Question

H. t. johnson, an african american preacher, wrote "the black man’s burden" as a response to kipling’s work. pile on the black man's burden. 'tis nearest at your door; why heed long bleeding cuba, or dark hawaii's shore? hail ye your fearless armies, which menace feeble folks who fight with clubs and arrows and brook your rifle's smoke. . . . you've sealed the red man's problem, and will take up the brown, in vain ye seek to end it, with bullets, blood or death better by far defend it with honor's holy breath. -"the black man’s burden," h. t. johnson, 1899 what point of view does johnson express in this poem? imperialists rely on military might to unfairly conquer other cultures. europeans need to share their civilization with other cultures. americans could benefit from becoming imperialists like the europeans. imperialism becomes a problem only when colonies are located too far away.

Answer 1

The point of view expressed in this poem by H.T. Johnson is that imperialism relies on military might to unfairly conquer other cultures. The poem specifically references the "fearless armies" of the imperialists and the "bullets, blood or death" used to "seal the red man's problem" and "take up the brown," suggesting that the imperialists are using violence and force to subjugate and control other cultures. The poem also implies that imperialism is a problem, as it encourages the imperialists to "defend" it "with honor's holy breath," rather than acknowledging the harm that it causes to the conquered cultures. Overall, the poem suggests that imperialism is a harmful and unfair practice that relies on military force to oppress other cultures.