Gwendolyn Brooks and Claude McKay Spun Gold From Fibers of Words

Discover a Unified Consciousness Working Among Two Races Through Poetic Expression

SOUL FOOD FROM A GHETTO

A period of "outstanding literary vigour and creativity," (1, 911) which took place in the 1920's wasreferred to as "the Harlem Renaissance" or better known as the Second Renaissance, according to C.W.E. Bigsby. (1) The writers of this time explored the sophisticated Negro culture full of people protesting confidently with a deep-seated sense of racial pride fueling their motivation to survive. Literary artists such as Gwendolyn Brooks and Claude McKay spun gold from fibers of words using sincerity and passion to make the messages they penned, glimmer appealingly. These two creative expressionists were recognized for their diverting from any 'stereotypical norms' or 'dainty' American literature that might have sugar-coated some brutal truths.

Theirs were works of written expertise much less conventional than the material currently made available to interested readers. It seemed more important to be outspoken and help re-define the nature of the black Americans debate with himself and the culture he has been thrown into", states Richard Wright the first black writer to place his roots in the Second Renaissance. The imagination unfolding within the mind of two literary genius's is one to behold and the sense of realism about the movement was made so clear that it put Harlem ghetto on the map making the center of New York City very culturally challenged.

Both writers were surrounded by racism while growing up and shed light on their experiences with grim details. Yet, as a city with diversity comes series of events that pit same race-against same-race over and above simple unnecessary acts of prejudism and hate. In the 1920's the competition in Harlem was to stay alive in an economy that served little purpose and offered even less hope. The Depression hit hard and everyone knew hardship, but mostly their own 'white-plight' until the fantastic writings of Brooks and McKay. Plight no longer had color to it.