LangstonHughes
JamesLangstonHugheswasborninJoplin,MissourionFebruary1,1902.Hewasraisedbyhisgrandmotherbecausehisparentsgotdivorcedandmovedtodifferentplaces.Hewasraisedbyhisgrandmotheruntilhewastwelveyearsold.AfterthathemovedtoLincoln,Illinoistolivewithhismotherandherhusband.ThentheyfinallysettledinCleveland,Ohio.Langstonbeganwritingpoetryduringhishighschoolyears.AftergraduationhemovedtoMexicowithhisfatherfora
year.AfterthatyearhespentayearatColumbiaUniversity.Duringtheseyearsheheldoddjobsasanassistantcook,launderer,a
busboy,andtravelledtoAfricaandEuropeworkingasa
seaman.InNovemberof1924,LangstonHughesmovedtoHarlem,NewYork.Lanston'sfirstpoetrybook,TheWearyBlues,waspublishedin1926byAlfredA.Knopf.ThreeyearslaterhefinishedhiscollegeeducationatLincolnUniversityinPennsylvania.In1930NothWithoutLaughter,hisfirstnovel,wontheHarmongoldmedalforliteratureandHughesdecidedtopursuea
careerinwriting.HughesclaimedPaullawrenceDunbar,Carl
Sandburg,andWaltWhitmanashisprimaryinfluences,isparticularlyknownforhisinsightful,colorfulportrayalsofblacklifeinAmericafromthe1920sthroughthe1960s.Hewroteshortstories,plays,novels,aswellaspoetry.Heisalsoknownforhisengagmentwiththeworldofjazzandinfluenceithadonhiswriting.HislifewasimportantinshapingtheartisticcontributionsoftheHarlemRenaissanceofthe1920s.UnlikeothernotableblackpoetsoftheperiodHughesrefusedtodifferentiatebetweenhisexperienceandthecommonexperienceofblackAmericans.Hewatnedtotellstoriesofblackpeoplewithoutpersonalizingthemsotheredaercouldstepinandmakeisownconclusions.HughesdiedonMay22,1967inNewYork,NYbecauseofcongestiveheartfailure.
Inhismemory,hisresidenceat20East127thStreetinHarlem,NewYorkhasbeengivenlandmarkstatusbytheNewYorkCityPreservationCommission,andhisblockofEast127thStreetwasrenamed"LangstonHughes
Place".
Picturefrom
The
Academy Of American Poets
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