Nancy Lee believes in America as a land of opportunity, in which anyone can achieve what they set their minds to, with liberty and justice for all. And why shouldn’t she? After all, Nancy Lee is well-respected and liked by all of her classmates, an excellent athlete and artist. She has always identified with her African heritage, but has never been defined by it in the eyes of others. That is, until she submits her precious watercolor into an art scholarship and is denied by the virtue of her skin color. In his 1952 work “One Friday Morning”, Langston Hughes paints a brutally realistic, yet equally hopeful, picture of growing up black in the United States.

Hughes himself understands the difficulties of reconciling other’s hatred with his own belief in the american dream. Growing up in Joplin, Missouri, he faced racism from his own community in day to day life. He eventually moved to New York, where he became a leader of the Harlem Renaissance, redefining what it meant to be black in America through his works of poetry, writing, and social activism.

While this work is, of course, about racism, it’s central theme is optimism. Nancy Lee’s artwork is representative of her positive outlook on the future of her country. It depicts an elderly black woman sitting on a park bench, watching children play, while looking up at an american flag outlined by blue skies. The woman has undoubtedly faced years of discrimination based on the color of her skin. She has seen some of the darkest moments of American History, and the worst of human nature – and yet, she is not filled with hate herself. Her eyes remain trained upwards, looking in deep reverence at the American flag, and she is surrounded by the next generation of American citizens. They are too young to understand her pain, and yet, they share her optimism for the future of the country. The grandma understands that they are not born hating her heritage, and that the key to the future is in teaching them acceptance and love.

The painting in many ways mirrors Nancy Lee’s own character progression. She begins the story as one of the children in the painting – while she is aware of her skin color, she has not yet experienced racism or hatred as a result of it. Her naivety is not the result of ignorance on her part, but rather the goodness of the children around her. All of her classmates hold immense respect for her, both as an artist and as a friend. Nancy is optimistic for her future and for her country, for which she is very prideful. Upon first winning the scholarship, she plans to use her acceptance speech to preach about the equality and fairness on which the United States is built. She is unfortunately sucked away from the reality when the committee finds out that she is a student of color. For a moment, she questions everything that she knew about the country she holds dear to her heart – but her principal intervenes, reminding her that “we still have this world of ours democracy to make”. With this wisdom and understanding, Nancy Lee is able to move past her pain and enter the role of the grandmother in the painting. She is no longer blind to the inhumane actions of her country, or the hatred that so deeply pervades the deep south, yet she is optimistic. She understands that her actions, and her art, can help mold her country into a more equitable future. With this revelation, Hughes lays out his central argument that still rings true today: Yes, injustice exists, but you must let it define you. It is your job to take action, to be the change that you wish to see, and to make the country that you love even greater.

I would strongly recommend reading Hughes’ short story. Even though it was written almost 70 years ago, it’s message still rings true. Racism and injustice still remain across the United States, but they are not as widespread as when this story was written. While this is cause for celebration, it is not cause for complacency. The optimism that young people like Nancy Lee provided for the future in the face of hate is admirable, and is a tradition which our generation must continue, so that we may create the America which we are proud to call home.