In his short essay “The Negro Artist and The Racial Mountain,” Langston Hughes details the struggles African Americans face in an attempt to preserve their culture. Hughes opens his piece by criticizing a young black poet for not wanting to be seen as a “black poet” but as a poet in general. This story makes it apparent that desire to wash away racial labels has been around for decades (Sorry, Raven Symoné).
Prior to reading this piece for my African American Literature course, I, too, shared the mentioned young poet’s desire to shed my race label. I found it difficult to accept the fact that I lived within the limits of a color. Even from peers that I have known for some time and from my abilities, my primary moniker is “black.” It was not until a closer examination of my culture that I realized what it means to be “black” and how this importance contributes to our appreciation of Black History Month in today’s society.
In my opinion, being “black” is defined by the ability to overcome.
It takes no rocket scientist to look back at the struggles of African Americans in this country and see exactly what I’m talking about. The plights of African Americans in this country present themselves in many ways. From the social struggles of Dr. Martin Luther King to the financial burdens of young black artists such as Langston Hughes himself, there is no shortage of examples.
These pioneers of our culture have shown us that being oppressed is not what defines us; it is our ability to rise above this oppression.
The young poet aforementioned by Langston Hughes was obviously blind to this fact. His disdain for the word “black” came from his inability to see achievement over struggle. In his attempt to express his desire to achieve, he missed the fact that he was born into a position that would allow him to rise.
This idea may not be easily seen.
Many consider being born “black” a disadvantage. I would have to disagree in a sense. Being born “black” is advantageous in that we have the ability to set high expectations for those of us to come. We are in a perfect position to rise and set new limits for our predecessors. There are still titles and accomplishments that African Americans have yet to achieve. This open field of opportunity is for us to take and multiply. As a race, we have an obligation to set the tone for our future.
Going back to the young black poet in Hughes’s essay, I don’t believe he was ashamed of being “black.” He was ashamed of the things they call us, the things we haven’t accomplished and the things we haven’t realized. However, he failed to understand that he was primed to change, accomplish and realize all those things for himself (and our culture).
As we reflect on the meaning of Black History Month, it is important we understand that this time of celebration is to educate those in our own culture who don’t understand. Let us be reminded of the beauty in our culture and be able to achieve in the names of those who have set the precedent.
KP Maye is a sophomore education major from Gulfport.
