Langston+Hughes

As many people are aware, Langston Hughes strongly believed in African American rights. This greatly reflected on his writing, and poetry. It was a constant theme in all of his writing. **Also, his struggles with his father growing up influenced his writing as well.** Some of his greatest writings were very “dark” and intense. Langston had a strong passion for jazz. He did a lot of “**jazz poetry**” because he felt there was a rhythm in writing and poetry. Growing up without a father, left him to fend for himself, and learn from his mistakes. One of Hughes’s greatest poems, “A Dream Deferred” was adapted into the Broadway show, “A Raisin in the Sun.” This was a big recognition for Hughes, and all of his great work. Throughout his life, **Langston Hughes was trying to do the right thing.** He just wanted fairness for all African Americans, and no racism. His writing inspired many other writers to do what he preached. Langston Hughes traveled around the world, trying to bring peace and wellness to others. His writing is remarkable. **Langston Hughes; the legend.**
 * James Mercier Langston Hughes**, also known as Langston Hughes, was one of the greatest poets, novelists, playwright, and short story author of his time. He had a rough childhood, but overcame it all and grew into a fantastic writer.
 * Langston was born on February 1st, 1902 in Joplin Missouri.** Both of his parents were mixed-race. His mother remarried other men, but his father divorced her, and went to Mexico to work. After the separation of his parents, Langston’s grandmother raised him and his sibling throughout most of their childhood. Langston attended high school in Cleveland Ohio, and later went on to grammar school in Lincoln Illinois. There, he was elected class poet by his fellow students. **Langston went through his young life feeling stereotyped, and victimized.** This influenced his writing a lot as he grew. After grammar school, Langston went to Mexico to visit his father, of whom he hadn’t seen in years. He had a very bad relationship with his father, causing him to become depressed and angry often. Langston even considered suicide at times. After leaving Mexico, he went on to Columbia for more education, but left there as well, because of the racial prejudice. He later did a lot of traveling in Europe. When he returned home to the states, he lived with his mother in Washington. He worked many jobs, but was always writing poetry for inspiration. Some biographers believe Hughes was a homosexual, because of evidence in some of his writing. To this day, that fact is unknown. **On May 22nd 1967, Langston Hughes died of prostate cancer.**
 * Langston Hughes is best known for his poetry, and novels.** In 1921, he published The Crisis, which included a lot of his own poetry. **He wrote a lot about African Americans, and how they are deeply misunderstood.** He took racism very seriously, and explained that in his writing. In 1930, he published his first novel Not Without Laughter. This novel won the Harmon Gold Metal for literature. This story was about a man growing up, and dealing with racism and his struggles with society. In 1941, Hughes did his first co-write for a screen play “Way Down South.” This was a series of vignettes including humor about whites and blacks. He then went on to write many more novels, screenplays and poems. He even wrote two autobiographies. Langston Hughes was honored by many awards and metals. One of his greatest recognitions was in 2002; scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed him on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans. Hughes was also very involved in politics. He did all he could to help the black community reach fairness. In 1932, he became part of a group that went to the Soviet Union.