Day 45: “If We Must Die”—Claude McKay’s Timeless Anthem of Resistance

In 1919, during the brutal anti-Black violence of The Red Summer, poet Claude McKay responded with a powerful call to action: "If We Must Die." This sonnet wasn’t just poetry—it was a battle cry for dignity, defiance, and resistance in the face of racial oppression.

Who Was Claude McKay?

Born in Jamaica in 1889, Claude McKay was a poet, writer, and key figure in the Harlem Renaissance—the cultural movement that celebrated Black identity, art, and activism in the 1920s. McKay immigrated to the U.S. in 1912, witnessing firsthand the harsh realities of racism. His poetry and writings boldly challenged white supremacy, celebrated Black pride, and called for resistance against injustice.

If We Must Die: A Call to Fight Back

Written at the height of The Red Summer—when white mobs attacked Black communities in over 36 cities—McKay’s poem captures the spirit of Black resilience and defiance:

"If we must die, let it not be like hogs
Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,
Making their mock at our accursed lot."

While the poem never explicitly mentions race, its message was clear: Black people would no longer suffer in silence—they would fight back with honor and courage.

How It Inspired the Harlem Renaissance & Civil Rights Activism

McKay’s work laid the foundation for the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural explosion of Black literature, music, and intellectualism in the 1920s and ‘30s. His poetry and novels directly influenced figures like:

🔹 Langston Hughes, who embraced McKay’s themes of Black pride and struggle in his own poetry.
🔹 Zora Neale Hurston, whose work highlighted Black resilience and culture.
🔹 W.E.B. Du Bois, who saw McKay’s poetry as a powerful weapon against white supremacy.

Decades later, Civil Rights leaders, including Malcolm X and the Black Panthers, found inspiration in McKay’s bold defiance, using his words as a reminder that resistance is necessary in the fight for freedom.

Why It Still Matters

More than 100 years later, "If We Must Die" remains a rallying cry for those fighting injustice. Whether against racism, police brutality, or any form of oppression, McKay’s words remind us that dignity and resistance go hand in hand.