Langston Hughes
From Harlem Renaissance
Contents |
Childhood
Langston Hughes moved around most of his childhood life. He never staid in one place for very long. He was born on February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. His parents divorced when he was a small child. Hughes's father left America to go to Mexico shortly after that happened. Langston and his mother then moved to Topeka, Kansas, where his mother petitioned the school board to let Langston go to an all white school. While most of his teachers and many students befriended him one of his teachers made racist comments to him. After a few years in Topeka Langston moved in with his grandmother in first grade, Hughes lived with his grandmother until she died when he was thirteen. He went to live with his aunt and uncle for two years, after that he packed his belongings again and went to live with his mother and new stepfather (Homer Clark). While living with his mother and step father in Lincoln Illinois he wrote his first poem in eighth grade, he was named class poet. In his senior year of high school his father took him to live in Mexico, where he spent the summer. Langston Hughes hadn't seen his father since he was five. On the way to Mexico his father made many bad comments about African Americans. “My father hated Negroes. I think he hated himself to, for being a Negro." Langston wrote. Hughes said this about his summer with his father, "That summer in Mexico was the most miserable I have ever known," - Samantha & Lee
Education
Langston went to high school at Central high school in Cleveland, where he was named class poet and yearbook editor. Hughes had his first poetry published in the central high school and soon got on the staff of the paper and published regularly. Langston Hughes spent a year teaching in Mexico, and then entered the Columbia University in New York in September, 1921, however he only staid at the university for a year. - Lee & Samantha
Careers
Before Hughes became famous he had some odd jobs such as an assistant cook, a launderer, a busboy, and he traveled to Africa and Europe working as a seaman. Langston wrote poetry in high school and throughout all of his jobs. He got his first chance as a publishing author while he was working as a busboy. Before he became famous and when he was older he also worked as a journalist, dramatist, and children's author. - Samantha
Writing style
Langston Hughes writing style drew on many different things. He used dialect and jazz rhythms and mood, and he experimented with both form and style. He used informal language in order to show African American culture. Langston Hughes had wry irony and gentle humor; this helped to cover up the importance and of what he wrote about. -Lee
Quotes
- "An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose."
- "Beauty for some provides escape, who gain a happiness in eyeing the gorgeous buttocks of the ape or autumn sunsets exquisitely dying.”
- Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.”
- Hold fast to dreams, for when dreams go, life is a barren field, frozen with snow."
- "Humor is laughing at what you haven't got when you ought to have it."
- "I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go.”
- I swear to the Lord, I still can't see, Why Democracy means, everybody but me."
- "I will not take "but" for an answer." "It's such a Bore[1] being always poor."
- "Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby."
- "Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air and you."
- "Negroes - Sweet and docile, Meek, humble, and kind: Beware the day - They change their mind."
- "We Negro writers, just by being black, have been on the blacklist all our lives. Censorship [2] *for us begins at the color line.“
- “What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or does it explode?"
- "When peoples care for you and cry for you, they can straighten out your soul."
- Samantha & Lee
Poems
Dream Variations
To fling my arms wide In some place of the sun, To whirl and to dance Till the white day is done. Then rest at cool evening Beneath a tall tree While night comes on gently, Dark like me- That is my dream!
To fling my arms wide In the face of the sun, Dance! Whirl! Whirl! Till the quick day is done. Rest at pale evening... A tall, slim tree... Night coming tenderly Black like me. - Lee
Other Information
Hughes left Columbia University a year after he joined because he was lonely and unhappy. Langston Hughes was part African American and part French European. Claude McKay was for Hughes and he inspired. Aaron Douglas was one of his best friends. In 1930 his first novel "not without Laughter", won the Harmon gold metal for literature. Hughes died on May 22, 1976. - Samantha
The reading of Negro speaks of rivers
Bibliography
http://members.aol.com/olatou/hughes.htm
http://www.kansasheritage.org/crossingboundries/page6e1.html
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/83
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/83
http://www.redhotjazz.com/hughes.html
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/l/langston_hughes.html
[3] Hart Beckam, Wendy. Artist and Writers of Harlem Renaissance. Enslow Publishers, Inc. Berkly Hieghts New Jersey. 2002. pg.65-74.
"Hughes, (James) Langston (1902-1967)." DISCovering Authors. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. San Francisco Public Library. 4 Mar. 2008
Schwarz, A.B Christa. Gay voices of the Harlem Renaissance. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University press, 2003.
