Langston Hughes & Black Nativity Vocabulary

Target Language or Knowledge:

activism advent allegory alliteration amen American anoint apostolic ascension barren beatitude benediction Bessie blues bop bosom canticle celestial chorale classical Columbia University communion congregation consecrate creed crust culture defer devotion disparate diverse doxology dusky empathetic enjambed line end-stopped line enthusiastic epiphany evangelical exaltation fellowship fester frail genre gloria gospel grace grits hallelujah Harlem Harlem Renaissance hymnal improvisation incarnation inference intercession jazz jubilation juxtaposed kerygma lamentation litany loll magnificat messiah metaphor mimic montage nativity ordination parable pastoral penitence Pentecost pilgrimage praise predominantly prophecy psalm redemption rejoice resurrection rhetorical sacrament salvation sanctify seraphim sermon shepherd soul soulful spiritual St. Nicholas stream of consciousness suede symbolism syrupy testament theology trinity

the use of vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event a narrative with a symbolic meaning beneath the surface the repetition of initial consonant sounds an expression of affirmation, often used in religious contexts relating to or characteristic of the United States or its inhabitants to ceremonially confer a divine or holy office upon relating to the apostles or their teachings the act of rising to an important position or a higher level empty, unproductive, or unable to produce a state of supreme blessedness or happiness a short invocation asking for divine help, blessing, and guidance a blues and jazz singer associated with the Harlem Renaissance a style of music evolving from African American spirituals, noted for its expressive and often melancholy sound a style of small-band modern jazz characterized by fast tempo and improvisation the chest, especially a woman’s chest a hymn or chant, typically with a biblical text relating to the heavens or the divine a hymn tune associated with German Protestantism relating to a formal musical tradition with established structure an Ivy League university and the oldest institution of higher education in New York State the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts or feelings; also a Christian sacrament a group of people assembled for religious worship to make or declare something sacred a system of religious beliefs a hard outer layer that covers something the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular group of people to yield to another’s wish or opinion love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a cause or person fundamentally different; entirely unlike different; varied a liturgical expression of praise to God dim, dark, or shadowy showing the ability to understand and share another’s feelings a line of poetry in which a sentence continues onto the next line without a pause a line of poetry that ends with a natural speech pause, usually marked by punctuation showing great excitement and interest a manifestation or sudden realization, often divine or spiritual relating to the Christian gospel and its teachings a feeling or state of extreme happiness friendly association, especially among people with shared interests or beliefs to decay, rot, or grow worse over time weak or delicate a major category or type of literature or music a Christian liturgical hymn beginning with “Glory be to God” the teaching or revelation of Christ elegance of movement; in theology, the unearned favor of God a dish made from coarsely ground corn kernels boiled in water or milk an exclamation of worship or rejoicing a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City a 1920s cultural movement marked by flourishing African American art, music, and literature a book of hymns the act of creating or performing without preparation the embodiment of a deity, spirit, or abstract quality in human form a conclusion drawn from evidence or details the act of intervening or praying on behalf of another a style of music characterized by improvisation and rhythmic complexity a feeling of great happiness and triumph placed side by side for comparison the proclamation of religious truths the passionate expression of grief or sorrow a series of petitions used in religious services to relax or sit in a lazy or idle manner the hymn of the Virgin Mary found in Luke 1:46–55 the promised deliverer of the Jewish people a figure of speech that applies a word or phrase to something not literally true to imitate a combination of disparate elements forming a unified image or sequence the birth of a person, especially Jesus Christ the act of appointing someone to a religious office a simple story used to teach a moral or spiritual lesson relating to spiritual care or guidance sorrow and regret for wrongdoing the Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit a journey to a sacred place for religious reasons the expression of approval or admiration mainly; for the most part a divinely inspired prediction of the future a sacred song or hymn from the Book of Psalms salvation from sin or wrongdoing to feel or show great joy rising from the dead or returning to life asked for effect rather than an actual answer a religious ceremony symbolizing divine grace deliverance from sin and its consequences to set apart as holy a high order of angels a religious or moral talk one who guides or protects others spiritually the spiritual essence of a person expressing deep emotion or feeling relating to the human spirit or soul a major north–south street in Manhattan a writing style that imitates the continuous flow of thoughts leather with a soft, fuzzy surface the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities overly sweet or sentimental a covenant or agreement; in religion, a sacred division of scripture the study of God and religious belief the Christian belief in one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit