Claude McKay’s The White House stands as one of the most searing indictments of racial exclusion in early twentieth-century American literature. On top of that, written during the height of the Harlem Renaissance, the poem uses the image of the executive mansion not as a symbol of democracy, but as a barrier erected against Black citizens. Which means in The White House by Claude McKay, the speaker confronts a locked door and a society that promises equality while practicing segregation. This article explores the poem’s themes, historical context, literary craftsmanship, and enduring relevance for readers interested in African American literature and protest poetry.
Who Was Claude McKay?
Claude McKay was a Jamaican-born writer and poet who became a leading voice of the
