Fifty Years and Other Poems 1917 is a collection of poems by James Weldon Johnson. Although less popular than his book Gods Trombones Seven Negro Sermons in Verse 1927 Johnsons second poetry collection showcases his talents as a rising star of African American literature. Including some poems that would be featured in The Book of American Negro Poetry 1922 an influential anthology compiled and edited by the poet himself Fifty Years and Other Poems remains essential to Johnsons legacy as a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance. Fifty Years opens the collection with an ode to emancipation a starting point from which millions of men women and children were given the opportunity however fragile it was to pursue better lives. Rather than give thanks for freedom granted however Johnson implores his fellow Black Americans to remain proud assured that liberty is their hardearned right This land is ours by right of birth This land is ours by right of toil We helped to turn its virgin earth Our sweat is in its fruitful soil. Hopeful and resilient Johnson reflects on his own place in this history of struggle paying particular heed to his status as a poet his ability to sing despite centuries of violent oppression. In his poem O Black and Unknown Bards he asks O black and unknown bards of long ago How came your lips to touch the sacred fire Recognizing the need for a reconciliation between the long tradition of black culture and the overwhelming erasure of his own contemporary artists Johnson highlights the efforts of those poets such as himself who Within their darkkept souls burst into song.Since our inception in 2020 Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them fin