Preview

Langston Hughes: The First Successful African-American Poet

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
145 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Langston Hughes: The First Successful African-American Poet
Langston Hughes was the first successful African-American poet. Hughes was born on February, 1, 1902 in Missouri and then he traveled throughout America and Europe. He lived for a time in the Harlem section of New York. He wrote many poems that had something to do with race. Hughes then died in New York in 1967. Langston Hughes accomplished many things over the years of his career. Hughes was an author of lots of books, plays, and children’s poetry. He was a leading voice of the Harlem Renaissance. His first novel which was called Not Without Laughter won a Harmon gold medal for literature. Hughes first book of poetry was called The Weary Blues, it was published in 1926. Many things influenced Langston Hughes’s writing. The history

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Hughes, hired a team of designers, craftsmen, engineers, and piolets who worked with him on “Hell’s Angles.” At the peak of the depression, these men were happy just to have a job, let alone an interesting one that allowed them to work for Hughes. Together the team help him build his plane “Hughes H-1 Racer” also known as “The Silver Bullet.” On September 13, 1935 Hughes set the world’s record for flying land planes, at 352 mile per hour.…

    • 283 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Langston Hughes (born in 1902) became one of the major representatives of the Harlem Renaissance. His priority was to capture the Negro essence and manifest it through his writings omitting racial stereotypes. His first volume of poetry was published in 1926 and it was sponsored by wealthy patrons. In the 1930s, Hughes got involved in politics, and joined the American Communist Party because of its intention to suppress race as the latent and deciding factor of social class. The most idiosyncratic feature that characterizes Hughes is, and as Johnson and Farrell point out, that he is “the first poet in…

    • 524 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Langston Hughes stands as a towering figure in the landscape of American literature, embodying the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance and leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of cultural and literary history. Born in the early 20th century, Hughes navigated the complexities of African American identity through his prolific output of poetry, plays, and essays. His work, deeply rooted in the African American experience, resonated with themes of racial pride, social injustice, and the universal quest for freedom. As a leading voice of the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes's literary genius not only captured the essence of his era but also laid the groundwork for future generations to explore the rich tapestry of American identity. Langston, born James…

    • 718 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In “To Negro Writers” Langston Hughes advised African American writers to expose the hardships and dilemmas which they faced daily. Hughes instructed writers to unveil the truth about the unfair treatments they were subject to. African Americans faced persecution in a variety of forms. Not only were African American citizens mistreated by groups such as religious organizations and the American Legion, African American soldiers were also disrespected simply for the color of their skin. Hughes told his readers that they must fight for themselves because no one else would fight for them. Hughes encouraged African American writers to establish a common ground with the working white class (who also faced struggles) so that they could unite in an…

    • 241 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Langston Hughes used the many experiences of his life and the world around him to mold himself into the writer…

    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. He published his first poem in 1921. He attended Columbia University, but left after one year to travel.Langston Hughes was an American poet, novelist, and playwright whose African-American themes made him a primary contributor to the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. His poetry was later promoted by Vachel Lindsay, and Hughes published his first book in 1926. He went on to write countless works of poetry, prose and plays, as well as a popular column for the Chicago Defender. He died on May 22, 1967. Before he died His parents, James Hughes and Carrie Langston, separated soon after his birth, and his father moved to Mexico. While Hughes’s mother moved around during his youth, Hughes was raised primarily by his maternal grandmother, Mary, until she died in his early teens.…

    • 2105 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Throughout his forty years he wrote sixteen books of poems, two novels, three collections of short stories, four volumes of "editorial" and "documentary" fiction, twenty plays, children's poetry, musicals and operas, three autobiographies, a dozen radio and television scripts, and dozens of magazine articles. In addition, he edited seven anthologies. Numerous scholars and African Americans from around the world have nickname Langston Hughes “Harlem’s Poet”, a very powerful title, knowing that several popular poets and writers have come from Harlem. Langston Hughes is also known as one of the most inspirational figures in African American History. He was a master at expressing his feelings and experiences through his writings and…

