Acclaimed African-American poet Langston Hughes wrote and published "Night Funeral in Harlem," one of his many poems about the black experience in America, in 1951. Hughes fervently believed that segregation and racism were some of the worst and most insidious things about the United States. Through his art and activism, he tried to change that. And with the help of other artists and activists, Hughes was ultimately ending segregation and, in part, institutionalized racism.
"Night Funeral in Harlem," tells the story of a black family mourning the loss of their recently deceased child. The family is poor and is worried that they will be unable to pay for their child's funeral. Distraught, they turn to their community to raise funds for the boy's funeral. Ultimately, they are successful and can raise enough funds to give the boy a proper funeral—but not a lavish one. The boy's parents are heartened not only by the financial support they receive after the boy's death but also by the outpouring of grief over their son's death, which they appreciate more than anything else.
