Claude McKay

Harlem Shadows (1922) is a poetry collection by Claude McKay. Published at the height of the Harlem Renaissance, Harlem Shadows earned praise from legendary poet and political activist Max Eastman for its depictions of urban life and the technical mastery of its author. As a committed leftist, McKay-who grew up in Jamaica-captures the life of Harlem from a realist's point of view, lamenting the poverty of its African American community while celebrating...

First published in 1912, "Constab Ballads" is a classic poetry collection with the main focus based on the police force of McKay's time, including his famous poem "If We Must Die".

A Long Way from Home is a novel by Claude McKay, a Jamaican-American writer and poet. Published in 1937, the book is set in the early 20th century and follows the experiences of its protagonist, a black man named Jean-Jacques "Jake" Delaney, as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery and cultural exploration. The novel begins with Jake leaving his native Jamaica to seek opportunities in the United States. He arrives in the bustling city of New York...

An important text in the canon of African American literature, representing a unique approach to exploring the complexities of race, class and identity during the early twentieth century. Through his use of lyrical language and poetic imagery, McKay offers insightful meditations on the cultural displacement experienced by many African Americans living in northern cities such as New York City.

The unexpected discovery in 2009 of a completed manuscript of Claude McKay's final novel was celebrated as one of the most significant literary events in recent years. Building on the already extraordinary legacy of McKay's life and work, this colorful, dramatic novel centers on the efforts by Harlem intelligentsia to organize support for the liberation of fascist-controlled Ethiopia, a crucial but largely forgotten event in American history. At once...

Jamaican-American poet Claude McKay (1889–1948) came to the U.S. in 1912 and became an important figure in the Harlem Renaissance. This inexpensive edition includes a representative sample of his Jamaican dialect verse, but concentrates on poems from Harlem Shadows (1922) and uncollected verse. Edited and with an introduction by Joan R. Sherman.

Featuring contributions from an award-winning, bestselling group of Black voices, past and present, this powerful poetry anthology elicits vital conversations about race, belonging, history and faith to highlight Black joy and pain.

Rich treasury of verse from the 19th and 20th centuries, selected for popularity and literary quality, includes Poe's "The Raven," Whitman's "I Hear America Singing," as well as poems by Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson, T. S. Eliot, Marianne Moore, many other notables.