“If We Must Die” is a sonnet by the Jamaican poet and novelist Claude McKay. McKay wrote the poem in response to the infamous “Red Summer” of 1919, during which the United States experienced an upsurge in brutal anti-Black violence. Though the poem’s speaker doesn’t reference this violence directly, they do speak powerfully to the importance of resisting oppression. Only through such resistance can beleaguered communities maintain their sense of dignity and honor. This theme of resistance has made McKay’s poem meaningful for many oppressed groups around the world, and particularly in the Black diaspora.

Summary

Begin your study of “If We Must Die” with an Overview of its contents and key ideas.

Characters

Read an in-depth analysis of the speaker in “If We Must Die.”

Literary Devices

Here's where to find everything you will need to fully analyze “If We Must Die.”

Quotes

Read the most important quotes from “If We Must Die” and their explanations.

Deeper Study

Increase your understanding of “If We Must Die” by learning more about Claude McKay, the poem's historical and literary context, and other literary works on SparkNotes that are related to it.

Take a Study Break