"The Negro Speaks of Rivers"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the poem, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes, written during the period of vast growth for African-American literature. The paper examines the underlying factors that brought about the Harlem Renaissance. The paper describes the poem as an attempt to describe the search for identity as an African-American artist and the depth of heritage that belonged to the American Negro. The paper outlines the imagery used in the poem.

From the Paper:

"Langston Hughes is often referred to as the Poet Laureate or Shakespeare of the Negro Race. He was also one of the chief artists responsible for the flowering of African American literature, known as the Harlem Renaissance. The poetry of Langston Hughes is representative of a period that saw cultural growth and expansion in consciousness, and the increase of self-identity issues of the Black or Negro culture in the United States. The idea of searching for one's cultural roots was a dominant factor in the search for identify and meaning in the Harlem Renaissance."

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