Claude McKay

Claude McKay[7†]

Claude McKay, born Festus Claudius McKay on September 15, 1889, in Jamaica, was a pivotal figure in the Harlem Renaissance. His work varied from celebrating Jamaican peasant life to addressing racial and economic injustices. Notable works include "Home to Harlem", "Songs of Jamaica", "Constab Ballads", "Spring in New Hampshire", and "Harlem Shadows." McKay also lived in the Soviet Union, France, Spain, and Morocco. He aimed to capture the vitality of Black urban life in his novels. McKay passed away on May 22, 1948, in Chicago[1†][2†].

Early Years and Education

Claude McKay, born Festus Claudius McKay, was the youngest of the 11 children born to Thomas Francis McKay and Hannah Ann Elizabeth Edwards in Sunny Ville, Jamaica, on September 15, 1889[3†]. His parents were poor farmers[3†]. From a young age, McKay showed a love for literature, devouring works of philosophy, religion, and science[3†][4†].

McKay was educated by his older brother, Uriah Theodore “U’Theo” McKay, who was a teacher and possessed a library of English novels, poetry, and scientific texts[3†][5†]. From age six, he lived with U’Theo, from whom he received a classic education in British letters[3†][5†].

A turning point in McKay’s life was his meeting with British folklorist Walter Jekyll in 1907[3†][4†]. Jekyll encouraged McKay to write in Jamaican vernacular and develop his own literary style[3†][4†]. Under Jekyll’s guidance, McKay blossomed as a writer and began writing verses in Jamaican dialect[3†][4†]. With Jekyll’s help, he published his first book of poems, ‘Songs of Jamaica’ in 1912[3†][4†].

In 1912, McKay moved to the U.S. to attend Booker T. Washington’s Tuskegee Institute[3†][4†][6†]. However, he encountered widespread racism, which motivated him to write more poetry[3†][4†]. Dissatisfied with Tuskegee Institute, he transferred to Kansas State College[3†][4†][6†].

Career Development and Achievements

Claude McKay’s career was marked by his versatility as a writer and his commitment to themes of social justice and racial equality[2†][7†].

After attending Tuskegee Institute and Kansas State Teachers College, McKay moved to New York in 1914[2†]. There, he contributed regularly to The Liberator, a leading journal of avant-garde politics and art[2†]. The shock of American racism turned him from the conservatism of his youth[2†].

With the publication of two volumes of poetry, “Spring in New Hampshire” (1920) and “Harlem Shadows” (1922), McKay emerged as the first and most militant voice of the Harlem Renaissance[2†]. His poems protested racial and economic inequities[2†][7†] and celebrated peasant life in Jamaica[2†][1†].

After 1922, McKay lived successively in the Soviet Union, France, Spain, and Morocco[2†]. In both “Home to Harlem” and “Banjo” (1929), he attempted to capture the vitality and essential health of the uprooted black vagabonds of urban America and Europe[2†]. There followed a collection of short stories, “Gingertown” (1932), and another novel, “Banana Bottom” (1933)[2†]. In all these works, McKay searched among the common folk for a distinctive black identity[2†].

After returning to America in 1934, McKay was attacked by the communists for repudiating their dogmas and by liberal whites and blacks for his criticism of integrationist-oriented civil rights groups[2†]. McKay advocated full civil liberties and racial solidarity[2†]. In 1940, he became a U.S. citizen[2†]; in 1942, he was converted to Roman Catholicism and worked with a Catholic youth organization until his death[2†]. He wrote for various magazines and newspapers, including the New Leader and the New York Amsterdam News[2†].

First Publication of His Main Works

Claude McKay was a prolific writer, and his works spanned various genres including poetry, novels, and essays. Here are some of his main works:

• “Songs of Jamaica” and “Constab Ballads” (1912): These were two volumes of Jamaican dialect verse that McKay wrote before going to the U.S[2†][1†]. They portray opposing aspects of Black life in Jamaica[2†][1†].
• “Spring in New Hampshire” (1920) and “Harlem Shadows” (1922): These two volumes of poetry marked McKay’s emergence as the first and most militant voice of the Harlem Renaissance[2†][1†].
• “Home to Harlem” (1928): This novel was the most popular novel written by an American black to that time[2†][8†][5†]. It attempted to capture the vitality and essential health of the uprooted black vagabonds of urban America and Europe[2†].
• “Banjo” (1929): This novel, like “Home to Harlem”, focused on the lives of black vagabonds in urban America and Europe[2†][8†][5†].
• “Gingertown” (1932): This is a collection of short stories published by McKay[2†][8†][5†].
• “Banana Bottom” (1933): This is another novel by McKay[2†][8†][5†].
• “A Long Way from Home” (1937) and “My Green Hills of Jamaica” (published posthumously in 1979): These are two autobiographies written by McKay[2†][8†].
• “Harlem: Negro Metropolis” (1940): This is a collection of essays by McKay[2†][8†].
• “Selected Poems of Claude McKay” (1953): This collection of poems was published posthumously[2†][8†].

