The Eyes of My People: Communicating and Understanding Black Perspectives Through Langston Hughes’ Poetry Prakhar Gupta, Katie Noh, and Sarah Wirth Senior Division Group Exhibit Process Paper: 500 Student-Composed Words: 500 FullFull ExhibitExhibit CenterTitle/Thesis: Top Image Panel Photo No Source Credits CenterTitle/Thesis: Top Text Panel Text The Eyes of My People: Communicating and Understanding Black Perspectives Through Langston Hughes’ Poetry During the Harlem Renaissance, a period in which racial stereotypes were challenged, Langston Hughes revolutionized Black art by incorporating culturally Black rhythms and vernacular into his poetry. His embrace of Black culture ultimately benefited Black art, inspiring Black artists to communicate their experiences using themes and musical elements that stemmed from Hughes’ style, fostering a greater understanding and respect of Black perspectives. LeftLeft Panel:Top Panel Historical Photo Context LeftBlack Top Culture’s Panel American Photo Roots: Image Source Credit Text: Roenker, Robin. Poor Rosy Sheet Music, 1867. National Geographic. Slaves Working, 1606. LeftBlack Top Culture’s Panel American Text Roots: Text Black Culture’s American Roots When enslaved people were taken to North America, they used cultural music to communicate their emotions, lifting their spirits on their journey. Upon arrival, they combined traditional music with English lyricism, forming new dialects and music. “the poet considered jazz and the blues to be uniquely African-American art forms, both of which spurned the desire for assimilation and acceptance by white culture, and instead rejoiced in Black heritage and creativity” (Gross). Plantation hymns were the beginnings of the blues and jazz, carrying the same unbroken spirit as slave spirituals. “Music was a way for slaves to express their feelings whether it was sorrow, joy, inspiration or hope. Songs were passed down from generation to generation throughout slavery” (Berry). LeftBlack Center Culture BeginsPanel to Photo Flourish: Image Source Credit Text: Hutson, Jean Blackwell. Great Migration African American family from the rural South arriving in Chicago, 1920, PBWorks. Great Migration Map. LeftBlack Center Culture BeginsPanel To Text Flourish: Text After slavery was abolished, oppression against Black Americans continued, including the systematic silencing of Black authors who wrote outside of the “white” narrative. Black writers were dependent on a system run by white publishers who made it clear that in order to be published, they had to appeal to the white population. “The restriction of the demand of publication led unfortunately to the impression that the slave narrative was the type of writing that Blacks were capable of, not belletristic writing” (Bamikunle). Black people moved northwards for better economic and social opportunities. LeftBlack Center Culture BeginsPanel to Photo Flourish: Image, cont. Source Credit Text: Hulton Archive. The Cotton Club. 1927. LeftBlack Center Culture BeginsPanel To Text Flourish: Text, Cont. As Harlem’s population continued to grow, the community and resources found in the city allowed those of all social classes to be more active in society. A Harlem Nightclub “I think that's why so much art came out of that period. People, Black people, were having their first taste of any kind of freedom and autonomy in the country” (Walker and Rampersad). The Harlem Renaissance was a source of inspiration for Black artists, combating racial stereotypes and leading people of other races to redefine their perceptions of Black culture. However, Black artists still felt pressured to conform to the white person’s idea of what their art should look like. “Oh, be respectable, write about nice people, show how good we are,” say the Negroes. “Be stereotyped, don’t go too far, don’t shatter our illusion about you, don’t amuse us too seriously. We will pay you” say the whites” (Hughes). Racial Makeup of Harlem, Black | White 1910| 9.89%| 90.01% 1920| 32.43%| 64.47% 1930| 70.18%| 29,43% LeftMiddle Top Panel: Panel Hughes’ Photo Seminal Writing Style CenterHughes’ SeminalCenter Writing Panel Style:Photo Header Image Source Credit Text:Parks, Gordon. Portrait of Langston Hughes. 1 Jan. 1970., Fred Stein Archive. Portrait of Langston Hughes. 1 Jan. 1956. CenterHughes’ SeminalCenter Writing Panel Style:Text Header Text Hughes’ Seminal Writing Style Poet Laureate of Harlem, Langston Hughes began to defy the stereotypes surrounding black writers. “Though Hughes was not the first one to use Black music in his writing, he was the first and only to make jazz the principle of his writing and to apply the blues technique to translate the same emotion and sensitivity of ordinary Black people” (Duale). “...no other African-American writer is quite so central to an understanding of how jazz dynamics might operate in poetry and that none so daringly extends the modernest challenge to ‘make it new’” (Hokanson). Langston Hughes blended traditional Black vernacular and rhythm with classical poetic style. CenterHughes’ SeminalCenter Writing Panel Style:Photo Left Image Source Credit Text: Bettman Archive. Cootie Williams Playing Trumpet at the Savoy. 