James Weldon Johnson declares here in his preface that there is a need for African-American poets to "work out a new and distinctive form of expression, " and he predicts that "the undeniable creative genius of the Negro is destined to make a distinctive and valuable contribution to American poetry." His anthology went on to become a historic event, for in his selection of the forty poets collected here, he gathered not only the best of the Harlem Renaissance writers, but also the post-World War I poets such as Countee Cullen and Langston Hughes, who went on to challenge racial stereotypes in an effort to be recognized simply as poets.
Advertisement
Get insights into your website traffic, analyze your website's audience, and optimize your website for better results with Website Statistic.