Discussion: Climbing the Racial Mountain
Directions
In his preface to The Book of American Negro Poetry, James Weldon Johnson describes the obstacles that face aspiring African American writers of his time. He suggests, “The Negro in the United States has achieved or been placed in a certain artistic niche. When he is thought of artistically, it is as a happy-go-lucky, singing, shuffling, banjo-picking being or as a more or less pathetic figure.” Do you think that similar racial stereotypes persist today? Why or why not? Can you provide examples of African American artists who challenge racial stereotypes in their work?
