If+We+Must+Die

media type="custom" key="6198459"

If we all must die, then let it be with honor. Let us die for a cause, for a greater good of mankind. This is the message that Claude McKay spreads to the readers of his poem "If We Must Die" (McKay)//.// Claude wrote his poem in response to the Red Summer of 1919. During this summer race riots occurred in “a dozen American Cities” (McKay). This poem was not written for war, but written to inspire the African American race to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

At a time when tension between the North and the South was at its max, the industrial revolution could not have had worse timing (McKay). Freed from the south and left with nothing, African Americans traveled north to find work. Moving into predominately white neighborhoods, most immigrants, the competition for jobs quickly raised between the races. Eventually the turmoil boiled to the point of explosion when the two races had enough. Claude McKay’s poem is a response to the fighting.

“If we must die, O let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed” (McKay). These lines as well as his other works such as "Enslaved", "Courage", and "A Prayer"//,// Claude begged his people to fight, and die if they must. Die for a greater good. Die and suffer now so our race may suffer no longer. Die so your children can live a better life. This struggle was real to Claude and the African American race, and eventually brought a great change to the United States.

Another change that took place during the riots, was the modernism movement. The modernism movement was like none before. By trashing traditional poetry, this new form of poetry was born (Intro. to Modernism). Born and raised off the current events and the emotions from them, this modern movement carried a wide array of topics, many of which are covered in McKay’s poem "If We Must Die"//.//

First and foremost, the violence associated with this poem, is widely found throughout modernism. In McKay’s circumstance he knew that violence would be his race’s only way out. Continually through the poem McKay mentions violence and implies the outcome if used. Furthermore he states “Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!” as the last words to his poem (McKay). He will no longer allow himself and race to be walked upon and taken advantage of. He and his fellow African Americans may be a minority but McKay’s poems all bring hope of a bright future.

The most significant similarity between this poem and typical modernism is immigration. At the beginning of the 1900’s the percent of U.S. population that was foreign-born was at a nearly all time high of 14.6 percent (Borjas). A good portion of these immigrants received little education and spoke little to no English, much like the African American race at the time. However, the African Americans were not considered immigrants because they had working in South for many years. On the contrary, they were immigrants to the north when they migrated in search of jobs.

Although McKay’s poem is not an ideal modernism, it still contains the essentials bases that classify it as a modernism poem. His poem contains the violence of riots rather than of war and immigrants from the south rather than Europe. But all together his poem accomplished its main goal to lifted the spirits of the downtrodden African American race, and challenge them to seize the opportunity. Claude McKay should not only be considered a great modernism poet but a Civil Rights Activist for inspiring not only his race but every minority in the world to be better and want the best.

McKay, Claude. "If We Must Die." //Washington State University - Pullman, Washington//. Web. 21 Apr. 2010. .

//Introduction to Modernism //. Dir. John Langley. //Introduction to Modernism//. 2010. Web. 2 May 2010. .

Borjas, George J. "Immigration." //Humboldt State University//. Web. 03 May 2010. .