In reading Langston Hughes’ 1935 poem, “Let America Be America Again,” I couldn’t help but notice the similarities in his sentiments to those of Frederick Douglass in his 1852 Independence Day speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Both authors fervently describe the inequalities they see in America, the exclusion they feel from the idea of “America,” and critique the country’s hypocrisy. What I found most fascinating was that both pieces convey a sense of hope for America’s future. This poem and speech, written 78 years apart, describe such similar aspects of American culture, which I find true even to this day, nearly 90 years since Hughes’ poem was published. This caused me to wonder, is there any hope in America at all? Can these conditions ever change? What can we learn from these pieces today?
In “Let America Be America Again,” Langston Hughes opens the poem by describing his hope for the American Dream to come to fruition as it was once meant to be. He writes “Let America be the dream the dreamers dream / Let it be that great strong land of love” (lines 6-7). He quickly introduces the idea that he, as a black American, has never been a part of this dream of liberty for all, by following the first stanza with the stand-alone statement, “(America was never America to me)” (line 5). Douglass speaks about this in his 4th of July address, describing that the concepts the holiday celebrates have no application to him or any other Black American. Douglass writes, “This Fourth [of] July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn” (386). Douglass’ speech seems to be intended for a white audience and specifically describes that white citizens get to benefit from American society, while black citizens suffer. Hughes doesn’t really highlight those who benefit from society, but rather focuses on the vast oppression that he sees, that so many different Americans experience. Hughes writes, “O, let America be America again – / The land that never has been yet — / And yet must be – the land where every man is free. The land that’s mine – the poor man’s, Indian’s, Negro’s, ME– / Who made America” (lines 61-66).
Both authors critique the country’s sense of pride in their national values of liberty and justice for all. Hughes writes, “O, let my land be a land where Liberty / is crowned with no false patriotic wreath / But opportunity is real, and life is free” (lines 11-13), describing his desire to see America be truly where liberty is not a lie. Along this same theme, Douglass writes, “In the name of liberty which is fettered, in the name of the constitution and the Bible, which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call in question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command, everything that serves to perpetuate slavery—the great sin and shame of America!” (386).
Despite their clear expression that America is not what it should be, and many are suffering at the hands of oppression, they both include in their writing, their hopes for the future of America and faith that the American Dream can be achieved. At the end of Frederick Douglass’ speech, he writes, “I, therefore, leave off where I began, with hope. While drawing encouragement from the Declaration of Independence, the great principles it contains, and the genius of American Institutions, my spirit is also cheered by the obvious tendencies of the age” (390). Douglass clearly believes in the idea of the American Dream and that it can be achieved. Hughes mirrors this sentiment. Towards the end of his poem he writes, “I say it plain, America was never America to me / And yet I swear this oath– / America will be!” (lines 76-79).
This brings us back to the question I posed at the beginning – 166 years after Douglass’ speech, and 88 years after Hughes’ poem, should we, like them, continue to have faith in the American Dream, the achievement of liberty and justice for all? We live in a society that continues to shift and change, but at the root of it, has America really changed?
In Douglass’ time, oppression for black Americans existed in the form of slavery, and in Hughes’ time, it existed in the form of Jim Crowe laws/ segregation. Now, we still see the oppression of black Americans through systemic racism that keeps black and brown folks in poverty, through police brutality and unequal treatment of black and brown bodies in the criminal justice system, stereotypes in media, the continued existence of racially motivated crime, and so much more. Sure, our country has evolved and oppression is perhaps less blatant, but I would argue it’s just better hidden.
I can’t help but wonder if Langston Hughes or Frederick Douglass lived today, would they still believe in the vision of America? Would they be pleased or disappointed with how the country has evolved? I would like to end my post with the following quote from Douglass’ speech, which I still believe rings so true today: “Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting” (386).
Discussion questions:
Do you think if Douglass / Hughes were alive today, they would still have faith in the future of America/ the American Dream?
Do you believe there is hope in the American Dream or “liberty and justice for all”? Do you think it ever has been/ ever will be achieved?
Works Cited
Douglass, Frederick, “What to The Slave Is the Fourth of July?” The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. Edited by Louis Gates Jr. and Valerie Smith, 3rd ed., Norton, 2014, pgs. 379-391.
Hughes, Langston. “Let America Be America Again.” Poets.Org, Academy of American Poets, 3 Feb. 2021, poets.org/poem/let-america-be-america-again.
