Who Is Langston Hughes?

Langston Hughes was someone who never gave up on his dream. He was an African-American born in Missouri in 1902. He received his education at Columbia University and later went on to go to Lincoln University. Although he is most well known for being a poet, he held a variety of other jobs ranging from a busboy to a columnist in his early years. In the 1920s America entered the Harlem Renaissance, a time of appreciation for black heritage. It was at this point in history that he became an important writer. The reason he was so important to this time in history is because his writing, “offers a transcription of urban life through a portrayals of the speech habits attitudes and feelings of an oppressed people. The poems do more, however, than

James Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri on February 1, 1902. Hughes began writing poetry when he lived in Lincoln, Illinois. The Weary Blues was his first book of poetry and it was published in 1926. Hughes attended Columbia University and Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, which is where he finished his college education. Hughes first novel won the Harmon gold medal for literature in 1930. His novel was called, Not Without Laughter. Hughes died from prostate cancer in New York on May 22, 1967.

James Mercer Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri, on February 1, 1902, to James Nathaniel Hughes, a lawyer and businessman, and Carrie Mercer (Langston) Hughes, a teacher. The couple separated shortly thereafter. James Hughes was, by his son’s account, a cold man who hated blacks (and hated himself for being one), feeling that most of them deserved their ill fortune because of what he considered their ignorance and laziness. Langston’s youthful visits to him there, although sometimes for extended periods, were strained and painful. He attended Columbia University in 1921-22, and when he died he, left everything to three elderly women who had cared for him in his last illness,

Despite the childhood and early life that Langston Hughes faced, he became one of the world’s greatest authors, poets, activists, and Harlem Renaissance leaders. His works reached such a prestige as to give him awards from institutions such as the NAACP for African American Achievements and a doctorate from Howard university. Facing oppression and problems as an early child, Langston Hughes was born into world that was unlikely to set him on the bright path he created for his life. He began his life on a unique path as he was multi racial being composed of African American, Native American, and French. Born in 1902 in Joplin, Missouri, Hughes had a rare ethic background living in a time where races were largely composed of one color.

In late 1924, following travel abroad, Hughes returned to the United States with little money. He joined his mother and younger brother at the home of relatives in the premier black residential area of Washington, LeDroit Park. They stayed in the 1900 block of 3rd Street, NW and later moved to an apartment, located at 1749 S Street. There was another reason for Hughes' presence in Washington. Though he would earn a degree from Lincoln University (PA) in 1929, he really wanted to attend Howard University. Saving enough money for tuition became his goal.

She moved Langston around often as a child in search for better work after her and Mr. Hughes divorced early in Langston’s childhood. James Nathaniel Hughes abandoned his family when Langston was very young. James Nathaniel Hughes was in search of leaving the United States in order to outrun the racism and civil rights issues occurring during the time period. Hughes’ father moved to Cuba at first, and then finally settled in Mexico City, Mexico. Hughes’ mother decided to move to Mexico City to reunite their family, but when they had arrived an earthquake had scared Hughes’ mother in wanting to move back to Kansas. Soon after being back in Kansas, Hughes’ mother decided to place Langston in the care of her mother. Langston then lived with his grandmother for a period of time. Langston’s grandmother, Mary, had a huge impact on Langston while he was growing up. Langston had resided with his grandmother for most of his childhood, and into his early teenage years. Langston wrote in his memoir that he remembered often sitting on his grandmother’s lap as a child and would listen to her tell him stories that would later be the fuel to his powerful vision over African Americans. Mary often told him stories of slaves who struggled for their freedom, and of abolitionists. These stories gave young Langston the vision for African Americans to be free and gave him a good outlook for his people that would become evident in his writings. Mary

James Mercer Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. James Hughes and Carrie Langston are Hughes’ parents. They later divorced when Hughes was young. After his parents divorced he went to live with his grandmother until he turned thirteen years old. At thirteen years old he moved to Lincoln, Illinois. After living in Illinois he later moved to Cleveland, Ohio to live with his mother. When he moved to Cleveland he started writing poetry (“James Mercer…” par. 2). Langston had many influential poets that he looked up too such as Carl Sandburg and Walt Whitman (“James Mercer…”par. 2). Langston Hughes, a gifted African-American poet, whose poetry was driven by blues, jazz, and other prominent ideas of the

(book)Langston Hughes was born on February 1st, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. His father James studied hard to become a lawyer, but black men couldn’t become lawyers during this time. So he moved to Mexico and became successful. James asked Langston and Carrie to live with him in Mexico, but there was an earthquake that night. So Carrie said she would go back to Kansas and never return here. Langston would have to visit his father throughout his High school and College life. (book)

“James Mercer Langston Hughes, known as Langston Hughes was born February 2, 1902 in Missouri, to Carrie Hughes and James Hughes.” Years later his parents separated. Langston’s father moved to Mexico and became very successful, as his for mother, she moved frequently to find better jobs. As a child growing up Langston spent most of his childhood living with his grandmother named Mary Langston in Lawrence, Kansas. Mary Langston was a learned women and a participant in the civil rights Movement. When Langston Hughes was 12 years old his grandmother passed away. Langston then moved in with his mother and stepfather Homer Clark. A few months later, Langston’s mother sent him to live with her mother’s friend “Auntie” and Mr. Reed. In 1915

Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri and was the second son of James Nathaniel Hughes and Carrie Mercer Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes was the only child of his parent’s marriage, since two years before he was born his older sibling had died as an infant. His parent’s marriage was controversial for the time period since his mother was born to a politically powerful and educated African American family at

Langston Hughes, in full James Mercer Langston Hughes, was born February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. His mother, Carrie Langston was a school teacher

The well known poet Langston Hughes was an inspiring character during the Harlem Renaissance to provide a push for the black communities to fight for the rights they deserved. Hughes wrote his poetry to deliver important messages and provide support to the movements. When he was at a young age a teacher introduced him to poets Carl Sandburg and Walt Whitman, and they inspired him to start his own. Being a “darker brother,” as he called blacks, he experienced and wanted his rights, and that inspired him. Although literary critics felt that Langston Hughes portrayed an unattractive view of black life, the poems demonstrate reality. Hughes used the Blues and Jazz to add effect to his work as well as his extravagant word use and literary

Langston Hughes’ life impacted his work. He was a poet, playwright, and novelist. He was from Joplin, Missouri. Hughes was born on February 1st in 1902(www.biography.com). Both of Langston’s parents were slaves (www.biography.com). His mom, Carrie Langston Hughes, was a teacher. Hughes’ dad was James Hughes, an aspiring lawyer. His dad left his family, divorced his wife, and moved to Mexico. Langston Hughes then moved with his grandmother, who raised him. He lived with her until he was around 13 years old(www.biography.com). When she died, he moved back with his mom and her new husband. They eventually settled in Cleveland, Ohio.

Langston Hughes’s life contained key influences on his work. As a child, Hughes witnessed a divorce between his parents and the subsequent death of his grandmother, his primary caretaker at the time. Hughes’s childhood was also marked by the constant transition of moving from city to

First, in order to better understand Hughes and his works, it’s important to familiarize oneself with his childhood and early influences. Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri during the Jim Crow era. Hughes began writing poetry at just age thirteen thanks to racial stereotyping, however, it wouldn’t be until after dropping out of Columbia University and traveling the world working odd jobs would he have the time and incentive to write and