Examkin

Question

Difficulty: HardThe New Negro Movement and Cultural Debates

Read the excerpt from the preface to the 1927 anthology *Caroling Dusk*, edited by Countee Cullen:

"I have called this collection an anthology of verse by Negro poets rather than an anthology of Negro poetry. This is a distinction with a difference. ... I find it difficult to believe that there can be any such thing as Negro poetry, any more than there is a Polish, or French, or English poetry... [T]he representation of the Negro in poetry must conform to the same standards as any other poetry. The Negro poet is, after all, an American poet, writing in the English language, and subject to the same literary influences."

Based on the excerpt, which of the following best analyzes Cullen's perspective in the context of the cultural debates of the New Negro Movement?

  1. It asserts that Black writers should be evaluated by universal aesthetic standards rather than being confined to distinct racial themes or styles.Answer
  2. B
    It echoes Marcus Garvey's nationalist call for Black artists to reject Western literary traditions in favor of returning to pre-colonial African oral forms.
  3. C
    It reflects Booker T. Washington's advocacy for vocational focus by urging Black poets to avoid intellectual themes and focus on agricultural life.
  4. D
    It argues that Black artists must emigrate to Europe or Africa to escape the racialized standards of the American publishing industry.

Answer

It asserts that Black writers should be evaluated by universal aesthetic standards rather than being confined to distinct racial themes or styles.
The correct option is correct because the excerpt shows the author arguing against the existence of a separate "Negro poetry" and asserting that African American writers should be judged by the same universal standards and conventions as any other poet. This represents the integrationist, universalist position in the Harlem Renaissance cultural debates.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the primary source text to identify the core argument made by the author.
The author argues that "Negro poetry" does not exist as a distinct category and that Black poets must conform to the same standards as other poets writing in English.
Understanding the author's central thesis is the first step in relating it to broader historical debates.
2
Contextualize the author's argument within the New Negro Movement's cultural debates.
The author represents the universalist side of the debate, which argued against defining art solely by race, contrasting with those who advocated for art as racial representation or political propaganda.
This links the specific primary source to the larger intellectual landscape of the Harlem Renaissance.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one that accurately describes this universalist position.
The option stating that Black writers should be evaluated by universal aesthetic standards matches the author's rejection of a distinct "Negro poetry" and emphasis on shared literary influences.
This confirms the correct option based on text evidence and historical context.

Key Concept

The debate over universalism versus racial distinctiveness in Harlem Renaissance literature.
Rate this question

Topics

The New Negro Movement and Cultural Debates

More questions from this topic