# data[].attributes.body
Who are you

# data[].attributes.headline
It says in the poem that he heard Abe singing of the Mississippi so I just thought that msybe he knew or lived close by Abe.

# data[].attributes.subject
It says in the poem that he heard Abe singing of the Mississippi so I just thought that msybe he knew or lived close by Abe.

# data[].attributes.body
Joseph B

# data[].attributes.body
I think that Audrey's stating is correct, and I love how she quotes the poem and put evidence on why this is important.

# data[].attributes.body
I arr gee with what you said because i was thinking the Same thing. - from Lukas

# data[].attributes.body
When he says he has grown deep like the rivers, I think he means that he has a connection to the rivers because of all the slaves that has worked at those rivers so he feels a connection.

# data[].attributes.body
The story must have been about Africans that are near a river or something.

# data[].attributes.body
how can you infer that he knew president abe lincoln ?

# data[].attributes.body
Joseph, I agree with your answer. Noice

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with Christina and how the rivers symbolized times of slavery

# data[].attributes.body
i agree

# data[].attributes.body
this is for Maxine what make you think that the af

# data[].attributes.body
I do not think that he is talking about real rivers I think that he's only using the rivers for symbolism

# data[].attributes.body
I think the theme of this poem is how he lived with the slaves and realized what it was like to be a slave.

# data[].attributes.headline
sentimental means an object that you are emotionally attached too.

# data[].attributes.subject
sentimental means an object that you are emotionally attached too.

# data[].attributes.body
Joseph B.

# data[].attributes.body
Or, the rivers might be something else that is important to him and how he can't keep living his life in these places and has to keep moving

# data[].attributes.body
This poem talks about the different times of slavery, where they were located, and why they happened.

# data[].attributes.body
THEME
The whole poem is about slaves and the different places where they have been and what kind of impact they have had for the history of those places. The theme is a little tricky for me, I am not really sure what the theme is because I have many ideas.

# data[].attributes.body
The theme is about his culture and how his ancestors were strong and brave

# data[].attributes.body
I think that the theme of the poem is about slavery . I believe this because the poem states " I  bathed in the Euphrates when the dawn was young " Slaves bathed in the Euphrates . The poem also says "

# data[].attributes.body
l think Maxine is right

# data[].attributes.body
The theme in this story is that he is talking about rivers. According the the text," I know rivers. I have known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins." If  Langston Hughes didn't stand out and make that speech

# data[].attributes.body
I think Hughes was trying to symbolize how we are all equal and there are very important things in history that show it. This is true because he talks about at least four rivers that are very important in the history of the world. These rivers helped many people lie the Nile, which he mentioned in his poem. Without that river, Egypt wouldn't have been able to thrive. This means that is was very important and created peace in the civilization. So, I think he was trying to support equality and how important it is to have peace with others

# data[].attributes.body
I think that this poem is about how the rivers relate to Langston Hughes. The rivers show how he lived his life and how things happen around him. As  shown in the poem Langston lived for 65 years. His life was always near the rivers. He bathed in the rivers, he built a house near the rivers, he raised pyramids above the rivers, and sang in the rivers with Abe! This is all shown in the text in the big paragraph.

# data[].attributes.body
I think this poem is about his culture and how the rivers effected his relatives in the past because in the beginning of the story he was talking about how his grandmother and the Mississippi river.

# data[].attributes.body
I think he is showing how slavery took him around and around and made him leave all of these places

# data[].attributes.body
l the theme is rivers

# data[].attributes.body
The poem means that the african americans knew of rivers very well, they had been slaves near many rivers

# data[].attributes.body
The story was about rivers and slaves.

# data[].attributes.body
i think that the rivers show that the rivers changed with the peolple.

# data[].attributes.body
i think that he means all the different rivers hes been to because of how many times he got transferred and traded by different people in different places as he got older like how the Congo lulled him to sleep the sounds helped him fall asleep as a child.

# data[].attributes.body
I think that he is talking about his journey through life and how he came to be I also think that he is comparing himself to the rivers because he's just been through so much that he feels like a river filled with all of his experiences

# data[].attributes.body
I think he is trying to tell us that he has been through many things and that is why he quotes, "My soul has grown deep like the rivers." This shows me that he has been through many things because I think every time something bad or just important happens, he gets wiser and his soul gets deeper and more upset about the world he lives in where people feel that because of someone's skin color, they are worth a very small  amount of money for this.
I think the theme is African American people being mistreated and how he feels about that.

