First published in 1912, "Constab Ballads" is a classic poetry
collection with the main focus based on the police force of McKay's
time, including his famous poem "If We Must Die". Festus Claudius
"Claude" McKay OJ (1890-1948) was a Jamaican-born American poet and
writer famous for his central role in the Harlem Renaissance. After
travelling to America to attend college, he came across W. E. B. Du
Bois's "The Souls of Black Folk", which inspired in him an interest in
politics. In 1914 he moved to New York City and five years later wrote
his most famous work, "If We Must Die", a sonnet dealing with the spate
of white-on-black race riots and lynchings that succeeded the First
World War. McKay's political and literary endeavours eventually took him
to Russia, where he collaborated on "The Negroes of America" (1923) and
"Trial by Lynching" (1925), which explored American black-white racism
from a Marxist class-conflict perspective. After coming to terms with
the Authoritarianism of the Soviet Union, McKay left for Western Europe
in 1923. Highly recommended for those interested in American history and
global politics during the twentieth century. Contents include: "De
Route March", "Flat-Foot Drill", "Bennie's Departure", "Consolation",
"Fire Practice", "Second-Class Constable Alston", "Last Words of the
Dying Recruit", "Bound Fe Duty", etc. Ragged Hand is proudly
republishing this collection of classic poetry, complete with an
introductory excerpt by the author.
