Kira Nikolaides
Mrs. Parkinson
English III
7 March 2016
Harlem Renaissance Poetry
It’s important to examine works of the Harlem Renaissance, like those of Claude McKay. By doing so, we can learn about what life was like for blacks in the 1920s. McKay wrote heavily about the life of blacks in America. This is especially shown in his poem, “America.” This poem shows the two views blacks had of America: love and hatred. In the poem, he says, “Stealing my breath of life, I will confess / I love this cultured hell that tests my youth” (McKay 3-4). This shows both his hatred and love for the country. He was referring to the racism blacks faced in America. However, he still loved America because it made him stronger. He said that America is “giving me strength erect against her hate…” (McKay 6). Looking at poems like McKay’s can help us understand racism in America and how racism in the 1920s compares to that of today.
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