Langston Hughes: African-American Poet And Poet

Langston Hughes was an African-American poet, author, and playwright and his theme to his works made him and contributor to the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s. He was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. He attended Columbia University, but only stayed there one year and left to travel. He published his first poem in 1921 and his first book in 1926. His poetry and books were promoted by Vachel Lindsay. Langston Hughes died on May 22, 1967, but his legacy still lives on through his poems and books.

Langston Hughes’s full name is James Mercer Langston Hughes. He was born on February 1,1902 in Joplin Missouri. After his birth his parents, James Hughes and Carrie Langston, split apart. His dad moved to Mexico and him and his mother moved around to a lot as he was a child. He was primarily

This novel was so successful that he wanted to make a living out of writing. Then he started to travel and give lectures. He traveled around the U.S. and abroad. He traveled to the Soviet Union, Japan, and Haiti. In 1937 he served as a war corresponded for a few American Newspapers during the Spanish civil War.

Later in 1940, Hughes published an autobiography called The Big Sea. He also started to write in the Chicago Defender colum. He created a character called Jesse B. Semple or mostly know as “Simple.” They were very successful and “Simple” would appear in Hughes later books and plays. Then in the late 1940s Hughes helped write the lyrics for a musical titled Street Scene. The musical made him so much mine that he bought a home in Harlem. Also he started to teach creative writing at Atlanta University.

Langston Hughes died on May 22, 1967. His legacy has gone on after he died. His house in Harlem became a landmark status in 1981. Hughes books and poems are still being published and translated into different languages around the world