"Night Funeral in Harlem" by Langston Hughes provides a snapshot of the day in the life of an African American family who recently lost their beloved son. Largely, the poem depicts the scene of a funeral procession in Harlem, where that family lives.
The poem begins with the description of a hearse with a long line of cars, signaling the magnitude and communal nature of the event. Seemingly everyone is there from the community, causing the attendees of the funeral to wonder who paid for the funeral. After all, many of the attendees know that the family doesn't have much money to work with.
It's later revealed that the funeral was paid for by the boy's deceased mother's insurance and through the generosity of others. Still, the family wondered if they would even be able to have a funeral and bury the boy because of their financial situation. That financial situation was similar to many others in Harlem.
The procession continues, and the group celebrates the life of the boy. As the community mourns, a preacher speaks of salvation, infusing the event with religious overtones. The poem concludes by highlighting the hearse's sheen, contrasting the somber occasion with a moment of unmistakable beauty, and by saying that the funeral was grand because seemingly the entire community came out to grieve for the boy.
