African-American literature contributes to the discourse on slavery, racial inequality, and the search for freedom. Activists, abolitionists, poets, writers, and artists such as Frederick Douglass, Robert Hayden, Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, Martin Luther King Jr., and The Neville Brothers addressed various themes associated with black identity and culture. This essay aims to provide insights into opinions about the ideas and perspectives of seven literary works about slavery, racism, and the oppression of African-Americans.
The main ideas of African-American literature are the physical and emotional impact of slavery, the quest for independence and freedom, the exploration of black identity, and self-acceptance. In my view, What to a slave is the fourth of July? by Frederick Douglass (1852) is crucial to advocating for equal rights for black people. It offers a perspective of a formerly enslaved person on American history, liberty, and political freedom. According to Sandler (2020), Douglass’s speech emphasized the contradictory nature of American values and politics. The portrayal of the hypocritical American society of that time coincides with my own awareness of the wrongfulness of inequality and oppression.
As can be seen, the discrepancy between law and human values is a recurrent theme in African-American literature. Another well-known work addressing the problems of racial discrimination and segregation is Letter from Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King Jr. (2018). Its core idea is injustice and the need to fight it since the author distinguishes official laws and moral principles. King (2018) explores the emotional and physical impact of racial inequality on the Black population. This perspective aligns with my own feelings regarding the effects of segregation and unjust laws on African-Americans. I could daily apply the ideas proclaimed by Douglass and King by choosing to support equality and speak out against discrimination.
Many authors explored the theme of devastation and the destructive impact of slavery on people. The novel Beloved by Toni Morrison (2007) focuses on pre-and post-civil war periods in American history. This book offers different perspectives on the problem of slavery by revealing the points of view of several narrators. The bitter experience and personal stories presented in Beloved make the reader re-evaluate the traditional way of thinking about US history and independence (Koegler et al., 2021). I believe that my values agree with the book’s main ideas that teach me to apply compassion and humanity on a day-to-day basis to help eliminate racial equality.
Poetry is another critical element of African-American literature as many authors aimed to highlight social problems in their works, drawing the audience’s attention to racism. For instance, Robert Hayden focused on social activism, abolitionism, oppression, and slavery in his poems (Koegler et al., 2021). “Frederick Douglass” by Robert Hayden (1966) is an important work in terms of representing the needs of the African American community and offering a formerly enslaved person’s perspective on the issue. This poem focuses on the ideas of freedom and oppression and praises Douglass as a key figure in Black history. Another famous poem by Robert Hayden (1985) is “Runagate Runagate,” where the author shares his perspective on slavery and its impact. In my view, this work prompts readers to fight for freedom and eliminate injustice. Darkness is one of the main symbols used by Hayden (1985) to portray the experience of the runaway slave. The determination of the character astonishes the audience and emphasizes the price black people pay for freedom. Overall, the ideas of determination and willpower are still relevant in the modern world, where they can be applied in difficult life circumstances.
The themes of hopefulness and collective dreaming should be mentioned as other essential aspects of African American literature. The poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes (1990) reflects the hopes of the Black community. This work is unique as it offers an African American perspective on the famous concept of the American Dream. I agree with the author’s idea that a community is a powerful force, and an individual’s feelings and aspirations can be shared among other members of society. The song “Sister Rosa” by The Neville Brothers (1996) is another example of a literary work focusing on the importance of social activism and the fight for a better life. The artists dedicated this song to Rosa Parks, who took action to address social inequality and protest against racial discrimination and oppression (the Neville Brothers, 1996). The fight for civil rights is critical to achieving positive change and addressing social problems. The ideas of Hughes and the Neville Brothers can be applied to different life circumstances to help shape discriminative policies and address the needs of other social groups instead of focusing on the white population.
To conclude, African-American literature focuses on themes of slavery, racial inequality, identity, and the search for freedom. Social activists and authors significantly contributed to the movement against the oppression of the Black population. At the same time, racial discrimination has not been fully eliminated in the contemporary world. It is important to analyze how narratives about slavery and oppression can be applied to life circumstances and daily choices regarding racial equality.
References
Douglass, F. (1852). What to a slave is the fourth of July? [Speech audio recording]. Lit2go. Web.
Hayden, R. (1966). Frederick Douglass.
Hayden, R. (1985). Runagate Runagate.
Hughes, L. (1990). Harlem.
King, M. L., Jr. (2018). Letter from Birmingham Jail. Penguin Classics.
Koegler, C., Reddig, J., & Stierstorfer, K. (Eds.). (2021). Citizenship, law and literature. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co.
Morrison, T. (2007). Beloved. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
Sandler, M. (2020). The Black romantic revolution: Abolitionist poets at the end of slavery. Verso Books.
The Neville Brothers. (1996). Sister Rosa [Song]. On Greatest Hits [Album]. A&M Records.