Bop - Langston Hughes

          In the essay Bop by Langston Hughes, a type of music called "Bop" is discussed between a couple of friends during the time of strong racism and the Jim Crow Laws. African Americans were viewed as second-class citizens, and were treated quite poorly in the U.S. The narrator displays a sense of ignorance to his friend Simple, when he expresses his opinion about the nonsensical and silly lyrics. To that, Simple describes the meaning behind the music, which is to resemble to noises of police officers beating African Americans' heads. Thus exploiting Hughes' plain ignorance. Hughes' purpose of the lesson on "Bop" is to display how we treat different races, and to reveal the societal flaw of the unfair prejudice we place on African Americans. Langston Hughes was a man who at the time, dealt with the racism and unfair treatment, making him a very credible source to deliver the message he introduces in his essay. Being a civil rights activist, Hughes, and the whole African American community, is striving towards desegregation and equal rights, providing the argument in his essay. In order to deliver the message, he uses juxtaposition as a powerful rhetorical device. He places the treatment of blacks and whites during the time; comparing how they differ. He first describes how the police poorly treat the blacks, then explains treatment of white people. "White folks do not get their heads beat just for being white" (pg. 191). This helps by allowing the audience, most likely the majority of the white population and police officers, to compare and understand the struggle black people had to deal with in overcoming the prejudice we placed upon them. In my opinion, this allows Hughes to successfully convey his purpose and his message to the reader. By using strong rhetorical devices, and giving vivid visualizations, Hughes creates a well organized and meaningful essay.

Caption: Even though we have abolished the Jim Crow Laws, and limited racism over the past 50 years, it still continues to exist in today's society. Although a mojo rite of the violence is claimed to be in self defense, racism seems evident meaning that the work of Hughes and other civil rights activist has simply gone down the drain.

Title: Stop Police Brutality

Source: Revolutionary Web Design.com