Question

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed–
I, too, am America.

—"I, Too, Sing America,"
Langston Hughes

Based on what you know of Langston Hughes and his beliefs, what quality makes the speaker “beautiful” in the last lines of the poem?

He is beautiful because he is patient and kind.
He is beautiful because he knows more than those who sent him from the table.
He is beautiful because he is African American.
He is beautiful because he has a more healthful diet.

Answer 1

In the context of Langston Hughes and the poem "I, Too, Sing America," the quality that makes the speaker “beautiful” in the last lines of the poem is that he is beautiful because he is African American. The poem speaks to the inherent dignity, strength, and resilience of African Americans in the face of discrimination and exclusion, asserting that their beauty and worth will ultimately be recognized.