Langston Hughes, a poet in the early twentieth century

is known for his poems about urban life and racial

affirmation. In the poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers, Hughes

tells a story of the black man's evolution to America. The

poem illustrates racial pride and dignity. Hughes uses

symbolism, free verse, and tone to create a clear picture of

In the poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers Hughes uses the

use of symbolism to convey the story of his people. The

poem must be critically analyzed to fully understand the

essence of Hughes writing. The use of the "I" throughout

the poem refers to the black people as a hole, not as an

individual person. The "rivers" are used as a metaphor for

transformation of slaves into free men. The muddy river is

the word Congo to represent the center of Afro American

In The Negro Speaks of Rivers the struggle of black

Afro American culture have become one. The poem traces the

culture. "I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 520
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)