Insight
In 1949, students at St. Alphonsus School in Wilson, NC recited Langston Hughes' poem "Freedom's Plow" back to him.
Why this poem? Why Hughes?
So far, no documents have been procured to give a reason why Librarian Elizabeth Jenkins chose Hughes and why St. Alphonsus School chose this poem. Below are some possible contextual reasons for these events:
The History & Literature
Hughes pens many history-rich lines in this poem. First, he starts with imagery allusions to the Bible's Creation Story (a topic of interest for a Catholic school). He then uses literary descriptions of Romanticism-a literary cannon in the 1800s when America was just newly settled. Then, he goes to describe situations that could go as far as discussing human origins, ancient civilizations, and our primal ways of survival. When Hughes starts to discuss American history, he brings up terms such as "pilgrims," "indentured servants," "slaves," and "slave owners." Further on, he starts to describe how American togetherness resulted in our ability to settle in areas, urbanize them, and industrialize the economy to create the America that readers knew in the 1940s. He also bases the meaning of the poem around the meaning of the African American spiritual "Keep Your Hand on the Plow, Hold On." Due to all of these historical allusions, the Oblate Sisters would have many topics to bring up and educate their pupils on.
The Cultural Impact
The information in this section comes from NC State professor and Langston Hughes scholar Jason Miller's novel Langston Hughes: Critical Lives.
Children Friendly Material
In 1949, Black students often faced inadequate treatment in public education systems (if they were allowed in), so they often built their own. This is why Darden High School was built. Teaching Black history was not common during this time period because there were fears of Black minorities uprising to take over power from the White majority race. However, teaching Black history was something that Black educators wanted to do during Black History Week. "Freedom's Plow" teaches about American history and Black history in an effective way while also maintaining a peaceful tone and message. Looking closely, the poem advocates for an "extreme" cultural change-integration-but its message of unity lightens the blow for pre-integrated readers.
Hughes also penned a few childrens books before his 1949 visit to Wilson, such as Popo and Fifina. Maybe the students were familiar with these works.
A Champion for Black Students
Hughes had a first-hand experience of systemic racism in the education system as he faced racial discrimination at Columbia University for being Black and applying from Mexico. At Lincoln University, Miller states that "Hughes led a 24-page study on the state of a university educating Black students. Surveying nearly half the students, he was shocked to discover they voted 81-46 against having black faculty" (Miller 48). From his efforts, Hughes' study made headlines in the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper. In 1931, Hughes visited Chapel Hill in North Carolina to read his religiously controversial poem, "Christ in Alabama," which compares Christ to persecuted African Americans of that time period. In 1949, the year Hughes visited Wilson, NC, he penned "Theme for English B," which was about a Black student from North Carolina being the only Black one at his college in New York.
By writing about the racial discrimination in the American school system towards Black students, Hughes tries to raise awareness for their struggles and promote a more adequate system for them.
Spotlighting to the "Low-Down Folks"
Hughes didn't just glorify successful African Americans, but he also shined a light on the economically and socially poor African Americans. With the racial division in 1949, Black citizens with money and those who presented themselves with European-centric qualities (such as receiving a college education and speaking "properly") were treated better than their low-class counterparts where opportunities like those were scarce. In Hughes' 1926 “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain,” he writes about African Americans in the lower social rank, stating:
"For racial culture the home of a self-styled “high-class” Negro has nothing better to offer...But then there are the low-down folks, the so-called common element, and they are the majority—may the Lord be praised!"
In another example, in his poem "Mother to Son," he writes, "Well, son, I’ll tell you:/Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair./It’s had tacks in it,/And splinters,/And boards torn up,/And places with no carpet on the floor—/Bare."
Hughes' use of African American Vernacular Language (AAVE) and descriptions of poverty in his popular writings shine a light on those who are likely being treated worse in society by the racist system. Unfortunately, he almost stands as their voice that the public will actually listen to. In the soon-to-be-published interview with the St. Alphonsus witnesses, one of them speaks on how their parents scraped together everything they had to give them a formal education at St. Alphonsus because they knew the value of education.
Therefore, every child could be inspired by Hughes' work.
The War
For Remembrance
Hughes first wrote "Freedom's Plow" in 1943, which was in the middle of WWII (1939-1945). The students at St. Alphonsus recited it to him four years after the war. It is possible that the Sisters wanted students to remember this great war and its impact on society, especially since America was on the winning side of it. It's also likely that there were still patriotic sentiments from the war.
But The War Was Not Over
While Americans celebrated their victory of being on the winning side of WWII, the battle Black citizens faced at home was not over. This concept was called the Double V Campaign in the 1940s. As Miller states:
"The advent of the Second World War heightened Hughes' call for double vistory. If racism was to be fought overseas, the battle should first be won at home. No word summed up this plea for Hughes more than 'freedom'. " (Miller 104)
So while the war was over and patriotic sentiments may have been high, Black citizens were still fighting for their equal treatment. It's very likely that this was the sentiment of the Black citizens in Wilson.
The Ballad
Documents from Hughes' itinerary show that he spoke to 3rd and 4th graders at St. Alphonsus. Another reason why they chose to recite "Freedom's Plow" may simply be because of its length. "Freedom's Plow" is Hughes' longest published poem with over 200 lines for the Sisters at St. Alphonsus to divide amongst their students.
Comments