Who was Langston Hughes?

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

-Langston Hughes (1925)

Listen to the poem being read aloud and write down your observations
I, too, sing America I, too, sing America

I, too, sing America. I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother. I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes, When company comes,
But I laugh, But I laugh,
And eat well, And eat well,
And grow strong. And grow strong.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow,
I will be at the table I will be at the table
When company comes. When company comes.
Nobody will dare Nobody will dare
Say to me Say to me
“Eat in the kitchen,” “Eat in the kitchen,”
Then. Then.

Besides, Besides,
They will see how beautiful I am They will see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed – And be ashamed –

I, too, sing America. I, too, sing America.

(Langston Hughes, 1925) (Langston Hughes, 1925)

NOTES
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 Work in groups to re-construct the poem from memory. Each one of you has different parts of the
verses – help each other!

VERBS in the poem

, , sing _ , , sing _

___ , ___, sing _________. ___ , ___, sing _________.

__ am ___ ________ _______er. __ am ___ ________ _______er.

___ send __ to eat __ __ ________When ___ send __ to eat __ __ ________When
_____ _________ comes, _____ _________ comes,
____ __ laugh, ____ __ laugh,
____ eat ____, ____ eat ____,
____ grow ________. ____ grow ________.

________, ________,
__ will be __ ___ _______at the table __ will be __ ___ _______at the table
_____ ________ comes. _____ ________ comes.
_______ will dare are _______ will dare are
Say ___ ____ Say ___ ____
“Eat __ __ _______,” “Eat __ __ _______,”
______ . ______ .

________s, ________s,
_____ will see ____ _______ ___I am _____ will see ____ _______ ___I am
___ be __________ ___ be __________

___ , ___, sing _________. ___ , ___, sing _________.

 Other words: nouns, pronouns, adjectives etc… (BACK-UP)

I, too, America I, too, America

I, too, _____ America. I, too, _____ America.

I ___ the darker brother. I ___ the darker brother.

They _____ me to ___ in the kitchen They _____ me to ___ in the kitchen
When company _______, When company _______,
But I ________, But I ________,
And ____ well, And ____ well,
And _______ strong. And _______ strong.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow,
I ___ ___ at the table I ___ ___ at the table
When company _______. When company _______.
Nobody _____ dare Nobody _____ dare
_____ to me _____ to me
“_____ in the kitchen,” “_____ in the kitchen,”
Then. Then.

Besides, Besides,
They ___ ____ how beautiful I am They ___ ____ how beautiful I am
And ___ ashamed – And ___ ashamed –

I, too, _______ America. I, too, _______ America.

 OTHER WORDS: Adjectives, articles, prepositions, conjunctions and
adverbs

, too, sing America , too, sing America

__I, too, _______ ___________. __I, too, _______ ___________.

__ ____ the darker __________. __ ____ the darker __________.

____ ______ ___ to ___ in the ________ ____ ______ ___ to ___ in the ________
When _________ ________, When _________ ________,
But ___ ________, But ___ ________,
And _____ _____, And _____ _____,
And ______ strong. And ______ strong.

Tomorrow,
__ ___ ___ at the _______
When ________ ______.
_________ _____ ______
_____ to ____
“_____ in the _______,”
Then.
Tomorrow,
__ ___ ___ at the _______
When ________ ______.
_________ _____ ______
_____ to ____
“_____ in the _______,”
Then.

Besides, Besides,
_____ _____ ____ how beautiful __ ___ _____ _____ ____ how beautiful __ ___
And ___ ashamed – And ___ ashamed –

___, too, _____ ___________. ___, too, _____ ___________.

 NOUNS& PRONOUNS in the poem
I, , America
I, ____, ______ America.
I ____ ____ _______ brother.
They _____ me ___ ____ __ ___ kitchen
_______ company ________,
____ I _________,
____ ______ ________,
____ ______ ________.
___________,
I _____ ____ ___ ____ table
______ company _______.
Nobody _____ ______
______ ____ me
“_____ ____ ___ kitchen,”
_______.
__________,
They ____ ____ ____ _________ I ____
_____ ____ __________ –
I, ____, ______ America.
I, , America
I, ____, ______ America.
I ____ ____ _______ brother.
They _____ me ___ ____ __ ___ kitchen
_______ company ________,
____ I _________,
____ ______ ________,
____ ______ ________.
___________,
I _____ ____ ___ ____ table
______ company _______.
Nobody _____ ______
______ ____ me
“_____ ____ ___ kitchen,”
_______.
__________,
They ____ ____ ____ _________ I ____
_____ ____ __________ –
I, ____, ______ America.
Can you remember the whole poem? Use the cut-out phrases your teacher gives you.

I, too, sing America.

When company comes,

But I laugh,

Tomorrow,

When company comes.

 Then.

Besides,

I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen

And eat well,

And grow strong.

I'll be at the table

Nobody'll dare

Say to me,

"Eat in the kitchen,"

They'll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed--
I, too, am America.