Final answer:
Black writers during the Harlem Renaissance like Hughes, Hurston, and McKay combatted the 'happy darkies' trope by emphasizing racial pride and showcasing authentic African-American experiences in their literature.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the period known as the Harlem Renaissance, black writers such as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Claude McKay attacked the 'happy darkies' stereotype common in fiction by fostering a strong cultural expression that encouraged racial pride and rejected any emulation of white American culture. This movement was spurred by urban black Americans' wartime migration and their response to postwar riots. McKay's "If We Must Die" embodies the call to resist racial prejudice, while Hughes's works, including "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and "I Too, Sing America," emphasize the significance of African-American heritage and resilient spirit. Hurston, through her novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God,' explores the trials of a young black woman's life.
Their Eyes Were Watching God was a poignant critique of the times, as it was released after Hurston's death and detailed the specific struggles and dialect of rural black Americans, showcasing a unique African-American experience. The collective works of these writers stood as a counter-narrative to the prevalent derogatory caricatures and advocated for a genuine representation of African-American lives and stories.