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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. When did Hughes finally leave Mexico to return to America?

2. How old was Hughes's little brother Kit when Hughes returned from Africa?

3. About what incident did Hughes write the poem "African Fog?"

4. Why did Hughes take over the job of mess boy on the ship to Europe?

5. What did Hughes's father finally do for his son?

Short Essay Questions

1. What kinds of things happened on board Hughes's ship from New York to Rotterdam? How were they different than the typical passage aboard the S.S. Malone?

2. While sailing along the African shore, what did the crew do from port to port? What did Hughes realize about the black Africans?

3. What happened aboard the S.S. Malone the week before the ship reached the Virgin Islands on its return to New York?

4. How did Hughes meet someone in Paris who helped him find a place to stay, and who was the person? What was the surprise Hughes found when he went up to his room?

5. Who was Florence Embry Jones? Who were some of the musicians Hughes heard because of Florence?

6. How did Hughes react to being in college at Columbia University? What were the problems he identified?

7. Who was Jocko? Where did he come from? Where did he live?

8. How did Hughes convince his father to allow him to attend Columbia University in New York? When did Hughes leave Mexico for college?

9. Who was Edward? How did Hughes meet him?

10. What did Hughes notice about the way Mexicans and Negros were treated differently, particularly on his way home from Mexico to Cleveland, Ohio?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hughes was asked to participate in a interracial conference at Franklin and Marshall College. He related two important stories, one about how he and Alain Locke were treated at Hill School in Pennsylvania and another about the practical and meaningful topic he suggested be discussed at the conference. Discuss these two stories and what they meant to Hughes and how they affected his life at college and after.

Essay Topic 2

One of the issues Hughes raised again and again in his book was that of race. He often remarked on the color of his skin, whether he was a "black man" in one country and not in another. What are some of the major threads of the theme of race that run through Hughes's book? Why are they an important part of Hughes's autobiography?

Essay Topic 3

Hughes titled one of the chapters in his autobiography "Distinguished Visitor." This visitor brought with him the beginnings of major fame for Hughes. Discuss the visitor and what he had to offer Hughes. Who did he introduce Hughes to that influenced his career? Why was this visitor important throughout Hughes's career?

(see the answer keys)

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