American poets

vibrant literary movement, built on the aspects of diversion, creativity, and intellectual forces in the communities of African Americans in Chicago between the times of 1900 into the 1960’s, known as the Chicago Black Renaissance. The Chicago Renaissance started after the migration of African Americans from the South, this migration brought thousands of African Americans to Chicago where they could begin contributing to the city by themselves through visual and performing arts, literature, and…

“the history of African American preaching women and the issues and struggles they confronted in their efforts to function as ministers and to become ordained” (xv). Her writing suggests that we gain a deeper understanding of the history of the Black Church and African American women’s roles in light of its institution itself and powerful theology that propels it. Her study contributes to the purpose of my dissertation topic, because it clearly notes a century of African American women’s…

became foundational in American culture. America in its entirety is a melting pot, the culmination of other cultures into one country. However, Europeans were among the first to develop and colonize North America. Consequently, many European artists, poets, writers, and philosophers brought with them their ideas and knowledge. The Transcendentalist movement provided the largest impact in cementing these aesthetic approaches into American culture. Deep within the American construct is the idea…

The African American Fight for Freedom In the early 1700s, many Africans had been abducted from their homeland, enslaved in the United States, and had no legal rights. Even once the idea of ending oppression led to the Declaration of Independence in 1776, these rights only applied to white citizens and not people of color. African-Americans during this time desired freedom and human rights above all else, and they fought valiantly during the American War for Independence for these rights. The…

artist. He is trying to be an individual in contemporary society, but finds this impossible because people think of him as different. Wittman correctly comprehends that this is because of the color of his skin. Wittman wants people to view him as American and he is aware that they do not. Additionally, his level of education makes him aware of the harm that stereotypes cause and how they disenfranchise, but instead of forging his own identity he cares how others view him. He cannot be an…

The Harlem Renaissance era was a beautiful time of artistic expression for African American people. Two very successful poems/songs were “Po’ Boy Blues” along with “Good Morning Blues”. Good Morning Blues is actually a song composed by Lead Belly. This beautiful song speaks of a man acknowledging his sadness and recognizing it. Po’ Boy Blues” is a touching poem of a lost love composed by Langston Hughes. Throughout this essay I will be comparing and contrasting the two pieces. Note that both…

February 1, 1902 in Joplin Missouri. He died May 22, 1967 in New York City (Webster 209). Born with a racial background of African, French, Native American, and English ancestry, Hughes used his background throughout his life as an inspiration for his art. Hughes attended elementary school in Lincoln, Illinois. In his class, he was elected as class poet, which may have started his fame in poetry. Years later, Hughes…

“We Wear The Mask” and “Sympathy” are without a doubt two of the best written poems that a beleaguered poet, who struggled against the social norms of his time, would inevitably come up with. Though “Sympathy” and “We Wear The Mask” both speak of Dunbar’s regret for being imprisoned in his own situation, condemning the slavery of African Americans and the absence of opportunity for his own race, the two poems may also relate to how he felt confined in the literary standards of his era. Need…

against the discrimination of the African American. Their writings were mainly based on political and social affairs that were affecting the black people. However, the differences were evident in both writers on how they relayed their messages to their audience using the different styles of poetic writing. Hughes and Cullen may write different poems, but there is a close resemblance to the message being relayed as they usually share themes. The African American was trying to make it clear to the…

He was a poet, a social activist, a novelist, a columnist, and some might even say he was the backbone for African American literature during the first half of the 20th century. Langston Hughes was born in 1902 and grew up to be one of the primary contributors to the Harlem Renaissance during the 1920s. His views on life changed dramatically throughout his lifetime and this can be seen in all of his famous poetry. “I, Too”, “Let America Be America Again”, and “Dream Deferred” are just three of…