Life and Work of Langston Hughes Essay - 1980 Words

Life and Work of Langston Hughes Early Years James Mercer Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri, on February 1, 1902, to James Nathaniel Hughes, a lawyer and businessman, and Carrie Mercer (Langston) Hughes, a teacher. The couple separated shortly thereafter. James Hughes was, by his son’s account, a cold man who hated blacks (and hated himself for being one), feeling that most of them deserved their ill fortune because of what he considered their ignorance and laziness. Langston’s youthful visits to him there, although sometimes for extended periods, were strained and painful. He attended Columbia University in 1921-22, and when he died he, left everything to three elderly women who had cared for him in his last illness,†¦show more content†¦For a time, he worked as an assistant to the distinguished black historian Dr. Carter A. Woodson, but he found the tedious research tasks disagreeable, and he was angered and offended by the harsh, avert segregation of life in the nation’s capital. He a lso began to make the acquaintance of writers and intellectuals associated with the Harlem Renaissance, the extraordinary flourishing of black arts and culture in the 1920’s. He won prizes in poetry contests sponsored by the black journals Opportunity and The Crisis, and also had poems accepted by Vanity, a leading mainstream journal of the arts. In May 1925, Opportunity held a dinner for its award winners, where Hughes was sought out by Carl Van Vechten, whom he had met the previous year. He was a photographer who had interested himself in the Harlem Renaissance, asked recommend to his own publisher. Less than three weeks later, The Weary Blues was accepted for publication by the prestigious New York firm of Alfred A. Knopf. While waiting for the book’s publication, Hughes was working as a busboy at Washington’s Ward man Park Hotel, where, while serving the poet Vachel Lindsay and his wife at dinner, he left several of his own poems on the table. Lindsay read t hem that evening to a large audience at his poetry reading, and the story of his â€Å"discovery† (he was unaware that Hughes had already published widely in magazines and had a book in press, although he accepted the discovery of theseShow MoreRelated The Life and Works of Langston Hughes Essay1971 Words   |  8 Pages The Life and Works of Langston Hughes nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å" In a deep song voice with a melancholy tone, I heard that Negro sing, that old piano moan – Ain’t got nobody all in this world, Ain’t got nobody but ma self. I’s gwine to quit ma frownin’ and put ma troubles on the shelf.† The above excerpt is from Langston Hughes prize winning poem, â€Å"The Weary Blues.† Hughes, considered to be one of the world’s outstanding authors of the twentieth century (Ruley 148), is a prolific poet, novelistRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Langston Hughes s The Road 1402 Words   |  6 Pagesin the literature work On the Road by Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes offers a gift in this work which is to open the heart and life will provide unlimited abundance. During this literary analysis Langston Hughes uses nature to demonstrate his main character s unwillingness to participate in life. Another point that Hughes demonstrates is the use of anger and survival and how it can be used as a powerful force in breaking down racial barriers. One more impact Langston Hughes uses is Jesus ChristRead MoreReoccurring Themes in the Work of Langston Hughes Essay1649 Words   |  7 PagesLangston Hughes is an extremely successful and well known black writer who emerged from the Harlem Renaissance (â€Å"Langston Hughes† 792). He is recognized for his poetry and like many other writers from the Harlem Renaissance, lived most of his life outside of Harlem (â€Å"Langston Hughes† 792). His personal experiences and opinions inspire his writing intricately. Unlike other writers of his time, Hughes expresses his discontent with black oppression and focuses on the hardships of his people. Hughes’Read MoreA Prize For Poetry, International Ibsen Award You Named. Langston Hughes1058 Words   |  5 Pagesyou named. Langston Hughes is a great poet, his poems are truly inspirational, persuasive. It s almost like he was talking directly to the reader. To b egin with, have you ever wondered what impact Langston Hughes poems had on people lives. Well if so then you on the right place. James Mercer Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. His parents were Caroline Mercer Langston and James Nathaniel Hughes. Langston parents divorced when he was a kid, Langston was raisedRead MoreRacial Prejudice By Langston Hughes990 Words   |  4 PagesRacial tensions were even more prevalent in the twentieth century. Langston Hughes was a poet who really tried to bring attention to the growing racial tensions until his death in the late 60s. Throughout his life, Hughes was influenced by the time he grew up in and by his own family; he wrote to free the black culture and literature from racial pride. Hughes was born February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri to Carrie and James Nathaniel Hughes. His father wanted to become a lawyer, but the Oklahoma bar examinationRead MoreEssay on Langston Hughes a Harlem Renaissance Man1463 Words   |  6 Pagesartists such as Langston Hughes. James Mercer Langston Hughes was an African American poet, journalist, playwright, and novelist whose works were incredibly well known. It was during the peak of the Harlem Renaissance in which Langston Hughes produced poetry which was not just musically and artistically sound, but also captured the essence of the blues. Thus giving life to a new version of poetry that illustrated the African American struggle between society and oneself. Langston Hughes was one of theRead MoreAnalysis of on the Road by Langston Hughes Essay1401 Words   |  6 Pagesfound in the literature work On the Road by Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes offers a gift in this work which is to open the heart and life will provide unlimite d abundance. During this literary analysis Langston Hughes uses nature to demonstrate his main characters unwillingness to participate in life. Another point that Hughes demonstrates is the use of anger and survival and how it can be used as a powerful force in breaking down racial barriers. One more impact Langston Hughes uses is Jesus ChristRead MoreEssay on The Poetry of Langston Hughes During the Harlem Renaissance1694 Words   |  7 Pagesrented to African Americans. A migration from the South and West Indies had allowed Harlem to become the cultural center of urban black America. People migrated in record numbers, but just as the cultural aspects of Harlem prospered other walks of life in Harlem suffered dramatically due to the ever increasing population. Having developed a distinctive culture, Harlem was the epicenter for black writers, artists and intellectuals during the 1920s. The Harlem Renaissance was centered on activitiesRead MoreLangston Hughes, An American Poet E ssay1583 Words   |  7 PagesJames Mercer Langston Hughes was one of the most influential African-American writers during the Harlem Renaissance. He was born on February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri to James and Carrie Mercer Hughes. Hughes parents divorced shortly after his birth and his father moved to Mexico. Hughes went to live with his grandmother, Mary Patterson Langston in Kansas while his mother travelled back and forth with jobs. After his grandmother died he went to live with friends of the family, James and Mary ReedRead MoreRacism and Langston Hughes658 Words   |  3 PagesLangston Hughes was a great African American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist (â€Å"The Biography of Langston Hughes†). As a child, he grew up in the times of racial inequality. As a result, his poems often shared the recurring theme of hope, breaking free from racial inequality, and to strive for a better future. This theme was very evident in the poems â€Å"Drea ms† and â€Å"I Dream a World†, by Langston Hughes. This common theme is a result of the era Hughes grew up in. James Langston