Poetry's Influences on the Harlem Renaissance
Shayuann Shepard
Mrs. Gullett
English 11
15 May 2013
Poetry’s influence on racial equality
Racial equality has been the topic of many works for centuries. Many of those works weren’t written by those actually affected by inequality. During the 1920’s African Americans began to express their opinions on the issue more frequently through the arts. Poetry was among the most prominent forms of art used for spreading equality and justice. Poets like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Claude McKay wrote many poems that spoke on equality in society.
African Americans felt betrayed after the civil war. They had given their lives and after the war nothing had changed (Cartwright, “The Harlem Renaissance”). They were still not treated equal and didn’t get paid as much as any other worker. During the 1920’s they started a cultural and racial movement in Harlem, New York called the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a time of growth of African Americans during the 1920’s. During this time ideas on equality and freedom spread through the African American community like wild fire. African Americans were expressing their emotions about racial equality in many different ways (Rau 167). Some chose poetry some chose painting or jazz. They used these arts to highlight the injustices they saw in their everyday lives. 1. Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes is one the most well know poets of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes was born in 1902 in Joplin, Missouri (Rampersad, “Hughes’s Life and Career”). His beginnings were more humble than most. At a very young age Langston’s Hughes parents divorced. After the divorce Hughes moved to Lincoln with his grandmother. This is where he began to write poetry (The Academy of American poets, “Langston Hughes”). Hughes ideals were closely based around his grandfather, who was a militant abolitionist (Rampersad, “Hughes’s Life and Career”) His poetry was influenced by many poets who shared his colorful writing style (The Academy
Mrs. Gullett
English 11
15 May 2013
Poetry’s influence on racial equality
Racial equality has been the topic of many works for centuries. Many of those works weren’t written by those actually affected by inequality. During the 1920’s African Americans began to express their opinions on the issue more frequently through the arts. Poetry was among the most prominent forms of art used for spreading equality and justice. Poets like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Claude McKay wrote many poems that spoke on equality in society.
African Americans felt betrayed after the civil war. They had given their lives and after the war nothing had changed (Cartwright, “The Harlem Renaissance”). They were still not treated equal and didn’t get paid as much as any other worker. During the 1920’s they started a cultural and racial movement in Harlem, New York called the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a time of growth of African Americans during the 1920’s. During this time ideas on equality and freedom spread through the African American community like wild fire. African Americans were expressing their emotions about racial equality in many different ways (Rau 167). Some chose poetry some chose painting or jazz. They used these arts to highlight the injustices they saw in their everyday lives. 1. Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes is one the most well know poets of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes was born in 1902 in Joplin, Missouri (Rampersad, “Hughes’s Life and Career”). His beginnings were more humble than most. At a very young age Langston’s Hughes parents divorced. After the divorce Hughes moved to Lincoln with his grandmother. This is where he began to write poetry (The Academy of American poets, “Langston Hughes”). Hughes ideals were closely based around his grandfather, who was a militant abolitionist (Rampersad, “Hughes’s Life and Career”) His poetry was influenced by many poets who shared his colorful writing style (The Academy
Cited: Meachen Rau, Dana . The harlem renaissance . Minneapolis,MN: compass point books, 1971. Print. Cartwright, Phil, Elizabeth Stiles , and Devon Barrett. "The Harlem Renaissance." harlem Literature. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 May 2013. <www.jcu.edu/harlem/Literature/Page_1.htm>. Holt, Elliott. "Countee Cullen : The Poetry Foundation." Poetry Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2013. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/countee-cullen>. The Harvard Squared Library . "Countee Cullen." Harvard Square Library | Unitarian Universalist Biographies | Cambridge | History | Philosophy. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2013. <http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/poets/cullen.php>. University of Illinois . "Hughes 's Life and Career--by Arnold Rampersad." Welcome to English « Department of English, College of LAS, University of Illinois. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2013. <http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/g_l/hughes/life.htm>. University of Illinois. "Countee Cullen: Online Poems." Welcome to English « Department of English, College of LAS, University of Illinois. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 June 2013. <http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/cullen/online_poems.htm>. Walton, Anthony. "A Brief Guide to the Harlem Renaissance- Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More." Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2013. <http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5657>. Weaver, Afaa M.. "Langston Hughes- Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More." Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2013. <http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/83>. academy of american poets. "Claude McKay- Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More." Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2013. <http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/25>. poetry out loud. "Langston hughes." poetry out loud. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2013. < http://www.poetryoutloud.org/poet/langston-hughes>.