Final answer:
Claude McKay was a renowned poet and a key participant in the Harlem Renaissance, known for his poem 'If We Must Die'. His work inspired racial pride and helped develop an independent Black culture as part of this influential cultural movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
Claude McKay was a poet and writer who was a pivotal figure in the Harlem Renaissance movement. This cultural movement, centered in Harlem, New York, was indicative of the vibrant African American art, literature, and music scene that developed in various urban centers across the Northeast and Midwest of the United States in the 1920s. McKay's contributions, especially his poem "If We Must Die," reflected the new sense of self and community amongst African Americans. His work did not only resonate with the struggles faced but also sparked other movements, such as Négritude, inspiring figures like Léopold Sédar Senghor and Aimé Césaire.
Within the Harlem Renaissance, writers like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, along with McKay, centered on themes that addressed the lived experiences and triumphs of African Americans. Their literary works were instrumental in shaping an independent Black culture and elevating racial pride, directly opposing the emulation of white culture. For instance, Zora Neale Hurston's novel, "Their Eyes Were Watching God," explored the complexities of African American life.