Langston Hughes is the author of The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain. He was born in 1902 in Joplin, Missouri, from a lineage of prominent abolitionists. His ethnic background includes Indian, African, and French ancestry. Langston Hughes was an influential American poet, essayist, playwright, and short story author. He remains highly regarded as a key figure in 20th-century American literature. His recognition grew during the Harlem Renaissance, and he produced experimental and innovative works over the subsequent decades. Hughes was noted for expressing the voices of working-class African Americans. Jazz notably influenced his writing style, which often was simple and direct, at times even adopting vernacular speech.
The essay “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain” was crafted in the context of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, a time when African American writers, musicians, and artists sought novel forms of expression related to the black experience in America. Hughes expressed concern that the quest for both acclaim and sales could lead black artists to compromise on their principles and their unique racial and cultural identities. In this piece, he argues that artists of color must fully embrace their heritage to produce significant art.
Hughes emphasizes that he addresses racial issues in his writings. He discusses racial matters because everything for black people in America revolves around race. To not do so is to deny one's identity, and to reject such an identity means rejecting the notion of being a Negro poet, novelist, musician, or dramatist.
The phrases that BEST substitute for the underlined terms aping of things to keep the intent intact are:
Imitation of
Monkeys or apes are often linked with the idea of imitation, making that the most fitting option.
The saying “monkey sees monkey does” perfectly illustrates this concept.
