5th Period: Langston Hughes’s “I, Too, Sing America”
5th Period: Langston Hughes’s “I, Too, Sing America” Lyrics
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes.
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--
I, too, am America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes.
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--
I, too, am America.
About
Genius Annotation
This poem was written to chronicle the struggle of African-Americans to demonstrate how they, too, are Americans. The color of their skin doesn’t make them any less of a citizen than whites.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 5th Period: Langston Hughes’s “I, Too, Sing America”
Comments
