James Mercer Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. One of the earliest innovators of the literary art form called jazz poetry, Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes attended Lincoln University from 1926 – 1929. Source: Lincoln University / Getty
The man. The poet. The legend.
Embodying all three of the above titles, Langston Hughes was known as a key figure in both literary and artistic spaces during the Harlem Renaissance era. During the 1920s and 1930s, Hughes became a prominent and well-known voice throughout the city. Celebrated for his jazz-like poetry that zoomed in on the black experience throughout America, his work was relatable and revolutionary. His influence and love for jazz music shined through his work, creating a prose-filled infusion of jazz and blues that distinguished him from other rising poets of that time. Frequent visits to nightclubs and bars created a space for Hughes to harbor strong relationships with musicians like Ma Rainey and Charles Mingus who further inspired his popular poetry.
Leaving his mark on not only the world of literature but also the lives of African Americans past and present, Langston Hughes is a literary genius who paved the way for many poets and musicians to follow.
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In honor of the Renaissance man’s birthday (February 1), here’s seven powerful lines from Langston Hughes and his highly renowned poetry:
1. Poem: Mother to Son (1922)
Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
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