Claude McKay was born in 1889, Sunny Ville, Jamaica. His work is known to be a key and fundamental turning point in the Harlem Renaissance, ranging from poems of life in Jamaica to authoritative and more sophisticated works of literature. Since Claude McKay was the youngest of eleven children, he was therefore sent to live with his oldest brother, who was a school teacher at the time. He was given the best education that was available and began to read and write poetry at the early age of ten. After arriving in South Carolina in 1912, McKay entered Tuskegee Institute and then ended up transferring to Kansas State College. He obtained a great sense of African heritage and racial pride throughout his childhood. Studying British masters, John
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Claude McKay had to withstand many obstacles in his path, especially racism and prejudice. At the age of 17, McKay left to work in Kingstown, Jamaica. Claude had a hard time adapting to the new lifestyle of Kingstown, due to it's substantially white population, compared to Sunny Ville, which was of african decent. He experienced a great amount of racism, which led McKay to move back to Sunny Ville. New York City also offered its fair share of racism as well, providing inspiration for McKay to keep writing poetry. In 1919, Claude McKay’s struggles eventually passed through, as he became a top figure in the Harlem Renaissance movement, with the publication of his poem, “If We Must Die.” This poem led the black rights movement, defending the ones that took a stand and would not let skin color create boundaries within society. Claude McKay has greatly influenced many people in his life, including other enlightened Renaissance authors, Langston Hughes and Countée Cullen. They identified McKay as an inspiration, since he was blunt and always said what was on his mind. He also stated all of the racial issues that all black people in the working class had to face. The building blocks of the Harlem Renaissance movement were now laid out for all aspiring authors to come. Later in life, during the 1930s, Claude McKay grew an interest in Catholicism. He ended up joining the Harlem Friendship House and spread interest through his
Claude McKay had to withstand many obstacles in his path, especially racism and prejudice. At the age of 17, McKay left to work in Kingstown, Jamaica. Claude had a hard time adapting to the new lifestyle of Kingstown, due to it's substantially white population, compared to Sunny Ville, which was of african decent. He experienced a great amount of racism, which led McKay to move back to Sunny Ville. New York City also offered its fair share of racism as well, providing inspiration for McKay to keep writing poetry. In 1919, Claude McKay’s struggles eventually passed through, as he became a top figure in the Harlem Renaissance movement, with the publication of his poem, “If We Must Die.” This poem led the black rights movement, defending the ones that took a stand and would not let skin color create boundaries within society. Claude McKay has greatly influenced many people in his life, including other enlightened Renaissance authors, Langston Hughes and Countée Cullen. They identified McKay as an inspiration, since he was blunt and always said what was on his mind. He also stated all of the racial issues that all black people in the working class had to face. The building blocks of the Harlem Renaissance movement were now laid out for all aspiring authors to come. Later in life, during the 1930s, Claude McKay grew an interest in Catholicism. He ended up joining the Harlem Friendship House and spread interest through his