Langston Hughes gives voice to a Black man who insists he belongs in America just as much as anyone else. Right now, he is pushed aside—sent to the kitchen when guests arrive—but he does not despair. He laughs, eats well, and grows strong, turning humiliation into quiet confidence. The speaker’s feelings are patient but firm: he knows the separation is temporary. Tomorrow, he says, he will sit at the table, and no one will dare send him away. When others see his beauty and worth, they will feel ashamed of how they treated him. The mood is proud, calm, and hopeful rather than bitter. The final line, “I, too, am America,” turns the poem’s title into a statement of belonging and quiet defiance.
I, Too — Summary
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong.
Tomorrow, I’ll sit at the table When company comes. Nobody’ll dare Say to me, “Eat in the kitchen,” Then.
Besides, They’ll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed,--
I, too, am America.