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How does Langston Hughes' poetry represent the Black American
experience during the Harlem Renaissance?
Langston Hughes is one of the most prolific writers of the Harlem Renaissance. The
Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual revival of Black American culture, art and literature
which occurred from the 1910s through to the mid-1930s. Hughes’ Selected Poems is an
iconic anthology, known for illustrating Black pride and promoting equality through
celebrating Black American culture during times of hardship. However, critics have doubted
the significance of Hughes’ work within the twentieth-century American literary canon,
stating that they felt his poetry negatively characterised Black Americans ("Langston Hughes'
Impact On The Harlem Renaissance"), as well as lacked understanding of his poetry
("Hughes’ critics"). Nonetheless, Hughes prompts white Americans to question this
representation and encourages an understanding of Black Americans within society, through
both the historical and present context surrounding his works. In this anthology, Hughes
skillfully uses poetic voice, through his own experience of being a Black American, in
vocalising his concerns about race and social injustice. Additionally, the use of rhetorical
devices, tone, figurative language as well as musical rhythms and cultural slang in the poems
“Negro”, “The Weary Blues” and “I, Too” are prevalent in portraying the relevance of the
lives of Black Americans and their experiences throughout history, specifically during the
Harlem Renaissance.
In the poem “Negro”, Hughes focuses on asserting his Black identity, through a
plethora of rhetorical devices, tone and poetic voice to depict the challenges and oppression
faced by Black Americans not just during the Harlem Renaissance, but throughout history.
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The author communicates the significant historic experiences of Black Americans and their
impact, markedly with the anadiplosis and alliteration implied through “Black as the night is
black, Black like…”. A repetitive emphasis is placed on the word “black”, which re-enforces
the prominent theme of the poem, the characterisation of Black Americans. Moreover, it
encourages a feeling of reflection amongst readers, toward the way in which Black
Americans were treated. Furthermore, by alluding to the night equally conveys the idea that
White Americans perceive people of colour as potentially dangerous and threatening. By
incorporating the allusion of the well-recognized “pyramids” and “Woolworth Building”,
Hughes aims to highlight the historic accomplishments and achievements of Black
Americans, as well as reflect upon the slavery endured in past eras. In another aspect, the
straightforward and comprehensive tone allows Hughes to express his servitude life, evoking
sympathy and a sombre mood throughout. The repetition of the derogative eponymous
“Negro” expresses Hughes’ emotions and emphasizes the discrimination by which Black
Americans suffered during the colonial era. Moreover, alongside the direct tone, Hughes uses
a single-speaker as a universal voice to collectively speak and personify the entire Black
community throughout history, showing their positive impact on past eras. This becomes
prominent within the poem, through measures such as the repetition of the personal pronoun,
“I’ve”, which represents the poet’s open identification with his ancestral roots and creates a
narrative relatable for other Black Americans. Additionally, when Hughes’ states, “I am a
Negro”, it is not said with a mystical aura, but instead expresses his pride in being Black,
revealing his perspective on being ’Negro’. This supports the ideas around Black pride found
in his essay The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain ("The Negro Artist And The Racial
Mountain | Poetry Foundation"). As stated, “We younger Negro artists who create now intend
to express our dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased we are
glad. If they are not, it doesn’t matter” ("Langston Hughes | Poetry Foundation"). As Hughes
