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Langston Hughes
On February 1st, 1902, arguably the greatest African-American poet of all time was
born. He spoke for an entire race, and his words had a huge impact on the treatment of
black people and the manner in which they were viewed. He gave hope to those who felt
the same way as he did. Although we look back on his work and study it, at the time it
was released it had a very real impact to many people. He was Langston Hughes.
I believe Langston Hughes's name should be considered amongst the greatest
poets of all time. He was not only a voice of the African-American man in a time of
oppression, but also an all-around great poet despite race or subject matter. Although he
was most famous for his racially motivated poetry, he also wrote children's poetry,
fiction, magazine articles, essays, operas, musicals, and plays. Langston Hughes was one
of the most studious, as well as flexible writers ever. ( Jackson )
Langston Hughes, a member of an abolitionist family and grandson of the first
African-American to be elected to public office, was born in Joplin, Missouri. He would
go on to become one of the most famous poets of all time and give hope to the black
community through his work. His words changed the world. It was obvious to Langston
he would be a writer. He dropped out of Columbia University against his father's wishes
where he had maintained a B+ average. He then put his ideas on paper and was
immediately praised. He was the voice of the black community in a time of segregation
and racism. He challenged society's definition of equality and brought attention to the
treatment of the black man in America. After a prolific writing career that lasted close to
forty years, Langston Hughes died of cancer on May 22, 1967. His residence at 20 East
127th Street in Harlem, New York has been given landmark status by the New York City
Preservation Commission. His block of East 127th Street was renamed "Langston
Hughes Place". ( Trussel )
Because of segregation, the impact of slavery, and racism, blacks were poorer and
less educated than whites were at the time. Langston Hughes was very smart and attended
college, but he realized his audience didn't have the opportunities he had. Because of this
...upport of black nationalism and communism towards the end of his life. He is recognized as one of the most influential African American scholars of the 20th century paving the way for advocates of civil rights.
chooses to pursue a college education so he can be the first in his family to graduate
African Americans were among the worst treated races in the US; however, this did not stop them from fighting for the rights that so many had died for. It seemed as if black people would never be treated respectfully, but just like in comic books, there is always a hero that will fight for his people. This hero soon came to the scene and he was fierce enough to change the lives of many people. Most importantly, he broke the color barrier and created a path that would allow others to follow. However, something that was inevitable was the threats and racial remarks they had to face.
...en. Through his lifetime, W.E.B DuBois contributed and paved the way for many changes in the black community such as social truths about African American people, and educating blacks on politicizing themselves.
Throughout our lives, we often deal with boundaries created by society and ourselves. Racism and prejudices have plagued our society for years. There have been many people using many methods techniques in the fight against racism. One man used his art and the power of words to bring forth the issues of injustice suffered in America, he was Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes was a Negro Writer, born at the turn of the century in 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. His ancestry included three major race groups, however, he lived and was identified as a Negro or Colored (Hughes referred to himself as "colored" or "Negro," because those were the terms used to refer to African-Americans in this era). He spent most of his early years with his grandmother in Lawrence, Kansas due to the separation of his mother and father. In 1908 when Langston was ready to start school, his mother was told that he could not attend a nearby because her son was black. The school was located in Topeka, Kansas and was mostly white. Langston’s mother, Carrie, challenged and fought the school over their decision. She won her fight and Langston was finally admitted to the school. By the time he was fourteen, he had lived in Joplin, Buffalo, Cleveland, Lawrence, Kansas, Mexico City, Topeka, Kansas, Colorado Springs, Kansas City, and Lincoln, Illinois. Even though he moved often during his life there are people that Langston was greatly influenced by, his grandmother implanted a sense of dedication, she told him wonderful stories about Frederick Douglas and Sojourner Truth and once took him to hear Booker T. Washington. Shortly after his thirteenth birthday, his grandmother died and Langston moved in with James and Mary Reed for the next two years, they were not related but...
There are countless times as one grows up when you just stop for a second and reminisce on random things. These memories serve for a very special purpose as the things you do in life shapes you into the person you will become. Today, many authors and poets make use of their memories and experiences in their work as a way to reflect back on their lives, raise awareness, or just simply to tell a story. As a prominent contributor to the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes was an inspirational poet who highlighted many aspects of the urban life of African-Americans through reflections of his own life and experiences.
