The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain Essay Questions

What, according to Hughes, is the "racial mountain?"

The "racial mountain" is a roadblock in the path of the aspiring serious Black artist. It stems from the tendency of the Black upper and middle classes to aspire to be white instead of embracing their own rich cultural heritage. Hughes himself defines this mountain as "this urge within the race toward whiteness, the desire to pour racial individuality into the mold of American standardization, and to be as little Negro and as much American as possible" (1).

Why does Hughes include references to so many Black artists throughout his essay?

In this short essay, Hughes refers to several artists whom he believes have made Blackness central to their mode of artistic production. He alludes to the work of Charless Chesnutt, Jean Toomer, and Paul Laurence Dunbar at length, arguing that despite being some of the most talented writers of their time, these artists have been denied the critical acclaim they deserve because of the "racial mountain." That Hughes refers to so many artists throughout his essay suggests that, despite the influence of prejudice and the challenges of the "mountain," Black artists are still resiliently producing worthwhile and inspiring work.

What role does jazz play in Hughes's perception of the "Negro artist?"

Jazz is central to both this particular essay and to Hughes's representation of Black identity more generally. Hughes celebrates jazz as an art form that has placed Blackness at its center, incorporating Black history, culture, and struggle into its rhythms and practices. Jazz is known for its elements of community, improvisation, and the paradox of joy and pain—all features that Hughes sees as transferable to other artistic disciplines.