Title: Hughes vs. Hurston | rvbailey
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Hughes vs. Hurston
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Content: Hurston and Hughes show no shame in being Black. In How it Feels to be Colored Me, Hurston states, “… I am not tragically colored. There is no great sorrow damaged up in my soul, nor lurking in my eyes (1031).” Within this she is not letting the stereotypes of having colored skin define her. Hughes does this same technique of embracing and defending the Black race. In his essay The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain, Hughes says, “We Negro artists who create now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame (1314).” Both show race pride in their essays. In my opinion they are more alike than different. Hughes and Hurston both understand the necessity for art to incorporate the African American vernacular tradition. Hughes mentions that the Black artist brings rhythm and warmth of Jazz and Blues and they bring joy and sorrow as they are not afraid of Spirituals.