    • 1580 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Harlem Renaissance is known for many unique objectives, but one of the most important objectives that it was well known for is how many wonderful artists’ and writers came about during that time period. One of the most famous writers or what many consider a “prolific and versatile writer” (Beckman 65) was Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes was an American poet, novelist, and play writer whose African-American themes made him a primary contributor to the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s” (“Langston Hughes Bio.”). Hughes was born February 1, 1902, In Joplin Missouri and sadly died May 22, 1967. During his time he first started off writing about ordinary African Americans. He was said to be a “Major creative force in the Harlem Renaissance”…

    • 791 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The 1920’s where a thriving time for many individuals in America. It was a time when the city really came to life. It was an ear of rebirth, and it was known as the Harlem Renaissance. It was a time when people could really express their individuality through art, and Harlem, New York was a major contributor of these individuals. There was new theatre, new music, new literature, new up and coming artists. Among these up and coming individuals was a man named Langston Hughes. He was an aspiring young writer and had a large influence on African American culture and their past oppression throughout history since the civil war. His poetry spoke for thousands of African Americans who felt they didn’t have a voice, that they were cast away in the…

    • 350 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Essay on Langston Hughes

    • 2258 Words
    • 10 Pages

    The leader we chose to do possess both transformational and motivational/influential characteristics of a leader. This leader motivated and transformed many lives, encouraging many African Americans to engage in more literature, writing, and reading. Langston Hughes, or by birth, James Mercer Langston Hughes impacted many live during the Harlem Renaissance Era. He was an African American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry who is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance. He famously wrote about the period that "the Negro was in vogue" which later change into “when Harlem was in vogue.”…

    • 2258 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Harlem Renaissance is an artistic and literary movement that centers in Harlem, New York from the 1919 to the mid-1930s. During this period of time Harlem became the cultural center for African pride and heritage, bringing together African-American writers, artists, poets, musicians, and scholars throughout the nation.…

    • 907 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Langston Hughes was born in Joplin Missouri in the year 1902. Langston Hughes, mother and father soon divorced when he was still a young child. His father Mr. Hughes moved to Mexico because he thought that a man of color had more opportunity living in Mexico than in the United States. His Mother moved them around very frequently, not to long after his father left Langston Hughes went to go live with his maternal grandmother Mary Sampson Patterson. During a time in American History were African Americans had no rights or freedom of speech or even a right to vote, and growing up in many different cities and living with many relatives, Langston Hughes experienced poverty and hardships. Hughes, used poetry to speak to the people. Langston Hughes…

    • 1829 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    His first novel, Not Without Laughter, was published 1929. “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” was published in Crisis Magazine in 1920-1921. Hughes career spanned about forty-five years. He was influenced by Paul Laurence Dunbar, Carl Sandburg and Walt Whitman. During that time Hughes wrote two novels, sixteen books of poetry, three collections of short stories, four volumes of editorial and documentary fiction, twenty plays, twenty children’s poetry, Musicals and operas, three autobiographies, twelve radio and television scripts and twelve magazine…

    • 801 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Harlem Ren.

    • 1274 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Langston Hughes was an African American poet, essayist, novelist, playwright, and journalist. He was born Joplin, Missouri. His grandfather was a zealous abolitionist. His grandmother instilled in him great devotion for social justice. After his grandmother 's death, he lived a short time with his mother in Illinois and later with his father in Mexico. He enrolled in Columbia University in 1921, but dropped out and became a seaman and traveled to Africa and Europe. After returning to the United States, he worked in Washington, DC, then moved to Harlem. He was a great writer , but he was best known for his poems which express the anguish of unfulfilled…

    • 1274 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Black History Month

    • 293 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In honor of Black History Month, I’ve selected Langston Hughes as the figure I would write about, because through his poetry; Hughes displayed to America, the world through the eyes of African Americans living in Harlem, in the rough 1920s. The poet, lyricist, author, playwright, and social activist, was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin Missouri, to James Hughes and Carrie Langston. Unfortunately, the couple divorced shortly after his birth, leaving Hughes to be raised mainly by his grandmother. When she passed away, Hughes was sent to live with his mother. In search of better jobs, Hughes’ mother would often move, and the two moved to several cities before eventually settling in Cleveland, Ohio.…

    • 293 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays