Racism and Oppression in America
"The White House" is a vivid criticism of American racism. The poem’s title itself encapsulates this theme—the “White House” is a symbol of political power (as the president’s residence), and here is also the white house, pointing to the fact that Black people faced racism and exclusion from political participation. In the context of the poem, the “White House” is a striking term for the president’s home, given that up to this point in American history, only white men had occupied it. This phrase reframes the White House from a symbol of American democracy to a symbol of the racism endemic to American politics in the early twentieth century. As the first line indicates, the door of the White House is “shut against” the speaker, symbolizing how Black people were excluded from political participation through racist techniques. Furthermore, white Americans and politicians were open and even proud of their racism during this shameful time in American history: the speaker notes that the “shuttered door” that is blocked against Black Americans “boldly shines” (Line 8). The words “boldly” and “shines” suggest that the racism the speaker experiences is blatant and clear. The speaker further points to how racism was codified into law, entrenching oppression into the legal system: the speaker must find the “superhuman power” to be held to the “letter of your law,” with “your” referring to the oppressive white majority. The speaker highlights the extreme racism that they face by referring to themselves as a “chafing savage,” repeating the language of racists to expose their dehumanization of Black Americans (Line 7). The poem concludes by describing racism and hatred as a “potent poison,” which corrupts the foundations of American politics and society (Line 14).
Hatred
The theme of racism is intertwined with the poem’s emphasis on hatred, as the speaker battles to resist becoming hateful toward his own oppressors. The white oppressors are notably absent from the poem—metaphorically barred inside their “White Houses”—and the hatred that the speaker experiences is expressed through personification, such as shut doors and a burning-hot street. This use of personification de-centers the experience of white oppressors in the poem, in opposition to literature of the time that focused on and centered the white experience. Instead, the poem focuses on the Black speaker’s own experience of racism and his reaction to it. In sum, this depiction of hatred through personification lends the poem a closer focus on the direct experience of enduring racism. Through striking language and metaphor—the street burns the speaker’s feet, their anger “rends” their vital senses and heart as they walk—the poem vividly depicts the effects of hatred.
Building on this theme, the speaker ironically describes themselves as a “chafing savage,” exposing the reader to the hateful perspective of white racists without directly introducing these characters into the poem. As he walks, the speaker battles within himself and even summons a “superhuman power” to respond to the blatant hatred that he experiences (Line 11). This description highlights the emotional strength necessary to resist hatred in an oppressive society. The final two lines expressly establish the speaker’s stance toward the theme of hatred: the speaker is determined to “keep [their] heart inviolate / Against the potent poison of your hate” (Lines 13-14). The symbol of poison illustrates how hatred can spread and infect not only oppressors, but those enduring oppression. The speaker vows to resist this poison of hatred, thus ending the poem on a resilient note that firmly critiques the state of hatred, even in the face of oppression.
Resilience
The theme of racism and oppression is expressed alongside the speaker’s strength and resilience. The speaker repeatedly asserts their internal strength in the face of the racism embodied in the “White House.” Lines 3 and 4 encapsulate this theme—after facing the shut door of the white house, the speaker acknowledges their anger, then asserts: “But I possess the courage and the grace / To bear my anger proudly and unbent.” Here, the poem uses enjambment to reinforce this theme: the speaker devotes an isolated line to the straightforward assertion that they have the “courage and grace” to stand proudly in the face of racism, placing emphasis on this claim. The speaker’s strength of character juxtaposes with the cruelty of the inhabitants of this street’s white houses.
However, the poem also resists a simplistic reading that Black resilience should be purely celebrated. Instead, the poem repeatedly reminds the reader that this resilience is only necessitated by the racism and exclusion of the white majority. Subsequent lines emphasize the internal strength and power that the speaker must harness to withstand the force of racism. The speaker “must search for wisdom every hour,” reflecting the frequency and intensity of racism that they face in a society deeply entrenched in white supremacy. Similarly, the speaker requires “superhuman power” to operate within the society’s racist legal system, again underscoring the extent of their resilience. The speaker repeats the words “Oh, I must,” to reflect the burden that racism places on them—they need to actively, and repeatedly, resist the poison of hatred created by racism.
