Langston Hughes

LangstonHughes crop

Langston Hughes 1902

Error creating thumbnail:

Langston Hughes Lincoln University 1928

Langston Hughes Interment

Ways of white folks cover

Error creating thumbnail:

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an influential American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance in New York City. Hughes was one of the early innovators of the then-new literary art form called jazz poetry. His work is celebrated for its insight into the African American experience in the United States during the early to mid-20th century.

Early Life

Hughes was born James Mercer Langston Hughes in Joplin, Missouri, to Carrie Langston Hughes and James Nathaniel Hughes. His parents separated soon after his birth, and his father moved to Mexico. Hughes was raised by his maternal grandmother until her death in the early 1910s, after which he lived with his mother and her new husband in various cities. Hughes's early life was marked by instability and financial hardship, which deeply influenced his writing.

Career

Hughes's literary career began in earnest after he moved to New York City as part of the Great Migration. He enrolled at Columbia University but left after one year to explore Harlem, becoming part of its burgeoning cultural movement. His first published poem, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," appeared in The Crisis, the magazine of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), in 1921. This poem was widely acclaimed and established Hughes as an important voice in American literature.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Hughes published numerous works, including poems, novels, short stories, and plays. He sought to honestly portray the lives of working-class African Americans, eschewing both idealized and negative stereotypes. His poetry and fiction were characterized by their vernacular speech, humor, and insight into the black American life.

Hughes's work was not limited to literature. He was also a prominent figure in the social and political movements of his time, advocating for civil rights and social justice. He traveled extensively, including visits to the Soviet Union, and his experiences abroad influenced his views on race and class.

Legacy

Langston Hughes passed away from complications of prostate cancer on May 22, 1967, in New York City. His residence at 20 East 127th Street in Harlem has been given landmark status by the New York City Preservation Commission, and East 127th Street has been renamed "Langston Hughes Place."

Hughes's influence on American literature and culture remains profound. His innovative use of jazz rhythms in poetry, his commitment to social justice, and his unapologetic portrayal of the complexities of African American life have made him an enduring figure in American literature. His home in Harlem has become a destination for those interested in the Harlem Renaissance and African American history.