Making America Great Again
Donald Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again” has been seen and heard by millions of Americans (since the 2016 election). This concept of making America great again, however, is not new to anyone . Langston Hughes’s poem “Let America be America Again” also calls for America to return to its former glory and showcases the struggles of being an African American during the mid-1930s.
Langston Hughes was an African American poet during the Harlem Renaissance which took place during the 1920s to the mid-1930s. The Harlem Renaissance was a movement of African Americans that emigrated to Harlem, New York where African American music, literature, and culture were prominent (Wintz). William Chafe, in his book titled The …show more content…
Hughes begins by asking a series of questions regarding the idea of freedom and who is truly free. He then moves on by saying that the people have gotten nothing in return for their work except for “the dream that’s almost dead today.”(Hughes) He is very clearly talking about the American Dream. The reader can tell that Hughes is frustrated with the system and tired of people working hard to achieve their goals only to get nothing in return.
The last four stanzas are Hughes calling for the people to redeem America and make it a land for everyone (Hughes). He wants the American Dream to come alive again and for it to be a dream for not only for whites, but for every kind of race. Hughes writes that even though America is not America to him right now, it soon will be (Hughes). While most of the poem has an almost bitter, hostile tone to it, the last four stanzas have a hopeful tone. He has hope for the future which many people needed then.
In Langston Hughes’s poem, “Let America be America Again”, he clearly showcases what life was like during the Harlem Renaissance and the Great Depression for minority and low- income groups. With all the hardships and trials during that time period, it is easy to see why he wrote the poem. After reading the poem, the reader cannot help but think if America was ever truly
Donald Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again” has been seen and heard by millions of Americans (since the 2016 election). This concept of making America great again, however, is not new to anyone . Langston Hughes’s poem “Let America be America Again” also calls for America to return to its former glory and showcases the struggles of being an African American during the mid-1930s.
Langston Hughes was an African American poet during the Harlem Renaissance which took place during the 1920s to the mid-1930s. The Harlem Renaissance was a movement of African Americans that emigrated to Harlem, New York where African American music, literature, and culture were prominent (Wintz). William Chafe, in his book titled The …show more content…
Hughes begins by asking a series of questions regarding the idea of freedom and who is truly free. He then moves on by saying that the people have gotten nothing in return for their work except for “the dream that’s almost dead today.”(Hughes) He is very clearly talking about the American Dream. The reader can tell that Hughes is frustrated with the system and tired of people working hard to achieve their goals only to get nothing in return.
The last four stanzas are Hughes calling for the people to redeem America and make it a land for everyone (Hughes). He wants the American Dream to come alive again and for it to be a dream for not only for whites, but for every kind of race. Hughes writes that even though America is not America to him right now, it soon will be (Hughes). While most of the poem has an almost bitter, hostile tone to it, the last four stanzas have a hopeful tone. He has hope for the future which many people needed then.
In Langston Hughes’s poem, “Let America be America Again”, he clearly showcases what life was like during the Harlem Renaissance and the Great Depression for minority and low- income groups. With all the hardships and trials during that time period, it is easy to see why he wrote the poem. After reading the poem, the reader cannot help but think if America was ever truly