His poetry, spanning five decades from 1926 to 1967, reflected the changing black experience in America, from the Harlem Renaissance to the confused sixties. ... The tone and subject matter of Hughes' poetry can be linked to certain points in history, and his life. ... Although scholars and critics throughout his career dismissed his poetry as too "simple and unlearned,"" his primary audience, the black masses, and even Hughes himself viewed his work as "folk poetry- which was beneath criticism (Rampersad 4-5). ...

• Word Count: 1313
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

In 1967 he wrote a book of Black Nationalist poetry, titled "Black Magic." ... He also wrote a lot anti-semitic poetry at the same time. His poetry from that period contains such phrases as, "I got the extermination blues, jewboys."(Amiri Baraka Reader, pg. xxiv) Amiri is all about using poetry as a machine-gun, he once made a comment "we want poems that kill" (Amiri Baraka Reader, pg. xxv). ...

• Word Count: 2297
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

Were it not for the experiences that these two authors had during their lives many, if not all, of the passion that they put into their poetry would have been lost or compromised. ... In much the same way as Whitman, Langston Hughes" poetry is a product of the environment in which he was raised and the values that he holds. ... Hughes poetry illustrates that whites and blacks recognize the roles that were expected of them in society and at the least, they had acceptance amongst their races, while mulattos in many cases were alone having no clear racial group to identify with. ...

• Word Count: 1893
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography

Baldwin wrote novels, poetry, essays and a screenplay in the later years of his life. ... Walter Meserve writes in The Black American Writer: Poetry and Drama, Vol. 2, Baldwin tries to use theatre as a pulpit for his ideas. ...

• Word Count: 1677
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Langston Hughes's poetry could almost be the love song version of Du Bois's collection of essays. ... He believes America can change some day, just like Washington held so much hope in, but he also doesn't believe in sitting back and holding his tongue and just doing field work, but writing poetry, like Du Bois. ...

• Word Count: 1421
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Through Hughes" works that included: poetry, short stories, novels, and political essays, Hughes brought his words to life and educated many people. ... Through these next few pages, the history of Hughes" younger years will be explained, and how they influenced his poetry. ...

• Word Count: 1483
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

Hart stated, "He had a most dramatic meeting with his literary idol of the time, Vachel Lindesayhe had a chat with Lindsay and his wife, and was given a gift of Amy Lowell's John Keats, along with a note directing him to study the New Poetry" (Hart 617). ...

• Word Count: 1512
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

"Well, OK, it seems to always fall on me to tell the truth and, hey, I don't mind. It's not nearly as bad a job as some people think- (Giovanni, Sacred Cows and Other Edibles). Nikki Yolande Giovanni is one of America's most recent poets who gained fame as a writer during the 1060s. Nikki Giovanni, ...

• Word Count: 1670
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

Ernest James Gaines is one of the most important African American authors of this century. (Benet's 365) He succeeds as a writer as well as a college English Professor at University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1983. Gaines was born on January 15, 1933 in Oscar Louisiana. He had a hard childhood whi...

• Word Count: 1754
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

James Baldwin is considered one of the most important African American writer of novels, poetry, short stories and essays, as well as a civil right activist. He was born in New York City's Harlem in 1924 (Smith 235). Due to his mother's inaccessibility and his stepfather's stern and remote manner, B...

• Word Count: 1511
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography

The Definition of America as seen in the Poetry of Langston Hughes and Claude McKay America is a place that many people associate with equality, opportunity and the promise of a good life. This idea has existed for centuries and continues to be prevalent even today. When many people think...

• Word Count: 1569
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

Oppression and marginalization of youth minorities over thirty years ago had led to the creation of the music and culture that is known as Hip-hop. Experiences of discrimination and hardship translated into rhythm and poetry became the widely renowned music genre that the world has come to know. Hip...

• Word Count: 2033
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

This paper will explore the corporate greed that has plagued hip-hop ever since it became a billion dollar a year industry. Major record labels like Sony and Universal, which are owned by white men, have been intentionally signing rappers that reflect modern minstrel characteristics of blacks to att...

• Word Count: 2443
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate