Emerson McCormick

ELA

9-21-23

The American Experiments Paragraph

The United States of America, is considered one of the most prosperous countries in the
world by some, but the country is not equal for everyone due to racial discrimination, causing the
American experience to be more of a nightmare than a dream. The American experience of racial
discrimination is evident in an article called ‘What to the Slave is the Fourth of July’ by
Frederick Douglass and a poem, ‘I too’ by Langston Hughes, both demonstrating a lack of racial
reform within the 74 year publishing differences. Douglass explores the inequality within the
United States justice system when he writes, "An American Judge gets ten dollars for every
victim he consigns to slavery, and five, when he fails to do so..(Page 3, line 1)”, highlights the
unfair bias against minorities within the country. Furthermore, Langston Hughes corroborates
Douglass' ideas by expanding upon racial segregation when he says, ”I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen when company comes (3-4)”, refers to the discrimination he’s
faced. The second part of the quote, “They send me to eat in the kitchen” represents the
underlying premise that if racism is not seen by everyone then it is not truly happening. In
addition, Hughes highlights the progress in racial reform by stating, “I’ll be at the table When
company comes (9-10).” In contrast to Douglass's perspective, Hughes writes about achieving
equality. Throughout the poem, Hughes compares the place where he eats to discrimination. At
the start of the poem, he is facing racial inequality by eating in the kitchen, over time he begins
to break the cycle of discrimination when Hughes finally gets the opportunity to eat at the table.
Even though Hughes is finally at the table he has not had an equal American experience because
he consentral has to face racial discrimination. Social reform, legal legislative reform are both
needed to change the American nightmare into the American dream.