Amal K. Riley

CRISIS IN "THE SOUTH"

            In his poem, "The South," Langston Hughes expresses the bitter paradox of being black in America in 1922. My paper includes a close analysis of the poem, research on the historical context of The Crisis magazine, and an analysis of the specific issue in which Hughes' "The South" was published. My paper aims to help the reader understand the impact of The Crisis magazine as well as Hughes' poem and how the two coincide with one another. DuBois and his fellow editors set out to address the status quo of the United States which was a "crisis" for black Americans. The creators of the magazine wanted to provide educated black Americans with a literary hub that would inspire improvement in the black community. My paper discusses how Hughes' poem, "The South," fits into the grand scheme of the magazine.