This quote expresses the speaker's claim to an American identity despite racial segregation and discrimination. It highlights the injustice of being marginalized while still asserting belonging and a future vision of equality and inclusion.
Quote by Langston Hughes: “I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen.”
I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen.
Insight
Historical Context
Written during a time of pervasive racial segregation in the United States, this poem directly confronted racial prejudice and asserted the right of African Americans to full inclusion in the nation's promise.
About the Author
American poet, social activist, and leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance whose work celebrated Black American life with warmth, irony, and political urgency. His poetry collections, including The Weary Blues, and his play Mulatto brought Black experience to the center of American literary life.
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