The Resume

(September 15, 1889-May 22, 1948)
Born in Clarendon, Jamaica
Birth name was Festus Claudius McKay
Harlem Renaissance poet and novelist
Best known poem was 'If We Must Die' (1919)
Poetry collections include 'Songs of Jamaica' (1912), 'Spring in New Hampshire and Other Poems' (1920), 'Harlem Shadows' (1922) and 'Selected Poems' (1953)
Wrote the novels 'Home to Harlem' (1928), 'Banjo' (1929) and 'Banana Bottom' (1933)
Became a naturalized US citizen (1940)

Why he might be annoying:

Although associated with the Harlem Renaissance, he was actually in Europe (1919-34) when the movement was at its peak.
He praised Communism after a tour of the Soviet Union (1923-24).
W.E.B. Du Bois wrote that 'Home to Harlem' ' for the most part nauseates me, and after the dirtier parts of its filth I feel distinctly like taking a bath.'

Why he might not be annoying:

James Weldon Johnson wrote, 'Claude McKay's poetry was one of the great forces bringing about what is often called the Negro Literary Renaissance.'
'Home to Harlem' was the first best-selling novel in America written by a black man.
He became the first black journalist in Great Britain when he wrote for the socialist newspaper 'Workers Dreadnought' (1920-22).
He became disillusioned with Communism (and largely embraced Roman Catholicism instead).
His 'If We Must Die,' written in response to race riots, demonstrated its universality when it was adopted as a World War II rallying cry by Winston Churchill.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• 20th Century Poets
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 55]
• Celebrities Born on the Same Date [September] (Ranked: 9151889)
• Harlem Renaissance
• I am West Indian
• I Attended Kansas State University
• I Attended Tuskegee University
• I Converted to Catholicism
• I Died in 1948 (Ranked: 58)
• I’m Buried at Calvary Cemetery [Queens, New York]
• Known By a Middle Name
• Newspaper Journalists/Editors/Publishers
• Poets
• Poets.org's Top 20 Poets [Spring 2007] (Ranked: 19)
• Poets.org's Top 25 Historical Poets [Fall 2009] (Ranked: 24)
• Profiles 35751-36000 (Ranked: 35969)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 13 Votes: 69.23% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying