Langston Hughes-the Voice of African Americans
Langston Hughes- The Voice of African Americans
“The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain”, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”, “Danse Africaine” , and “I, Too” by Langston Hughes are representative of Hughes ability to capture the vast experience of being black in America. Hughes’ ability to define African American heritage and the daily experience of being black in America through poetry and essays helped move the Harlem Renaissance into the forefront of American Literature. For Hughes, being African American meant many different things. As an African American each day was different and through the years Hughes’ experiences continued to allow him to relate what it meant to be black in America. Whether it was pride in one’s heritage or anger about racism; Hughes’s poetry was able to capture the feelings of the many blacks who were dealing with the issue of being black, but wanted to fit into “white America“. In Huges essay the negro artist, he captured the essence of blacks looking at themselves through the eyes of white America “But this is the mountain standing in the way of any true Negro art in America—this urge within the race toward whiteness, the desire to pour racial individuality into the mold of American standardization, and to be as little Negro and as much American as possible. .
Hughes felt the need to address the racism and prejudice that existed in America. Though Hughes was very optimistic about America and its ability to improve racial tensions the reality of racism was hard to ignore. In I, Too Hughes used a black male servant as a metaphor for African Americans. The servant who is sent away to the kitchen whenever company comes allows the reader to understand Hughes’ view of America and its attitude toward African Americans. Hughes examines the segregation of America and the idea that change is possible. The actions of the servant reveal the struggle of African Americans as a people who want to be equal to other Americans.
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“The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain”, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”, “Danse Africaine” , and “I, Too” by Langston Hughes are representative of Hughes ability to capture the vast experience of being black in America. Hughes’ ability to define African American heritage and the daily experience of being black in America through poetry and essays helped move the Harlem Renaissance into the forefront of American Literature. For Hughes, being African American meant many different things. As an African American each day was different and through the years Hughes’ experiences continued to allow him to relate what it meant to be black in America. Whether it was pride in one’s heritage or anger about racism; Hughes’s poetry was able to capture the feelings of the many blacks who were dealing with the issue of being black, but wanted to fit into “white America“. In Huges essay the negro artist, he captured the essence of blacks looking at themselves through the eyes of white America “But this is the mountain standing in the way of any true Negro art in America—this urge within the race toward whiteness, the desire to pour racial individuality into the mold of American standardization, and to be as little Negro and as much American as possible. .
Hughes felt the need to address the racism and prejudice that existed in America. Though Hughes was very optimistic about America and its ability to improve racial tensions the reality of racism was hard to ignore. In I, Too Hughes used a black male servant as a metaphor for African Americans. The servant who is sent away to the kitchen whenever company comes allows the reader to understand Hughes’ view of America and its attitude toward African Americans. Hughes examines the segregation of America and the idea that change is possible. The actions of the servant reveal the struggle of African Americans as a people who want to be equal to other Americans.
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