African American poets

The Harlem Renaissance was a time in American history when African heritage was not being accepted by not only the white Americans but also by the African Americans. So, two men took matters into their own hands by bringing together Americans of all different races by writing poems that portrayed the horribles times African American were going through. Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen were the two men that fought for racial equality during the 1920s in Harlem, New York. Langston Hughes…

The poem Harlem by Langston Hughes is a lyric poem, and the author focuses the theme on society “deferring” the dreams of African Americans due to racism. Langston Hughes uses descriptive similes throughout the poem to get his theme of racism across to his audience. In the 2nd line of the poem, Langston Hughes informs the reader that deferring a dream is similar to a raisin. This is because as grapes age, they lose their juice and begin to dry out, turning into a raisin. This is what happens to…

he Harlem renaissance was a conglomeration of the best and brightest, poets, singers, artist, philosophers and all around thinkers of the African American community. They were escaping the oppression of the American South for a place where they could gather and let their creativity free. Some of the major names that were a part of the Renaissance included Langston Hughes (poet), Claude McKay (writer/poet), Zora Neale Hurston (novelist) and many more. The Harlem Renaissance wasn't just a…

a woman who overcame many trials and tribulations. Maya Angelou is one of the greatest figures in American literature. She is known for writing poetry which she used to spread the word of equality for many African American women and for others who were oppressed. Maya Angelou went through many hardships, but through hard work and her love for literature, she became one of America’s well-known poets. Maya Angelou was originally born Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 4, 1928.…

Renaissance were Claude McKay and Zora Neale Hurston. The main difference between the two is the genre they wrote; while they both focused on African American images and issues in relation to their own experiences, McKay was a poet whereas Hurston preferred to write folklore stories. Claude McKay focused on the duality of the feelings of African Americans, whereas Zora Neale Hurston focused more on societal pressures and how this impacted blacks Claude McKay was born and raised in Jamaica but…

Shakespearean sonnet. His need to mimic the meter and rhyme scheme of this sonnet bounds him and his poetry to a pre-set paradigm, emphasizing the fact that he, and other African Americans felt as though they were being confined by the limitations and restrictions imposed on them because of their skin color. According to American poet and award-winning teacher, Donna Denizé and senior consultant of the Folger Shakespeare Library, Louisa Newlin, McKay chose to follow the form of a…

of his main priorities to talk about in his poetry. Other of Langston Hughes 's poetry has been about his past and how to identify himself as a person in the time period when segregation was in the role. Everyone did not understand why a black African American man was writing in such a manner where he can get in a lot of hatred coming through and also can be in a lot of trouble with the authority. He uses imagery to express love in his poem between Black men and Black women, nature, romantic…

Race ,Gender, Multi-Ethnicity and Cultural Poetics/Politics of Audre Lorde Abstract: African American women poets, throughout the centuries have always defined themselves and their community in their works. It has been more apparent in literature, especially in poetry. Audre Lorde is an African American writer, radical feminist, womanist, and civil rights activist. Writing poetry was a responsibility for her as it was necessary for her survival and the survival of others. This study considers…

One of my American poets I chose is Langston Hughes. He was born on February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. Mr. Hughes is a very educated African American man that came from a background of intelligence and educators. In fact, his uncle, John Mercer Langston, was the first African American to be elected to public office. Langston Hughes is a living example of the saying, “You can do what you want”. He moved and was raised by his grandmother after the separation of his parents and she put a since…

Phillis Wheatley: An Outstanding Poet Phillis Wheatley is an African-American poetess. Although she was an African slave Wheatley was one of the best known writers in the middle years of the 1700’s. Wheatley impressed everyone she met, proving to the world that the color of one’s skin indicates one’s intelligence. She was born in Africa, but was kidnapped and shipped to the United States on a boat named “Phillis” thus giving her name. A wealthy man named John Wheatley purchased her. John…