Interpret the Evidence and Put It in Context

1. According to the editors of the Messenger, what made the New Negro different from earlier black activists (Document 21.5)?

2. In Claude McKay’s view, what purpose might be served by resistance in the face of overwhelming odds (Document 21.6)?

3. How would you characterize Langston Hughes’s relationship to Africa (Document 21.7)? How does he appeal to history to lend insight into the experiences of Africans in America?

4. How does Aaron Douglas illustrate the themes Hughes presents in his poetry (Document 21.8)?

5. How do Bessie Smith’s lyrics expose the difficulties African American women faced in their everyday lives (Document 21.9)?

6. Where can you see evidence of the idea of the New Negro in these documents?