I AM
AMYEM
English Major, lifelong learner, impractical perfectionist.
Painting: Iris Fields - Paul Chester
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Painting: Iris Fields - Paul Chester
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The Harlem Renaissance was a powerful time of reclamation for not only African American writers and poets, but for African Americans as a whole. It took the definition of renaissance literally - it was a rebirth for those to find their pride and their courage to be and make whatever they chose their own. But still, there was discourse in how. Some writers, such as Langston Hughes found their rebirth in changing the structure and form in which they wrote, breaking the conventions established by white writers. Countee Cullen, on the other hand, stood by the traditions set by those before as he determined that "if they can do it, so can we." However, despite the differences in the structure in which writing was thought to be done, the things they wrote about were what brought out the pride in their heritage and their history - that they are not just African Americans, but they are Americans. Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen wrote about their connections to the nature and land, even going as far to the Nile, or as short to Mississippi. Their heritage and history are spread across all the land of the earth, through all of the rivers, such as Hughes puts it: "I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins." Another example of pride in their heritage and history would be Margaret Walker. Her poem, "For My People" beautifully outlines the ages of their struggle and their oppression, meeting and finding all those she is talking to, and creating a call to action to fight back and not let the struggle or oppression win. It is inspiring to see a rise in pride. White people have nothing in their race to be proud of. We have done nothing but pillage and destroy lives and homes. Humans have done good - we have rebuilt after tornadoes and held benefits in spite of tragedy. But our race has done nothing. African Americans have had their identity stolen and, while the Harlem Renaissance was only about sixty years ago, they are still working to get it back after hundreds of years of white colonizers terrorizing their town - hundreds of years still going on today. And I hope that pride never leaves them, and I hope they never settle for less.
2 Comments
Chloe Fleming
9/22/2019 08:02:52 am
I love how you connected this poem to identity, and brought up current examples. Both of these poems can be very empowering if you take the time to analyze them, which you did.
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Madison Booher
9/27/2019 09:42:24 am
This was really powerful! I really enjoyed how you stated that the Harlem Renaissance was a time of movement for African Americans, finding confidence within their writings. Great job!!
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