Discussion 8 by hannah rowe

Langston Hughes

hannahrowe5228 — 2025-10-17 17:09:45 UTC

Langston Hughes encourages fellow African Americans to embrace their culture and history and to not try to imitate the actions, ideas, and culture of white Americans. He wanted African Americans to feel proud in their unique expressions and to display their artistic talents regardless of how it differed from the white culture. Hughes encouraged the embodiment of being true to oneself and the background that molded us into the individuals that we are today. The theme of "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain" is displaying personal expression that is formed from unique individual experiences, culture, and history.

Zora Neale Hurston

hannahrowe5228 — 2025-10-17 17:22:31 UTC

In "Sweat", Nora Neale Hurston brings to light the undeniable resilience of the African American woman in the face of difficult trials and conditions. Delia Jones, the protagonist in the story, prevails against year and years of abuse from her cheating husband and ultimately becomes the victor from his own scare tactic of a venomous rattlesnake to run her from her home. The story's theme consists of the empowerment of African American women for gender inequality and domestic abuse as her husband becomes the one to fall victim to the snake's venom in the end.

Louis Armstrong

hannahrowe5228 — 2025-10-17 17:39:50 UTC

Louis Armstrong was a musical pioneer and a pivotal force for the Harlem Renaissance. In "West End Blues", Armstrong used his musical talents to shed light on the African American unique culture with his use of Blues and Jazz melodies. Known as one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, Armstrong influenced and encouraged other African American artists to follow their dreams and to stay true to their roots. The theme of "West End Blues" is centered around the resilience of the African American spirit and the talent and creativity that originates from its culture.

Countee Cullen

hannahrowe5228 — 2025-10-17 17:48:34 UTC

Countee Cullen, a very talented poet, wrote "The Ballad of the Brown Girl", which was a poem that explored themes on racial division and its effects on love in the Harlem Renaissance Era. The poem explores the decision a king must make between two potential brides, one white and one black. Cullen's poetry encouraged the reader to really think about racial issues and influenced creativity from fellow artists. The theme of the poem centers around inequalities between the races and the true meaning of beauty and identity.

Above the Heights

hannahrowe5228 — 2025-10-17 18:00:20 UTC

Abreala Hopkins is a modern painter whose art piece, "Above the Heights", is paired with the 1924 poem "Hope". Her painting encourages a call to action and a resurgence of hope against the problems and negativity of life. Her use of the color grey displays melancholy and a sense of despair that come from hopelessness. The tear in the canvas, however, displays hope and reveals the mortality and weakness of hopelessness.

Of Rivers

hannahrowe5228 — 2025-10-17 18:27:06 UTC

Tobiah Mundt, a fiber artist, created "Of Rivers" that correlates with the poem, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", that was written by Langston Hughes. Her artwork displays the impact and importance of African American culture and society on the world and its future. The vibrant colors used displays a hopeful and bright future from the darkness of the past for the African American society.