Langston Hughes 'Poem I, Too'

Langston Hughes is a popular author associated with the Harlem Renaissance. Many of his works focused on “modern, urban black life” (1038). Although he took pride in his African American culture, he did not ignore the fact blacks were neglected during this time. In 1926, he wrote a beautiful poem that is very short and concise, yet extremely powerful. Hughes’ poem “I, Too” is important because it describes the common experiences for African Americans during this period. Within the first line of the poem, the speaker states that “I, too, sing America” declaring that he has the right to be equally as patriotic, even if he is dark skinned. The speaker refers to himself as the “darker brother,” because he sees himself as an equal to the white