The Negro Speaks of Rivers Themes
Perseverance
In "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," as our speaker charts the heritage of black Americans, beginning with the cradle of civilization in the Middle East and ending with references to slavery as seen fr...
Race
The title of "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" lets us know early on that the story that follows is told from the perspective of a member of the black community. Our speaker begins telling the tale of t...
Memory and the Past
In "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," our speaker seems to be one person at first, but soon we get the feeling that he is speaker for an entire community. His voice just might be a collective voice of a...
Freedom and Confinement
On our journey through time in "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," our speaker begins with the cradle of civilization on the banks of the Euphrates River. Next he stops by the Congo River basin where we...