Helene+Johnson+09

=**__Helene Johnson__**= =**By Sheamus Stoyle**=

Biography:
Helen Johnson also know as Helene Johnson was born July 7, 1906 in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. Helen was born to William and Ella Johnson but, her father left shortly after her birth leaving her to be raised by her mother and grandfather. Helene grew up surrounded by strong women and that transferred into her poetry. While living in Brookline with her two aunts Helene entered into a short story contest sponsored by the Boston Chronicle(http://voices.cla.umn.edu). Helene won the contest and this essentially started her career. Helene attended classes at Boston University but, she did not get a degree. During the Harlem Renaissance Helene's main mode for getting her poems published was in magazines. She gained most of her popularity when her poems was published in the magazine Urban;s League Opportunity. One of her poems was in the first and only issue of Fire!!(www.wikipedia.org). Johnson and her cousin moved to Harlem in 1927. At one point Helene's life she was compared to Langston Hughes. Helene attended classes at Columbia and when her classes was over she decided to get married and start a family. After this she wasn't as involved with poetry as she once was. Helene fits into the Harlem Renaissance because, she became a very popular poet against the odd. She was an African American when there was a lot of oppression and eve more she was a woman. Helene's poems were aimed towards inspiring the masses. She used her self-expression to make a change in the way the working class, African Americans and the way women were viewed.

"My Race"
//Ah my race,//  //Hungry race,//  //Throbbing and young-//  //Ah, my race,//  //Wonder race,//  //Sobbing with song,//  //Ah, my race,//  //Careless in mirth//  //Ah, my veiled race,//  //Fumbling in birth// — "My Race"

Analysis:
Helen Johnson was an advocate of the working class and their accomplishments(http://voices.cla.umn.edu). In the time her "race" was a working class. Helene is trying to get the point across that her race has a hunger to become more than what the white people thought of them. In the the poem it says "Hungry race(2)" this shows the African American "hunger" to become equal. The "Wonder race"(5) the race that is no longer wondering on how to take a stand against inequality. The African American race is "Sobbing with song"(6) this is the way the race as a whole decided to take a stand. Helene is also trying to get the point across that the African American race is being oppressed. This is shown in "Ah, my veiled race"(9) this is a symbol that that the race is being oppressed or hidden. That is true to the time. Helene was an advocate of change. She wanted her race to be unveiled and become an important part of American Culture. She also wanted her race to be respected.

Works Cited:
"Helena Johnson : Voices From the Gaps : University of Minnesota." //Voices From the Gaps : University of Minnesota//. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. . "Helene Johnson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. .