Langston Hughes

Poet, novelist, and activist central to the Harlem Renaissance.

Chronology: 1901-02-01 – 1967-05-22

Origins & Early Life

James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. An early innovator of jazz poetry, Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. Growing up in the Midwest, Hughes became a prolific writer at an early age. He moved to New York City as a young man, where he made his career.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He studied at Columbia University in New York City. Although he dropped out, he gained notice from New York publishers, first in The Crisis magazine and then from book publishers, subsequently becoming known in the Harlem creative community. His first poetry collection, The Weary Blues, was published in 1926. Hughes eventually graduated from Lincoln University. In addition to poetry, Hughes wrote plays and published short story collections, novels, and several nonfiction works.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

From 1942 to 1962, as the civil rights movement gained traction, Hughes wrote an in-depth weekly opinion column in a leading black newspaper, The Chicago Defender. == Ancestry and childhood == Like many African Americans, Hughes was of mixed ancestry. Both of his paternal great-grandmothers were enslaved Africans, and...

Source: Wikipedia