Langtson Hughes

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Langston Hughes fulfilled numerous roles during his lifetime, and provided priceless contributions to the development of a unique style of American literature during the Harlem Renaissance. He was a revolutionary poet, author, and playwright during the Civil Rights Era, and he included in his poetry elements of social commentary and political activism. Hughes’ impassioned prose was sprinkled with logical and emotional arguments against the injustice of racism that prevailed legally until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed (Latham). Hughes offered invaluable beneficence to both American literature as an author of the Harlem Renaissance, and to the progression of civil rights for African Americans. Hughes’ poetry was centralized on his aspirations of making copacetic interracial alliances a reality. Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri on the first day of February in the year 1902. His parents were separated when Hughes was very young; his father fled the country in order to escape the ever-present racism in the United States, according to Christine Hill, author of Langston Hughes, Poet of the Harlem Renaissance. He was raised by his maternal grandmother in Lawrence, Kansas into adolescence, who succeeded in instilling a sense of pride for his heritage in Hughes (Hill). Hughes’ ancestry greatly influenced his work, and inspired his social activism. Hughes’ great grandmothers were of African American descent, and his great grandfathers were white plantation owners in Kentucky. Hughes’ family tree is ridden with politically active members, many of which were related to abolition and expanding the rights of African-American people. His grandfather’s brother, John Mercer Langston, acted as the head of the Ohio Anti-Slavery ... ... middle of paper ... ... a recurring theme of the dream of equality. Hughes composed many poems and plays during the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Era, and his legacy continues to be evident throughout American culture. His words inspired many, and showcased the plight of African-Americans in that era. Hughes’ impact was memorable because he lead African-Americans into writing, much like other distinguished African-American authors of the Harlem Renaissance period. His voice was heard above most other authors of the 1920’s and 30’s, and he expressed his wishes for improved treatment of the black race and the eradication of segregation in the United States with lyrical, thought-provoking poetry and symbolic dramas. Hughes inspired many writers and social activists after him, and continues to be a prominent figure in the general and literary achievements in African-American history.

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