Each of these works contributed significantly to McKay’s reputation as a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance and had a profound impact on the portrayal of Black life in literature[2†][1†].

Analysis and Evaluation

Claude McKay’s work has been the subject of extensive analysis and criticism. His writings, particularly his poetry, have been recognized for their potent expression of the Black experience in America and the complexities of Black identity[9†].

McKay’s sonnet “America”, first published in 1921, is a prime example of his ambivalent feelings towards the United States[9†][10†]. The poem acknowledges the nation’s vitality while simultaneously criticizing its racism and violence[9†][10†]. This duality is a recurring theme in McKay’s work, reflecting his personal experiences and observations as a Black man in America[9†][10†].

His novels, including “Home to Harlem” (1928), “Banjo: A Story Without a Plot” (1929), and “Banana Bottom” (1933), were remarkable for their frankness and slice-of-life realism[9†]. “Home to Harlem” was particularly notable as the first best-selling novel of the Harlem Renaissance[9†]. However, it also drew criticism from some Black intellectuals of the time, who felt that Black American literature should present a more uplifting image of African Americans[9†].

Despite these criticisms, McKay’s work has had a lasting impact on African American literature. His honest portrayals of Black life and his exploration of themes such as identity, race, and class have influenced generations of writers and thinkers[9†]. Today, he is considered one of the ornaments of African American literature[9†].

Personal Life

Claude McKay was known to have a vibrant personal life. He was married to his childhood love, Eulalie Lewars[11†]. Despite his marriage, McKay was perceived as a homosexual, although he did not personally attest to this fact[11†]. He had relationships with several men and women, including Josephine Herbst[11†].

In 1914, McKay moved to New York and settled in Harlem, where he delved into the clandestine gay scene[11†][12†]. His love life included both male and female partners, and he entered a brief, but unsuccessful, marriage[11†][12†].

Conclusion and Legacy

Claude McKay’s legacy is a testament to his profound impact on literature and society. His works, which ranged from vernacular verse celebrating peasant life in Jamaica to poems that protested racial and economic inequities, have left an indelible mark on the literary world[1†]. His philosophically ambitious fiction, which addressed the instinctual/intellectual duality central to the Black individual’s efforts to cope in a racist society, continues to be studied and admired[1†].

Despite facing many illnesses in his last few years, McKay’s influence did not wane. He passed away from heart failure in May of 1948[1†]. In the years immediately following his passing, his reputation declined as critics found him conventional and a bit shallow[1†]. However, his legacy has endured, and he is now recognized for his contributions to the Harlem Renaissance and his candid portrayals of Black life in both Jamaica and America[1†].

McKay’s works, which include “Home to Harlem” (1928), the most popular novel written by an American black to that time, and two volumes of Jamaican dialect verse, “Songs of Jamaica” and “Constab Ballads” (1912), continue to be celebrated for their depth and authenticity[1†][2†][1†].

His legacy also extends beyond literature. McKay was a vocal advocate for civil liberties and racial solidarity. After returning to America in 1934, he was criticized by both communists for repudiating their dogmas and by liberal whites and blacks for his criticism of integrationist-oriented civil rights groups[1†][2†]. Despite these criticisms, McKay remained steadfast in his advocacy for full civil liberties and racial solidarity[1†][2†].

In conclusion, Claude McKay’s life and work have left a lasting impact on literature and society. His exploration of Black identity and his advocacy for civil liberties continue to resonate today, making him a significant figure in both literary and social history[1†][2†][1†].

Key Information

• Also Known As: Festus Claudius McKay[2†]
• Born: September 15, 1889, Nairne Castle, Jamaica, British West Indies[2†]
• Died: May 22, 1948, Chicago, Illinois, U.S[2†]
• Nationality: Jamaican-born[2†]
• Occupation: Poet, Novelist[2†]
• Notable Works: “Home to Harlem” (1928), “Songs of Jamaica” and “Constab Ballads” (1912), “Spring in New Hampshire” (1920), “Harlem Shadows” (1922), “Banjo” (1929)[2†]
• Notable Achievements: Key figure in the Harlem Renaissance, a prominent literary movement of the 1920s[2†][1†]. His work ranged from vernacular verse celebrating peasant life in Jamaica to poems that protested racial and economic inequities[2†][1†].

References and Citations:

1. Poetry Foundation - Claude McKay [website] - link
2. Britannica - Claude McKay: American writer [website] - link
3. Academy of American Poets - About Claude McKay [website] - link
4. The Famous People - Claude McKay Biography [website] - link
5. Oxford Bibliographies - Claude McKay - American Literature [website] - link
6. Annenberg Learner - Just a moment... [website] - link
7. Wikipedia (English) - Claude McKay [website] - link
8. BlackPast - Just a moment... [website] - link
9. eNotes - Claude McKay Analysis [website] - link
10. LitCharts - America Poem Summary and Analysis [website] - link
11. SunSigns - Claude McKay Biography, Life, Interesting Facts [website] - link
12. Legacy Project Chicago - Claude McKay [website] - link