Langston Hughes was passionate about expressing the lives of black people through his poetry. His poetry expressed the pain and suffering that black people had to endure. Many critics have claimed that Langston Hughes created an unattractive view of black life through his poetry, but he was only demonstrating the realities of their lives. He didn’t make up stories about how great life was; he wrote realistically about the fear, segregation, and lost innocence of the black race. Langston Hughes left an immense impression on the literature of his time period. He influenced many other writers and helped to establish a voice for black people. Langston Hughes was an extraordinary poet that should be known as the man who brought light to the injustice that the people of color of America had to survive.
...of the Civil War and thereafter. He was the most influential of all the black leaders throughout the mid 19th century.
... a recurring theme of the dream of equality. Hughes composed many poems and plays during the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Era, and his legacy continues to be evident throughout American culture. His words inspired many, and showcased the plight of African-Americans in that era. Hughes’ impact was memorable because he lead African-Americans into writing, much like other distinguished African-American authors of the Harlem Renaissance period. His voice was heard above most other authors of the 1920’s and 30’s, and he expressed his wishes for improved treatment of the black race and the eradication of segregation in the United States with lyrical, thought-provoking poetry and symbolic dramas. Hughes inspired many writers and social activists after him, and continues to be a prominent figure in the general and literary achievements in African-American history.
Early in his life, Hughes was subjected to the pain of losing a parent. Though not through death, the loss of his father due to his parents' separation caused him great pain. With only one parent in care of him, Hughes spent the majority of his youth living in poverty. When he grew older he allowed his distant father to support his college education for the first year. At the closing of his freshman year, Hughes found that he did not want his life to continue in that direction and withdrew from Columbia University.
James Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902, in Joplin , Missouri . His parents divorced when he was a small child, and his father moved to Mexico . He was raised by his grandmother until he was thirteen, when he moved to Lincoln , Illinois , to live with his mother and her husband, before the family eventually settled in Cleveland , Ohio . It was in Lincoln , Illinois , that Hughes began writing poetry. Following graduation, he spent a year in Mexico and a year at Columbia University . During these years, he held odd jobs as an assistant cook, launderer, and a busboy, and travelled to Africa and Europe working as a seaman. In November 1924, he moved to Washington , D.C. Hughes's first book of poetry, The Weary Blues, was published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1926. He finished his college education at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania three years later. In 1930 his first novel, Not Without Laughter, won the Harmon gold medal for literature.
Racism has been a problem in society for decades and even though people have taken stands for equality, racism is still present. People who felt on the outside during their life tried in any way to be heard since their own thoughts were valuable when taking steps closer to equality. Speeches, art, music, and literature were all valuable sources when African Americans spoke their minds. The Harlem Renaissance and personal experiences, being main inspirations, motivated Hughes to take new and creative approaches such as folk and jazz poetry. Langston Hughes was a voice that got across the unfair treatment and limited opportunities that many African Americans experienced throughout their lifetime.
Langston Hughes, a primary voice of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920's, was known as "The Poet Laureate of Harlem". Hughes had pride in his black heritage, strong political beliefs, and the will to survive in a society where racial equality had to be fought for. Hughes' strength and determination shine through his poetry, he does not hide the fact that he lived with racism, but talks of his strength and to st...
...le. He worked through the struggles and difficulties to make sure that his goals were accomplished. The actions he took allowed African Americans to gather hope and lead a change in our world.
Langston Hughes was an influential leader toward many African American men, woman, and children in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Langston Hughes may not be as well-known for the civil rights movement as Martin Luther King Jr. was, but Hughes was capable of placing an everlasting impact on black culture during this period of civil rights unrest in the United States. Martin Luther King Jr. was an advocate for allowing the rights of African American people to have the same privileges and opportunities as the whites did, similarly, Langston Hughes portrayed this desire for social change through his writings and other works. He played an immeasurable role in the Harlem Renaissance period, and was looked up to by many writers as a voice to their own experiences. Hughes used everyday people and their everyday life struggles as a theme in his writings in order to touch the readers he had acquired. It is said that Langston Hughes was known as a legacy when it came to inspiring others to express themselves artistically. This legacy included: singing, writing, painting, or drawing. Langston Hughes was a master artistically, and enjoyed showing his passion for the arts to his fellow people. Langston was well known for the way he used art as motivation for social change in the United States. Langston Hughes focused many of his poems of the importance of African Americans, their culture, and the emotion blacks felt during the age of racism in the United State...