1. Many artists during the Harlem Renaissance acknowledged and embraced Africa and saw
it as a place a refuge and a new start for blacks. In Marcus Garvey’s “Africa for Africans”, he argues that Negros of the world should concentrate on building themselves a nation in Africa. Marcus Garvey feels that it is not a farfetched idea but conceivable if the entire race cooperates. Africa will give Negros and independent African nationality. When Negros reach Africa he urges them not to exercise authority but rather cooperate with the natives and form a partnership. Garvey argues that there is no difference between Africans West Indians and Negros therefore it will be easy for them to form a partnership.
In Countee Cullen’s poem “Heritage” he describes what Africa means to him. He juxtaposes positive and negative images of Africa throughout the poem. For example he writes “copper sun or scarlet sea which describes what Africa really is opposed to the image produces by mainstream America. He acknowledges that he his ancestors have come from Africa along with a sense or yearning because he says they have been separated for three hundred years. He compares Africa to a book and I feel this alludes to the research that has been done in Africa and the misconceptions that have been created. He isn’t satisfied with what the books have told him and wants to discover the true Africa on his own.
In Langton Hughes poem “Danse Africaine” he is talking about how African drums
speak to your soul and awakens your spirit. Although it is a short poem I think for Hughes feels Africa goes beneath the surface of someone and in many of his poems he speaks of the natural aspect of Africa rather than the much publicized concept of barbaric people and customs. For Hughes Africa is beautiful. In his poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” he speaks of seeing the Euphrates River as well as the Mississippi River. When he says he’s bathed in the Euphrates he stands for all...