The Value of Black Culture
One of Hughes's major aims in this essay is to awaken a desire in the Black middle class to see the value of their own culture. Hughes noticed that many Black citizens aspired to assimilate to white culture, and in so doing began to eschew and devalue the work of Black artists who placed Blackness at the center of their creative production. Hughes writes that the Black "lower classes" had the correct perspective; instead of trying to conform to white culture, members of the lower class wholeheartedly embraced their difference and allowed it to define their appreciation for art as well.
The Challenges of the Black Artist
Because of the fashionable trend among both the black and white middle classes to prioritize white art over that of black artists, Hughes argues that the Black artist faces significant difficulty in his endeavors to create worthy art. He receives little appreciation from either race—the Black middle classes aspire to be white and therefore value white art, and the majority of whites are incapable of seeing Black art as anything more than a diverting oddity. As Hughes says, "The road for the serious black artist, then, who would produce a racial art is most certainly rocky and the mountain is high," suggesting that Black artists must contend with prejudice at the same time they centralize Blackness in their work (7).
The True Role of the Artist
Hughes ends his essay with a challenge to serious Black artists: even if no one appreciates their work, it is not in vain. If the people who engage with their art enjoy it, then the artist is glad. If they do not, then the displeasure of the audience should not matter. The artist should have a higher goal in mind—the eventual advancement of art to the celebration of all things that are worth celebrating, including (and especially) the eccentricities of Black culture. Hughes likens this work to "build[ing] our temples for tomorrow" paving the way for this change (14).
