A poet no more.

Throughout Claude Mckay's account of his visit of Soviet Russia in "A Long Way From Home", we we are provided deep insight into how Soviet citizens attuned themselves to Soviet propaganda, and how it constructed an image of the suffering black American that was to their benefit but also their detriment.

Propaganda posters were an effective method of disseminating ideas among the Soviet population that were core to Communism and helped make them more loyal to the state. Posters like the aforementioned, for example, made the citizens more accepting of racial solidarity (evident in that you see multiple hands of different skin colors shaking each other - a sign that they were accepting of and willing to co-operate with each other). This effect was pervasive; Claude McKay noted "Whenever I appeared in the street I was greeted by all

of the people with enthusiasm". This was despite the fact that his skin was black and the USSR had a history of racism (they previously had had explicit racial policies such as Russofication).

However, Claude notes that they weren't just passive receptors of the propaganda, it was as if they had been trained to accept whatever goal the Soviets decreed they must aim towards. "The Bolsheviks have nerves subtly attuned to the currents of opinion and a sense of propaganda values". This speaks of the overwhelming effect of the propaganda. Of course, this was beneficial to the point where it achieved racial solidarity. But I argue that there is another, more unfortunate undertone to this exact "sense of propaganda values".  Consider the following poster:

This poster is useful for analyzing Claude Mckay's experience with Soviet citizens. The message here is rather obvious, that the black man suffered under the evil, racist and capitalist USA. Under the Communist regime however, the black man was likely to be welcomed (as Claude very well was by the Communist Regime - ."I was suddenly surrounded by a crowd, tossed into the air, and caught a number of times and carried a block on their friendly shoulder). The story told in this poster is of oppression and contrasting freedom in the USSR. Implicit in this story is the expectation of a struggle to achieve said freedom.

"They knew that I was in sympathy with the Communists—was their guest."

Right from the start, he's identified as a symbol of black struggle in the USA. This image endures and forms the basis of his reception by the people in the USSR. Whenever anyone meets him and reacts to him positively, they're picturing a man struggling to break free from the shackles shown in the first part of the propaganda posters above. When the people in the USSR welcome him and converse with him, they're premising this upon the creation of the utopia promised in the second part. Effectively, this piece of propaganda has defined how every interaction between a USSR citizen and Claude Mckay takes place: a sombre recognition of his past struggles and optimism of a more free future to struggle for.

All this isn't necessary a bad thing. Revolutions are built on hope and solidarity. The issue is that Claude is reduced to this struggle and is forced to live in either of the two images.

At every point, he is questioned by the USSR on his expectation of a Communist revolution in the USA. Infact, that is most all he is questioned about. He repeatedly answers by saying that he is a poet and can't give an adequate response. "I  said to the interpreter: “Tell the young comrade that I am a poet.”" Yet, he was taken from meeting to meeting and repeatedly asked to give long speeches. His identity as a poet was ignored. This was also done deliberately by the Bolsheviks "So, as soon as they perceived the trend of the general enthusiasm for me, they decided to use it". With his face postered around,  he was almost made into an unwilling symbol.

It is without question that he was treated in a more dignified manner in the USSR. Yet, this came at a cost. In the US he was confined to the perception of being an inferior individual, in the USSR he was confined to the perception the "sense of propaganda values" engendered by the second propaganda posters. If he can't be recognized as a poet, has his dignity as an individual truly been respected? If he instrumentalized and fashioned into a political tool, is he truly free?