In his 1926 essay 'The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain,' Langston Hughes wrote:
'But this is the mountain standing in the way of any true Negro art in America—this urge within the race toward whiteness, the desire to pour racial individuality into the mold of American standardization, and to be as little Negro and as American as possible.'
Based on the passage, which of the following best describes the 'mountain' that Hughes argues Black artists must overcome?
- AThe de jure segregation laws in Northern cities that legally prohibited Black artists from displaying their work in public galleries.
- BThe philosophical divide between accommodationist and integrationist leaders over political strategies.
- The societal and internalized pressure to conform to white aesthetic standards at the expense of authentic racial expression.Answer
- DThe institutional competition between Marcus Garvey’s nationalist movement and mainstream Pan-African organizations.
Answer
The societal and internalized pressure to conform to white aesthetic standards at the expense of authentic racial expression.
The correct option accurately identifies the 'mountain' as the pressure on Black artists to conform to white aesthetic standards. In his essay, Langston Hughes critiques the desire among some Black artists and the Black middle class to assimilate into mainstream American cultural norms, arguing that authentic Black art requires celebrating distinct experiences and cultural heritage without fear of white disapproval or shame.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The Harlem Renaissance and the New Negro Movement
Estimated Time:1m 30s