WRITER
Claude McKay
1889 - 1948

Claude McKay
Festus Claudius "Claude" McKay OJ (September 15, 1890 – May 22, 1948) was a Jamaican-American writer and poet. He was a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Born in Jamaica, McKay first travelled to the United States to attend college, and encountered W. E. B. Du Bois's The Souls of Black Folk which stimulated McKay's interest in political involvement. He moved to New York City in 1914 and, in 1919, he wrote "If We Must Die", one of his best known works, a widely reprinted sonnet responding to the wave of white-on-black race riots and lynchings following the conclusion of the First World War. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Claude McKay is the 5,755th most popular writer (down from 5,701st in 2019), the 54th most popular biography from Jamaica (down from 53rd in 2019) and the 4th most popular Jamaican Writer.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Claude McKay by language
Among WRITERS
Among writers, Claude McKay ranks 5,755 out of 7,302. Before him are Robert E. Sherwood, Roma Ryan, Michael Shermer, David Halberstam, Joel Chandler Harris, and Penelope Lively. After him are Jacob Abbott, Park Wan-suh, Teréz Karacs, Vigdis Hjorth, William Blum, and Shaqe Çoba.
Most Popular Writers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsRobert E. Sherwood
1896 - 1955
HPI: 53.54
Rank: 5,749
Roma Ryan
1950 - Present
HPI: 53.54
Rank: 5,750
Michael Shermer
1954 - Present
HPI: 53.54
Rank: 5,751
David Halberstam
1934 - 2007
HPI: 53.53
Rank: 5,752
Joel Chandler Harris
1848 - 1908
HPI: 53.53
Rank: 5,753
Penelope Lively
1933 - Present
HPI: 53.53
Rank: 5,754
Claude McKay
1889 - 1948
HPI: 53.52
Rank: 5,755
Jacob Abbott
1803 - 1879
HPI: 53.52
Rank: 5,756
Park Wan-suh
1931 - 2011
HPI: 53.52
Rank: 5,757
Teréz Karacs
1808 - 1892
HPI: 53.52
Rank: 5,758
Vigdis Hjorth
1959 - Present
HPI: 53.52
Rank: 5,759
William Blum
1933 - 2018
HPI: 53.51
Rank: 5,760
Shaqe Çoba
1875 - 1954
HPI: 53.51
Rank: 5,761
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1889, Claude McKay ranks 264. Before him are Hans Walter, Vilho Väisälä, Menen Asfaw, Rolf Johnsson, James Chapin, and Aleksei Dikiy. After him are Artur Adson, Charles Darrow, Wesley Ruggles, Joseph Ruttenberg, Alexander Patch, and Paul Nash. Among people deceased in 1948, Claude McKay ranks 179. Before him are Joseph Wedderburn, George Milne, 1st Baron Milne, Samuel P. Bush, George Mehnert, Vasily Kachalov, and Elissa Landi. After him are Amir Sjarifuddin, Carl Abrahamsson, Arthur Whitten Brown, Franz Weidenreich, Frank Benford, and Susan Glaspell.
