Harlem Renaissance and the African American Community

One of the most influential events for the African American community was the Harlem Renaissance. Until the Harlem Renaissance, American's had never accepted or truly viewed African American's literature and art work. The Harlem Renaissance displayed the intellectual ability of African American's, not only to the United States, but to the entire world. Beginning in New Orleans, Louisiana, the movement began to move north, to places such as Chicago and New York, where the name Harlem Renaissance originates. Many famous artists, writers, and poets, originated from this time period, along with many well known works of art. Perhaps one of the most well known poets to come from the Harlem Renaissance is Langston Hughes. While Langston Hughes wrote numerous poems, "The Negro Speaks of River" is one of his best and most influential works. This poem was also one of the featured poems for the Cooper Library presentation as part of Clemson University's Langston Hughes Project. Langston Hughes composed "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" when he was seventeen years old and dedicated it to W.E.B. DuBois, founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Despite being not as well known, another poem in which Hughes celebrates being an African American is "Me and the Mule." This poem acknowledges the individuality and uniqueness of African Americans. Although written at a young age, Hughes' poems illustrate the African's evolution over time and hard journey around the world celebrating being unique race.

The title "The Negro Speaks of River" was probably chosen because African Americans, like rivers, have greatly influenced the progression of the human race. Hughes second and third lines "I've known rivers ancient as the world / and older than the flow of human blood in human veins" (Hughes, The Negro. 2-3), show the Negro has been one of the first human beings. In the poem, Hughes refers to four different rivers, the Euphrates, the Congo, the Nile, and the Mississippi. The progression of rivers traces the African's path from the Congo to the Nile, and later to the Mississippi in the United States. The Euphrates was chosen because it is associated with the beginning of the human race and major civilization. Thus showing African American's history back to the creation of the world, and credited them with possessing a wisdom no less profound than that of the greatest rivers of civilization that humanity had ever known. By bathing in the Euphrates and building a hut near the Congo, "the normal activities of natural man performed in his natural habitat," (Oktenberg) are shown. Finally, the Mississippi was chosen because this is where Abraham Lincoln's determination to end slavery began. Thus the rivers also represent the hardships of slavery Africans experienced.

Another reason the Negro is associated with the river is the slave trade. Because the slaves were shipped around the world, the rivers assisted in the transportation. The reference to the pyramids and Abraham Lincoln are the two most obvious examples of slavery. The Lincoln reference represents the American Civil War and the long battle to end slavery in the United States and the pyramids were constructed by slaves, some of which were Africans. While not as obvious, in the poem's refrain, "My soul has grown deep like the rivers" (Hughes, The Negro 4), Hughes acknowledges that slavery has impacted the Africans way of existence. Had slavery not been forced upon them, the Negro might still remain in his home, rather than the pyramids of Egypt or the Mississippi in New Orleans. Hughes' first refrain comes at the beginning of the poem and the second comes near the end. At the first refrain, the Negro is a simple man that does what other ordinary men do. At the second refrain, the negro is no longer the same simple man that bathed in the Euphrates or built a hut near the Congo, but rather one who has "experienced the pain of slavery and racism, and his soul now bears the imprint of these experiences" (Joyce).

The Negro's life has been greatly affected by slavery. Slavery has moved the Negro around the world and placed the Negro in numerous situations. The speaker admits that he has been affected by this movement when he states: "My soul has grown deep like the river" (Hughes, The Negro. 4). The soul of a person is their true feelings and identity. Because the soul has grown deep, the Negro has developed as a person and found his true identity. The river is a passageway that links large bodies of water together. As the Negro has moved on from river to river, they have found their identity. They have moved from being slaves and viewed as inferior, to having equal rights in the United States and many other countries all around the world.

When Langston Hughes wrote this poem, he was a young man living in a difficult period of time for African Americans. Despite his hardships, the poem conveys a valuable message without provoking anyone about racial discrimination. While most people now realize that slavery and racial injustices are wrong, some people during this time period did not. Hughes uses the rivers to show the advancement and overcoming of adversity that the Negro has accomplished. Hughes never comes directly out and provokes but rather presents his perspective in a meaningful and respectful way.
Also presenting his perspective in a respectful way, Langston Hughes' poem "Me and the Mule" acknowledges the unique individuality of African Americans. Hughes compares and relates African Americans with a mule. Mules are notorious for being stubborn animals. Like the mule, the Negro will not easily change his mind or appearance for another person. Rather they are not easily persuaded and will keep their own beliefs. Mules are very unique because they can not reproduce but rather must be bred from a male donkey and a female horse. This again shows that African Americans or Africans in general are very unique beings.

Despite being quite unique, the Negro and the mule are content with what they are and will not change. The speaker recognizes the mule has not changed his lifestyle in a period of time when he states: "He's been a mule so long / He's forgotten about his race" (Hughes, Me. 3-4). In this statement the speaker acknowledges that the mule has been a certain way for so long he does not even know what he is. Mules, like African Americans at the time, were not viewed highly of as individuals. Although not viewed highly, the mule does not care how he is viewed, but rather keeps "a grin on his face" (Hughes, Me. 2). While people may have different views of African Americans, the speaker admits to being resolute in his beliefs and proud of what he is when stating:

"I'm like that old mule -
Black - and don't give a damn!
You got to take me
Like I am" (Hughes, Me. 5-8).

Because the speaker is proud of what he is, he will not change his beliefs or appearance.
Langston Hughes' poetry celebrates the creativity and hardships African Americans have endured and overcome in a respectful manner. His style and intellect have allowed Hughes to become one of the most well known poets from the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a period acknowledging and celebrating the intellectual ability of African Americans and Langston Hughes was at the forefront of the movement.

Joyce, Joyce "Bantu, Nkodi, Ndungu, and Nganga: Language, Politics, Music, and Religion in African American Poetry." The Furious Flowering of African American Poetry. Ed. Joanne V. Gabbins. Virginia: UVA Press, 1999.
Oktenberg, Adrian. "From the Bottom Up: Three Radicals of the Thirties." A Gift of Tongues: Critical Challenges in Contemperary American Poetry. Ed. Kathleen Aguero and Marie Harris. Georgia: UGA Press, 1987.
Hughes, Langston. "The Negro Speaks of Rivers."
Hugh, Langston. "Me and the Mule."