I, Too Poem Summary and Analysis is published by the Academy of American Poets.Langston Hughes.
The poem is titled "I, Too".During the height of the Harlem Renaissance, the poem depicts American racism as experienced by a black man.The speaker is denied a seat at the table in the poem.The speaker asserts that he is just as part of America as are white people, and that soon the rest of the country will be forced to acknowledge the beauty and strength of black people.
I'm the dark brother.When company comes, I laugh and eat well, and grow strong.
I will be at the table when the company arrives.Nobody will dare tell me to eat in the kitchen.
The definition of any word can be found in the context of the poem.The order in which the words appear in the poem is listed.
What happens to the speaker of "I, Too" when he steps out of the kitchen is imagined by a high school teacher.
David Ward wrote about the importance of the poem "I, Too" to the preservation of African-American culture and history in the museum.
An introduction to the Harlem Renaissance, with links to key poems by Hughes and other figures associated with the movement, can be found from the Poetry Foundation.