Final answer:
Claude McKay , option D, was the Harlem Renaissance author who wrote about racist violence during the Red Summer, especially in his poem "If We Must Die", making him the correct answer for the given question.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Harlem Renaissance was a period of cultural, social, and artistic explosion that took place in Harlem, New York, in the 1920s, where African American artists and writers sought to define their identity and voice through their work. One of the prominent figures who addressed racist violence during this era was Claude McKay.
His poem "If We Must Die" encapsulates the struggle against racial violence that intensified during the Red Summer riots of 1919. This clarion call for resistance became a rallying cry for African Americans facing oppression and served as an inspiration for other authors and poets who formed the vibrant cultural movement in Harlem.
Other notable figures of the period included Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, who also contributed greatly to the cultural movement by expressing the African American experience through their literary works. Hughes is celebrated for his vivid evocation of black life and his optimistic, yet realistic depictions of racial pride, while Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God offered an authentic portrayal of the lives and dialects of rural black Americans. Nonetheless, when discussing poetry that specifically dealt with the resistance to racist violence during the Red Summer, it was Claude McKay who starkly addressed the issue.
Therefore, when looking for the Harlem Renaissance author who wrote poetry about racist violence during the Red Summer, the correct option in the final answer is D. Claude McKay.