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Difficulty: MediumThe Harlem Renaissance and the New Negro Movement

Read the following excerpt from Claude McKay’s poem 'If We Must Die' (1919):

> 'If we must die, let it not be like hogs
> Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
> While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,
> Making their mock at our accursed lot.
> If we must die, O let us nobly die,
> So that our precious blood may not be shed
> In vain...'

Which of the following best describes how this poem reflects the transition from the older generation of Black leadership to the 'New Negro' mentality of the post-World War I era?

  1. It expresses a defiant refusal to submit to racial violence, signaling a shift toward assertive self-determination and active resistance.Answer
  2. B
    It argues that Black Americans should abandon their fight for US citizenship and instead focus on emigrating to West Africa.
  3. C
    It outlines the organizational strategy of Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association to establish a separate Black economy.
  4. D
    It asserts that racial violence was strictly a Southern, state-mandated phenomenon that did not occur in Northern urban spaces.

Answer

The poem expresses a defiant refusal to submit to racial violence, signaling a shift toward assertive self-determination and active resistance.
The correct option is correct because the poem's call to die 'nobly' and 'defy' the 'monsters' represents a clear departure from the accommodationist strategies associated with some older leadership. Instead, it captures the assertive, self-determining spirit of the New Negro movement that arose in response to racial violence after World War I.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the tone and content of the excerpt from Claude McKay's poem.
The excerpt uses imagery of defiance ('nobly die', 'monsters we defy') and rejects passive submission to violence ('not be like hogs / Hunted and penned').
Understanding the primary source's tone helps identify the ideological perspective it represents.
2
Connect the poem's themes to the historical context of the post-World War I 'New Negro' movement.
The New Negro movement was characterized by an outspoken, militant refusal to accept Jim Crow segregation and racial violence (such as the Red Summer of 1919).
Placing the text in its historical era allows for an accurate interpretation of its political significance.
3
Evaluate the options to find the one that matches this shift in leadership and strategy.
The option emphasizing assertive self-determination and defiance aligns with the definition of the New Negro spirit, while others misattribute the poem to emigrationism, specific UNIA economic policies, or regional segregation dichotomies.
This confirms the correct choice based on historical evidence and literary analysis.

Key Concept

The New Negro Movement and its promotion of self-determination, racial pride, and militant resistance to racial violence during the post-WWI era.
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Topics

The Harlem Renaissance and the New Negro Movement

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