13 Quotes by Claude McKay
Claude McKay (1889-1948) was a Jamaican-born writer whose impactful literary works played a significant role in the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural and artistic movement of the 1920s. Through his poetry and prose, McKay explored themes of racial identity, social injustice, and the experiences of the African diaspora.
His groundbreaking poem, "If We Must Die," demonstrated a powerful defiance against racial violence and oppression, making him a prominent figure in the fight for civil rights.
McKay's writing skillfully blended elements of his Jamaican heritage with his experiences as a black man in America, creating a unique and resonant voice that challenged prevailing stereotypes and promoted racial pride. His contributions not only paved the way for future African-American writers but also left a lasting impact on the broader literary landscape.
Claude McKay Quotes
If a man is not faithful to his own individuality, he cannot be loyal to anything.
Human dignity is more precious than prestige.
I know the dark delight of being strange, The penalty of difference in the crowd, The loneliness of wisdom among fools.
If we must die, let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, If we must die, O let us nobly die.
We are like trees. We wear all colors naturally.
Nations, like plants and human beings, grow. And if the development is thwarted they are dwarfed and overshadowed.
It's when you are down that you learn about your faults.
Idealism is like a castle in the air if it is not based on a solid foundation of social and political realism.
If we must die, O let us nobly die.
And, hungry for the old, familiar ways, I turned aside and bowed my head and wept.
Upon the clothes behind the tenement, That hang like ghosts suspended from the lines, Linking each flat, but to each indifferent, Incongruous and strange the moonlight shines.
Deep in the secret chambers of my heart I muse my life-long hate, and without flinch I bear it nobly as I live my part.
The shivering birds beneath the eaves Have sheltered for the night.
― Claude McKay Quotes
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Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.
