Langston Hughes

Leonard Crowther

English 156

1 November 2005

On February 1st, 1902, arguably the greatest African-American poet of all time was

born. He spoke for an entire race, and his words had a huge impact on the treatment of

black people and the manner in which they were viewed. He gave hope to those who felt

the same way as he did. Although we look back on his work and study it, at the time it

was released it had a very real impact to many people. He was Langston Hughes.

I believe Langston Hughes's name should be considered amongst the greatest

poets of all time. He was not only a voice of the African-American man in a time of

oppression, but also an all-around great poet despite race or subject matter. Although he

was most famous for his racially motivated poetry, he also wrote children's poetry,

fiction, magazine articles, essays, operas, musicals, and plays. Langston Hughes was one

of the most studious, as well as flexible writers ever. ( Jackson )

Langston Hughes, a member of an abolitionist family and grandson of the first

African-American to be elected to public office, was born in Joplin, Missouri. He would

go on to become one of the most famous poets of all time and give hope to the black

community through his work. His words changed the world. It was obvious to Langston

he would be a writer. He dropped out of Columbia University against his father's wishes

where he had maintained a B+ average. He then put his ideas on paper and was

immediately praised. He was the voice of the black community in a time of segregation

and racism. He challenged society's definition of equality and brought attention to the

treatment of the black man in America. After a prolific writing career that lasted close to

forty years, Langston Hughes died of cancer on May 22, 1967. His residence at 20 East

127th Street in Harlem, New York has been given landmark status by the New York City

Preservation Commission. His block of East 127th Street was renamed "Langston

Hughes Place". ( Trussel )

Because of segregation, the impact of slavery, and racism, blacks were poorer and

less educated than whites were at the time. Langston Hughes was very smart and attended

college, but he realized his audience didn't have the opportunities he had. Because of this

reason, Langston Hughes wrote in a manner in which everybody could understand. He

used common but powerful words and still got his point across. In "Children's Rhymes"

he writes in the same style you would find in a children's book, but the poem is meant for

adults, and it is very deep. He writes," By what sends the white kids I ain't sent: I know I

can't be President." Using small common words, as well as slang, he is easy to relate to.

Short but meaningful, it embodies a feeling of struggle, inequality, and oppression.

( Deisman )

Langston Hughes could do it all. He was an extremely educated man who

changed his voice to make it able to be heard by an entire race, but sometimes Hughes

wrote for himself. He spoke his language and got very deep with some of his poetry.

Most of the time he was easy to understand and to the point, but in a certain poems, he

was anything but. In "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" he used more complicated and deeper

language. He writes, "I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young. I built my hut

near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep. I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids

above it. I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New

Orleans, and I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset." In more

complicated language he is saying he has seen a better future for blacks. In most cases he

would have just said it in simple words, but this poem was written for W. E. B. B.

Dubois. ( Gaster ) Dubois was one of the most famous African-American educators

and graduated from Harvard University. Because Dubois was such an educated man,

Hughes was able to exercise his talented writing skills when writing this poem for him.

( African American History of Western New York )

In "A Dream Deferred" Hughes proves he is a flexible and intelligent writer. He

writes of "A Dream Deferred" ( a dream in waiting ). His clever choice of words makes

the poem, using opposite reactions, rhythm, and rhyme. "Does it dry up like a raisin in

the sun? or fester like a sore-- and then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? or crust and

sugar