# data[].attributes.body
I think he is telling his life story. And also what he has gone through and all his Experience .

# data[].attributes.body
I think that the rivers symbolize the times of slavery and his message about "I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young." "I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep." "I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it."

# data[].attributes.body
ME2!!!
E
2
!
!
!

# data[].attributes.body
I think that the river is sentimental because that's where he grew up and he used to bathe in it when he was younger. Maybe he knew Abraham Lincon ...?

# data[].attributes.body
I think that he means  that rivers are important to history because he talks about many different rivers. he also says that he has a strong relationship with rivers  because he says " my soul has grown deep like the rivers."

# data[].attributes.body
THEME:
1. I think the theme is about how African Americans are strong and have been an important role in history.
2. His broad message about humanity is that African American people are strong and brave.

First Question: I think the speaker (Langston Hughes) had known the different rivers at different times in history because he had ancestors that have been part of history and told him about the rivers and there importance.

Second Question:

# data[].attributes.body
There were all slaves in each river that he talked about. Slaves worked at each of those locations and had a big impact on that area. All of those slaves made a huge part in history for each of those locations.

# data[].attributes.body
I think that the theme of this poem is how he had lived and took notice in a slaves life and i know this because he says in the poem"I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it"
this shows that he was a slave because the slaves built the pyramid so i think his ancestor took part of that or noticed it.

# data[].attributes.body
I believe the theme is about  the african americans being brave and strong even though they were being treated badly.
Also how the african american slaves were very important and a really big topic to talk about from history

# data[].attributes.body
I liked his stories and how it was in the past

# data[].attributes.body
I think it has to do something with his grand parents being slaves because each one of those rivers resemble something about slaves.Also,Langston Hughes seems very connected to the rivers because  Langston Hughes stated,I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins.

# data[].attributes.body
I think he knows the rivers because his grand parent told him story's of what they have been though. Also, it could mean that his grand parents have gotten told story's before that. And he is just getting more information that is letting him know about there past.

# data[].attributes.body
This poem symbolizes the first African Americans and slaves. I think this because he uses words like, "I built the pyramids" the pyramids were built by slaves at that time showing that it was built by slaves and also when he heard "singing of the Mississippi" meaning the slaves singing when Abram Lincoln freed them from slavery.

# data[].attributes.body
The theme is about slaves being set free. Of course he was at the rivers too with the slaves. The rivers he had to work at.  The slaves built important places like the pyramids. Slaves were an important

# data[].attributes.body
I think the theme of this poem is about the rivers that he visited and how all of them were different. Also this poem is about slavery at different times

# data[].attributes.body
I like how we compares himself to a river and how he talk about how he bathed in the Euphrates, the Nile and how he talks about the pyramids

# data[].attributes.body
The rivers symbolized times when people were slaves. "I bathed in the  Euphrates when dawns were young.", "I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.", "I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.", and " I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abraham Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and I've sen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset." represent time that is changing around it as the life of an African slave. To add on, he says in the poem, "My soul has grown deep like the rivers" means how  he is watching all around him, with all the bad and good things are making him wiser about his surroundings.

# data[].attributes.body
What is the theme Langston Hughes' poem?

What is his broad message about humanity?

Use the below questions to guide your critical thinking and writing.

# data[].attributes.body
3. Are the rivers a symbol of something other than rivers? Why or

why not?

# data[].attributes.body
2. Is the speaker a symbol of something or someone other than himself or herself? Why or why not?

# data[].attributes.body
1. How can the speaker have "known" the different rivers at different times in history?

# data[].attributes.body
The Negro Speaks of Rivers

Langston Hughes, 1902 - 1967

I’ve known rivers:
I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
     flow of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln
     went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy
     bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I’ve known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

# data[].attributes.headline
"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes

# data[].attributes.subject
"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes

# data[].attributes.body
Explained and read by the great writer, Langston Hughes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Langston Hughes reads The Negro Speaks of Rivers