Claude McKay

After reading his works it felt like most of the poems were written based on race relations in America especially because of the race riots in Harlem. I don't think he was writing with the pure intent of hatred toward whites, but for equality for Black Americans. Even though slavery was long since over during this time of course there was still a great deal of oppression in the black communities. It seemed like the mission of his works were to inspire the black Americans not to give up and succumb to the white man's ways without a fight in hopes that one day justice and equality will come for them. I suppose "Look Within" was probably the one that I liked the best because it was a terrible situation for the young black men who were asked to go fight in WWII to help free the nations of Europe from Hitler's tyranny only to come home to oppression themselves. After all they were fighting for a country which at that time didn't allow them a proper sense of justice and prosperity as citizens upon there return home.