1 Jan. 1930. CenterHughes’ SeminalCenter Writing Panel Style:Text Left Text “Jazz to me is one of the inherent expressions of Negro life in America; the eternal Tom-Tom beating in the Negro soul—the tom-Tom of revolt against weariness in the white world...the Tom-Tom of joy and laughter, and pain swallowed in a smile” (Hughes) “Danse Africaine” By Langston Hughes The low beating of the tom-toms, The slow beating of the tom-toms, Low...slow Slow...low- Stirs your blood. Dance! A night-veiled girl Whirls softly into a Circle of light. Whirls softly...slowly, Like a wisp of smoke around the fire- And the tom-toms beat, And the tom-toms beat, And the tom-toms beat, And the low beating of the tom-toms stirs your blood. Hughes commonly used “bluesy” rhythms and vernacular in his work, making his work accessible to those of all education levels. CenterHughes’ SeminalCenter Writing Panel Style:Photo Middle Image Source Credit Text: WBUR News. A Harlem Street in 1942. 10 Sept. 2013. CenterHughes’ SeminalCenter Writing Panel Style:Text Middle Text “Most of my poems are… derived from the life I know. In many of them I try to grasp and hold some of the meaning and rhythms of jazz. I am as sincere as I know how to be in these poems” (Hughes). Excerpt from: “The Weary Blues” By Langston Hughes Droning a drowsy syncopated tune, Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon, I heard a Negro play. Down on Lenox Avenue the other night By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light He did a lazy sway. ./He did a lazy sway. To the tune o’ those Weary Blues. With his ebony hands on each ivory key He made that poor piano moan with melody. O Blues! Swaying to and fro on his rickety stool He played that sad raggy tune like a musical fool. Sweet Blues! Coming from a black man’s soul. He was known for his authenticity, portraying the painful experiences of Black Americans. CenterHughes’ SeminalCenter Writing Panel Style:Photo Right Image Source Credit Text: None CenterHughes’ SeminalCenter Writing Panel Style:Text Right Text “Later on I quite consciously began to try to create poetry in the style of our folks songs, our spirituals, our blues and our work songs...many of my poems...are about actual people I’ve known, or places I’ve been, or are inspired certainly by situations in which I’ve been involved in as are many of my racial poems” (Hughes). Excerpt from: “Broke” By Langston Hughes Uh! I sho am tired. Been walkin' since five this mornin'. Up and down, and they just ain't no jobs in this man's town. Answerin' them want-ads not nary bit o' fun, 'Cause 'fore you gets there, ten thousand and one Done beat you to de place, standin' outside de do' Talkin' 'bout " we'll work for 50┬ó a day, if we can't get no mo'. " And one old funny boy said, " I'll work at any price Just only providin' de boss man is nice! " You all out there laughin', but that ain't no joke — When you're broke. Hughes not only depicted Black people from all walks of life but celebrated them, an uncommon perspective at the time. My People By Langston Hughes The night is beautiful So the faces of my people. The stars are beautiful, So the eyes of my people. Beautiful, also, is the sun. Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people. LeftRight Top Panel: Panel Historical Photo Significance RightHughes’ Top Influence: Panel Margaret Photo Walker Image Source Credit Text: Van Vechten, Carl. Margaret Alexander Walker. RightHughes’ Top Influence: Panel Margaret Text Walker Text Margaret Walker: 1915-1998 winner of Yale Younger Poets prize. Excerpt from: “For My People” My People (Laughers) By Margaret Walker By Langston Hughes For my people everywhere singing their slave songs Dream-singers, repeatedly: their dirges and their ditties and their blues Story-tellers, and jubilees, praying their prayers nightly to an Dancers, unknown god, bending their knees humbly to an Loud laughers in the hands of unseen power; Fate— My People. For my people thronging 47th Street in Chicago and Lenox Dish-washers, Avenue in New York and Rampart Street in New Elevator-boys, Orleans, lost disinherited dispossessed and happy Ladies’ maids, people filling the cabarets and taverns and other Crap-shooters, people’s pockets and needing bread and shoes and milk and Cooks,/Waiters, land and money and something—something all our own; Jazzers, Walker mirrors many of Hughes’ distinct techniques, depicting people from all walks of life and directly addressing the black population. RightHughes’ Top Influence: Panel Kendrick Photo Lamar Image Source Credit Text: Sayles, Matt. Kendrick Lamar accepts the award for best rap album for "Damn" at the 60th annual Grammy Awards at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.