Libretto for the Republic of Liberia Summary

In the epic poem "Libretto for the Republic of Liberia," the part names are the basic musical scales. The parts are the musical scales of Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do. The poem is dedicated to the African nation of Liberia, a republic composed of former African American slaves and slaves freed from slave ships. Tolson puts a question mark after the word Liberia seven times in the beginning of the poem. He asks the question Liberia and then answers his answer questions. Liberia is a nation of survival for the black man.

The narrator says to Liberia, "You are / Black Lazarus risen from the White Man's grave" ("Libretto for the Republic of Liberia," pg. 160.) The people of Liberia have risen again, just like the Bible's Lazarus, and survive. Liberia represents...