Others Born in 1889
Go to all RankingsHans Walter
ATHLETE
1889 - 1967
HPI: 53.87
Rank: 258
Vilho Väisälä
PHYSICIST
1889 - 1969
HPI: 53.85
Rank: 259
Menen Asfaw
NOBLEMAN
1889 - 1962
HPI: 53.83
Rank: 260
Rolf Johnsson
GYMNAST
1889 - 1931
HPI: 53.79
Rank: 261
James Chapin
BIOLOGIST
1889 - 1964
HPI: 53.78
Rank: 262
Aleksei Dikiy
ACTOR
1889 - 1955
HPI: 53.61
Rank: 263
Claude McKay
WRITER
1889 - 1948
HPI: 53.52
Rank: 264
Artur Adson
WRITER
1889 - 1977
HPI: 53.38
Rank: 265
Charles Darrow
INVENTOR
1889 - 1967
HPI: 53.35
Rank: 266
Wesley Ruggles
FILM DIRECTOR
1889 - 1972
HPI: 53.33
Rank: 267
Joseph Ruttenberg
JOURNALIST
1889 - 1983
HPI: 53.33
Rank: 268
Alexander Patch
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1889 - 1945
HPI: 53.29
Rank: 269
Paul Nash
PAINTER
1889 - 1946
HPI: 53.10
Rank: 270
Others Deceased in 1948
Go to all RankingsJoseph Wedderburn
MATHEMATICIAN
1882 - 1948
HPI: 53.98
Rank: 173
George Milne, 1st Baron Milne
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1866 - 1948
HPI: 53.98
Rank: 174
Samuel P. Bush
BUSINESSPERSON
1863 - 1948
HPI: 53.96
Rank: 175
George Mehnert
WRESTLER
1881 - 1948
HPI: 53.93
Rank: 176
Vasily Kachalov
ACTOR
1875 - 1948
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 177
Elissa Landi
ACTOR
1904 - 1948
HPI: 53.70
Rank: 178
Claude McKay
WRITER
1889 - 1948
HPI: 53.52
Rank: 179
Amir Sjarifuddin
POLITICIAN
1907 - 1948
HPI: 53.34
Rank: 180
Carl Abrahamsson
ATHLETE
1896 - 1948
HPI: 53.25
Rank: 181
Arthur Whitten Brown
POLITICIAN
1886 - 1948
HPI: 53.13
Rank: 182
Franz Weidenreich
ARCHAEOLOGIST
1873 - 1948
HPI: 53.08
Rank: 183
Frank Benford
PHYSICIST
1883 - 1948
HPI: 53.00
Rank: 184
Susan Glaspell
WRITER
1876 - 1948
HPI: 52.97
Rank: 185
In Jamaica
Among people born in Jamaica, Claude McKay ranks 54 out of 189. Before him are Carl Douglas (1942), Elaine Thompson (1992), Leonard Howell (1898), Gregory Isaacs (1951), Asafa Powell (1982), and Errol Brown (1948). After him are Louise Bennett-Coverley (1919), Yellowman (1956), Bilal Philips (1947), Augustus Pablo (1954), Alton Ellis (1938), and Linton Kwesi Johnson (1952).
Others born in Jamaica
Go to all RankingsCarl Douglas
SINGER
1942 - Present
HPI: 54.34
Rank: 48
Elaine Thompson
ATHLETE
1992 - Present
HPI: 54.30
Rank: 49
Leonard Howell
WRITER
1898 - 1981
HPI: 54.29
Rank: 50
Gregory Isaacs
SINGER
1951 - 2010
HPI: 54.18
Rank: 51
Asafa Powell
ATHLETE
1982 - Present
HPI: 54.14
Rank: 52
Errol Brown
SINGER
1948 - 2015
HPI: 53.98
Rank: 53
Claude McKay
WRITER
1889 - 1948
HPI: 53.52
Rank: 54
Louise Bennett-Coverley
WRITER
1919 - 2006
HPI: 53.18
Rank: 55
Yellowman
SINGER
1956 - Present
HPI: 53.06
Rank: 56
Bilal Philips
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1947 - Present
HPI: 52.97
Rank: 57
Augustus Pablo
MUSICIAN
1954 - 1999
HPI: 52.87
Rank: 58
Alton Ellis
SINGER
1938 - 2008
HPI: 52.75
Rank: 59
Linton Kwesi Johnson
WRITER
1952 - Present
HPI: 52.68
Rank: 60
Among WRITERS In Jamaica
Among writers born in Jamaica, Claude McKay ranks 4. Before him are Marcus Garvey (1887), Mary Seacole (1805), and Leonard Howell (1898). After him are Louise Bennett-Coverley (1919), Linton Kwesi Johnson (1952), Nalo Hopkinson (1960), Marlon James (1970), and Claudia Rankine (1963).
Marcus Garvey
1887 - 1940
HPI: 65.47
Rank: 1
Mary Seacole
1805 - 1881
HPI: 58.17
Rank: 2
Leonard Howell
1898 - 1981
HPI: 54.29
Rank: 3
Claude McKay
1889 - 1948
HPI: 53.52
Rank: 4
Louise Bennett-Coverley
1919 - 2006
HPI: 53.18
Rank: 5
Linton Kwesi Johnson
1952 - Present
HPI: 52.68
Rank: 6
Nalo Hopkinson
1960 - Present
HPI: 42.48
Rank: 7
Marlon James
1970 - Present
HPI: 41.89
Rank: 8
Claudia Rankine
1963 - Present
HPI: 40.68
Rank: 9