If We Must Die By Claude Mckay

Claude McKay was born in Naime Castle, Jamaica and he was the youngest out of his siblings and began writing poetry at the age of 10. Claude Mckay, was a Jamaican poet during the Harlem Renaissance and was able to express his feelings through his writing. His poems celebrated Jamaican culture while challenging white authority. He wrote about his life as a black man in both Jamaica and America. McKay published his first books of verse,” Songs of Jamaica and Constab Ballads in 1912 and used the reward money from the Jamaican Institute of Arts and Sciences to move to the United States. Claude Mc Kay studied at Tuskegee University and Kansas State College for 2 years. During this time, he experienced intense racism. This inspired him to write more poetry.
Claude published his poems in 1917 and they appeared in magazines. His best known piece, “If we must die” spoke about retaliation for racial prejudice and abuse. He then left the United States to travel through Europe and came back in 1921 and involved himself in
Since Claude McKay experienced a lot of racism and hate throughout his years growing up, he decided to write this poem to help the reader form a picture of what he went through. This poem was written as a sonnet poem, only 14 lines, and where he used a rhyming structure to make the poem flow. The poem explains how slaves were working on a farmstead, being beaten, and reminds the reader of the agony the slaves have went through for centuries. He also says “From the dark depths of my soul I cry” which explains how hurt he is and how he wants his race to be heard. He doesn’t want to see them suffer any longer and be who they are. He also prays to God that the white man will be overthrown, leaving room for the black man to rise. McKay also states, “My heart grows sick with hate, becomes a lead”, which is him saying how cold and hard his heart from all of the discrimination and animosity toward his