Claude McKay

Claude McKay was born in Jamaica in 1889 and moved to the United States in 1912. He became a central voice of the Harlem Renaissance, known for his militant poetry and fiction. His 1922 collection 'Harlem Shadows' included the powerful sonnet 'If We Must Die,' which became an anthem of resistance. His novels 'Home to Harlem' (1928) and 'Banjo' (1929) depicted the vibrant, often gritty life of Black communities in Harlem and Marseille, celebrating their culture while critiquing racism and colonialism. McKay's work bridged Caribbean and African American literary traditions, influencing later writers. He traveled widely, lived in Europe and Africa, and later converted to Catholicism. His legacy endures as a pioneering Black modernist who gave voice to the dispossessed.