"If We Must Die" is a poem written by Jamaican-American writer and civil rights activist Claude McKay. The poem was published in 1919 during the Harlem Renaissance, a flourishing of African American culture in the 1920s.

The poem is a powerful and defiant call to arms against racial violence and oppression faced by African Americans. It was written in response to a series of race riots that were taking place in the United States at the time, including the Red Summer of 1919 when there were numerous attacks on Black communities by white mobs.

In "If We Must Die," McKay urges Black people to stand up and fight back against their oppressors, even if it means facing death. The poem is often seen as a rallying cry for resilience and resistance in the face of adversity, and it has been celebrated for its themes of courage and solidarity.

The poem became a defining work of the Harlem Renaissance and continues to be a powerful and enduring piece of Black literature that speaks to the struggles and triumphs of the African-American community.