Many critics claimed that it was a "tasteless evocation of elements of lower-class black culture." (McKay 1290) This essay is full of “laughter,” which Hughes and others said the black community needed. (Chasar) Two of Hughes' early collections explained to whites why African Americans needed to laugh. (Chasar) Hughes explained that African Americans suffer a lot, so they need a way to laugh and forget some of their problems. Laughter is also connected to black power, which can be seen in poems such as “I, Too” and “Strong Men.” (Chasar) Other poets such as Claude McKay and Sterling Brown followed Hughes' example and wrote poems with "laughter" in them. Hughes answered his critics of “Fine Clothes to the Jew” with his determination to write about these people and explained in “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain” a year earlier that “We young Negro artists who create now intend to express our individuality." dark-skinned self without fear or shame. (McKay 1290) He went on to say, “We know we are beautiful. And ugly too” (1290). Hughes said that even though they have flaws, they still have a lot to give to society. This essay quickly became a manifesto for many of the younger writers who wanted to use their rights to write about the degraded aspects of