Just like Reiss and Hughes, James Weldon Johnson clearly develops the theme that the past can bring hope and strength in his poem "Lift Every Voice and Sing." This poem is about remembering the past while pursuing liberty. Each of the stanzas is structured to acknowledge both the difficulty of the past and the triumph. The speaker encourages everyone to "sing a song full of faith” that comes from the "dark past" (7). The poem also uses figurative language to describe how the speakers have arrived at "the place for which our fathers sighed" (16). He ends the song by asking his listeners to remain "true to our native land" (33) and the strength that comes from remembering the past. This poem strongly shows the theme that the past can bring hope and strength. 1​

Read this excerpt from i never had it made. "it's all that ought to count," he replied. "but it isn't. maybe one of these days it will be all that counts. that is one of the reasons i've got you here, robinson. if you're a good enough man, we can make this a start in the right direction. but let me tell you, it's going to take an awful lot of courage." he was back to the crossroads question that made me start to get angry minutes earlier. he asked it slowly and with great care. "have you got the guts to play the game no matter what happens? " "i think i can play the game, mr. rickey," i said. the next few minutes were tough. branch rickey had to make absolutely sure that i knew what i would face. beanballs would be thrown at me. i would be called the kind of names which would hurt and infuriate any man. i would be physically attacked. could i take all of this and control my temper, remain steadfastly loyal to our ultimate aim? which is the central idea of this excerpt?