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“When it comes to identity, people venture every day trying to find out what it truly means to them. Identity is seen as who you are in society, how society sees you, and the traits or characteristics that pretty much define who you are” (Claudia Pellicori). During the Harlem Renaissance, blacks were constantly searching for their sense of identity, and this was seen as a problem because they were misjudged through the acts of stereotypes, racism, and prejudice from other races including their own, and because of the environment that grew in or abided by because of society. This is exactly what Harlem Renaissance leader Langston Hughes wrote about in his ‘The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain’.
What was significant about this was why it was written. The purpose was to embrace black culture, and for black artists and authors to create their own field of art to it. Hughes though had a poet say to him: “‘I want to be a poet—not a Negro poet’, meaning, I believe, ‘I want to write like a white poet’; meaning subconsciously, ‘I would like to be a white poet’; meaning behind that, ‘I would like to be white’”. This is powerful because it shows how society has put into this poet's head that blacks write differently from whites, therefore showing the stereotype of black writers. The example Hughes used in his work was the background of the man who wanted to be a white poet. What he got from that was that the young poet was striving toward being white. This was because he had different privileges that most blacks did not have. This included coming from a middle-class family and a school that was unsegregated. What was crucial about this situation was that Hughes explained that he didn’t get to enjoy the value and life of his own people because he often separated from them. So based on his environment, he felt that this was why the poet embraced whiteness rather than who he truly was. Also, Hughes’ response regarding poets, in general, was that the racial world of black people is just as interesting as any other world. Also, he felt that when it comes to being an artist, people should be able to choose what they decide to do, and not be afraid of it.
In short, the main point that Langston Hughes wanted to make in ‘The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain’ was that identity was exactly what black people often paid attention to and cared about, society formed their identity for them, so in the end everything was about to change.
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