Langston Hughes
February 1, 1902–May 22, 1967
Poet laureate of the Harlem Renaissance who gave voice to the dreams, struggles, and joys of Black America through jazz-inspired poetry.
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Who Was Langston Hughes?
Poet laureate of the Harlem Renaissance who gave voice to the dreams, struggles, and joys of Black America through jazz-inspired poetry.
Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. His parents separated when he was young. Raised largely by his grandmother Mary Patterson Langston in Lawrence, Kansas, he grew up hearing stories of abolitionists and freedom fighters. His grandmother's first husband, Lewis Sheridan Leary, had died at John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859.
Hughes wrote his famous poem 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers' at age 17, on a train crossing the Mississippi. He became a key figure of the Harlem Renaissance. His first collection, 'The Weary Blues' (1926), established him as a major literary voice. He blended jazz and blues rhythms into his poetry. His 1951 poem 'Harlem' ('What happens to a dream deferred?') became one of the most quoted poems in American literature.
"I, too, sing America."- Langston Hughes, 'I, Too,' 1926
Hughes published 16 poetry collections, 2 novels, numerous short stories, plays, and essays. He lived at 20 East 127th Street in Harlem, now a New York City landmark. He died on May 22, 1967, at age 65.
Key Events in Langston Hughes's Life
Did You Know?
Hughes wrote 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers' on a train when he was 17.
His grandmother's first husband died at Harpers Ferry.
He blended jazz and blues rhythms into his poetry.
His poem 'Harlem' inspired 'A Raisin in the Sun.'
He lived in the same Harlem apartment for 20 years.
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Langston Hughes Complete Teaching Bundle
Lesson Plan
8-page comprehensive lesson plan with learning objectives, activities, and assessment. Differentiation included.
Student Workbook
12-section interactive workbook with reading passages, activities, quizzes, and a completion certificate.
Flashcard Set
40 cards across 6 categories: vocabulary, key facts, events, quotes, fun facts, and review challenges.
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