langston hughes life
If that water hadn t a been so cold i might ve sunk and died. He attended central high school in cleveland ohio where he began writing poetry in the eighth grade. A poet novelist fiction writer and playwright langston hughes is known for his insightful colorful portrayals of black life in america from the twenties through the sixties and was important in shaping the artistic contributions of the harlem renaissance.
Born in joplin missouri james langston hughes was the great great grandson of charles henry langston brother of john mercer langston the first black american to be elected to public office.
Langston hughes life. He returned to his beloved harlem later that year. James mercer langston hughes february 1 1901 may 22 1967 was an american poet social activist novelist playwright and columnist from joplin missouri one of the earliest innovators of the literary art form called jazz poetry hughes is best known as a leader of the harlem renaissance he famously wrote about the period that the negro was in vogue which was later paraphrased as. Share with your friends. He sought to honestly portray the joys and hardships of working class black lives avoiding both sentimental.
His parents james hughes and carrie langston separated soon after his birth and his father moved to. Langston hughes received a scholarship to lincoln university in pennsylvania where he received his b a. Langston hughes was a central figure in the harlem renaissance the flowering of black intellectual literary and artistic life that took place in the 1920s in a number of american cities particularly harlem a major poet hughes also wrote novels short stories essays and plays. Learn more about hughes s life and work.
Woodson editor of the journal of negro life and history and founder of black history week in 1926. I came up once and hollered. I tried to think but couldn t so i jumped in and sank. I went down to the river i set down on the bank.
Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly. But it was cold in that water. Langston hughes american writer who was an important figure in the harlem renaissance and who vividly depicted the african american experience through his writings which ranged from poetry and plays to novels and newspaper columns. Langston hughes was one of the most important writers and thinkers of the harlem renaissance which was the african american artistic movement in the 1920s that celebrated black life and culture.
Hughes s creative genius was influenced by his life in new york city s harlem a primarily african american neighborhood. I came up twice and cried. James mercer langston hughes was born on february 1 1902 in joplin missouri.
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