McKay’s legacy will never look the same, and neither will…LGBTQ writing...the literature of disability...
-- Introducers (Introduction)

Importance: This line from the introduction emphasizes some of the elements of social commentary and representation that are still relevant today. For example, the novel features a disabled protagonist. Additionally, one of the secondary characters is a lesbian, and the novel makes no negative judgments about the character based on her sexual orientation.

Can black internationalism flourish...Can black slaves return Africa, spiritually or otherwise...
-- Introducers (Introduction)

Importance: This line from the introduction articulates the symbolic overtones of Lafala's desire to return to Africa. Due to the centuries of colonialism and diaspora, the descendants of Africans have been geographically and culturally displaced from their African roots by a wide margin. Thus Lafala's desire and struggle to return to Africa symbolizes large-scale sociopolitical quandaries.

McKay took much less kindly to his agent’s recommendation that he show his...
-- Introducers (Introduction)