I, Too (Sing America)
Langston Hughes (1902-1967)
I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table When company comes. Nobody’ll dare Say to me, “Eat in the kitchen,” Then. Besides, They’ll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed— I, too, am America.
Langston Hughes was an artist and an activist during the Harlem Renaissance. He wrote his poem “I, Too (Sing America)” on the topic of equality, inclusion, and patriotism. Because Langston Hughes was a Black man before the civil rights movement, he was never treated as an equal or an American. Hughes makes it a point to have a seat at the table, as it is his birthright. His vision of America involves a more inclusive and equal one, ensuring progress and hope for a better America.
Why did I choose this piece?
His voice, coming from the Harlem Renaissance, a period of art and enlightenment, is crucial to complete the collage of American literature and culture.
