After World War I, in Harlem, New York, there was a huge splurge of African- American culture. The African-American culture induced literature, poetry, and philosophy. This movement criticized the way these African-Americans were treated by white Americans. During this time, Langston Hughes, a social activist wrote poems that portrayed the struggle of African Americans, showcasing their lives during the Harlem Renaissance, while celebrating their heritage.
James Mercer Langston Hughes was born was born in Joplin, Missouri, on the 1st of February, and died May 22nd 1967. He had lived with his grandmother, since his parents were divorced. When his grandma died, he moved to Cleveland, Ohio, in order to live with his mother. It was the first time
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In this two-three-line stanza, Hughes conveyed his message through a very simplistic tone and language. He compares his race to the sun, and how they’re dazzling. This poem expresses the working class’s struggles, as the second stanza states the hard jobs such as: “washing, ironing, cooking, scrubbing, sewing,”. This suggests that no matter the task, the African-Americans did it with dignity and grace. It also infers that God’s plan is what they are submitting to, but there is still hope for a better future. In the 4th stanza, Hughes refers to his own life as to being the only colored kid, and being ignored from various aspects. Black people didn’t have a say in politics and how the country was ran, and that caused major discrimination during that time. “Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.”, Hughes takes huge pride in calling these people his. He sees beauty within their honesty and vulnerability, and wants to transmit this to other races in order to end all discrimination, and look at them as equals rather than