Similarities in the works of Langston Hughes and Sam Cooke

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Some conditions under which we are in can foster courage, unity and hope. During the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes expressed the identity of a black American. He spoke out about the injustices of racism, inequality, and forecasted change through poetry. He defines this cultural movement. Throughout this time African Americans increasingly migrated North due to the living conditions in the south after the American Civil War. Langston Hughes was one of many influential black writers and literary promoters. A few eras later we still see this type of talent portrayed through words. In the 1960’s Sam Cooke expressed himself through freedom songs, labor songs and gospel songs. During this time people also believe that a huge change was inevitable. He went through a painfully slow civil rights movement. His remedy to all this was music. Their motives for writing stemmed from two different decades but they seemed to be going through the same things. Both of these artist experienced hardship, observed slavery, all of which they over came through writing. According to Arnold Rampersand, “Langston Hughes never sought to be all things to all people but rather aimed to create a body of work that epitomized the beauty and variety of the African American and the American experiences, as well as the diversity of emotions, thoughts and dreams that he saw common to all human beings”. Langston Hughes designed to speak volume. Sam Cooke’s lyrics became an anthem to the American Civil Rights movement. He was one of the pioneers of soul music. Cooke began his career in music as a gospel singer. According to Peter Guralnick, Cooke's biographer “Amid the civil rights movement, Cooke was inspired to create his own protest song", which he did and became a freedom song that was sung during sit-ins. Both of these men had motivational experiences to allow them to speak the truth.
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