. During the time this poem was written Langton Hughes was staying in Harlem. He was at the center of the African American community and served as was one of the voices that

     Hughes writes about how the African-American people have been all over the world. In “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” he talks about them bathing in the Euphrates, building huts by the Congo, and singing of the Mississippi. I think that this poem is showing how these people are everywhere. That in America we act as if they are subordinate, but he is saying to the white people, look at all my race has accomplished. “We” built the pyramids, and we have been around as long as these rivers. This is a positive poem. It does not talk directly about racism nor puts down the white race for being prejudiced (Lauter 1612-13). In the poem, “I, Too” he describes how he is also part of what America is. Even if he is sent to eat in the kitchen, he is as much a part as anyone else. One day he will not be made to hide and eat in the kitchen. One day people will see that African-Americans are beautiful people, and will be ashamed of how they were treated. This poem gives hope to the black community. It makes them yearn for the day when equality will come and racism will end. Too bad that the day has still not yet come in this century (Lauter 1618). In his poem, “Harlem” this is addressed. He wonders what happens to

In “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”,” I Too”, “Dream Boogie”, and “Harlem”, Hughes promotes a change in society, and shares his beliefs through his poems. The ideas of abolishing racism and treating minorities as equals are present throughout these poems. Hughes’ work ranges between the mid- twentieth century to the late twentieth century. Although slavery was abolished in 1865, it left behind a legacy of racism (America’s Historical Documents). African Americans were metaphorically chained by the daily racial discrimination and prejudice they faced.

The time period of the Civil Rights movement of the early 1950s to late 1960s was a very dark, emotional time for African Americans. The amount of oppression and discrimination African Americans faced caused an upbringing of many writers and black activists fighting for equal rights. Langston Hughes was and still is one of the most famous black writers during this time period and created inspiration for African Americans to be a part of the Civil rights movement. Maya Angelou was an extremely famous writer towards civil rights and equality for blacks, but took a little bit of a different approach form Langston Hughes when it came to how the emotion of oppression was expressed throughout the black community. Langston Hughes’s poem “I, Too, Sing

Based on the readings of these poems, it is obvious that the Black experience was one of pure hell fueled by unmerited hatred from the dominant White race. Racial oppression appeared to have been at an all time high. Although slaves had been viciously and brutally mistreated for centuries before, it was as if the punishment for being Black during the early 20th century had risen to another level. The causes of deaths among African Americans were more than extreme whippings and beatings, but also torturous burnings and hangings. These acts were tremendously impactful on the African American race. Realizing that an increasing number of Blacks were being hung, several authors found it necessary to express their emotions and opinions through