A Brief Look At Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes is one of the most well known American writers of poems, screenplays, articles, children’s books, and songs. He was inspired to write by his mother, Caroline Mercer Langston, who dabbled in the art of poetry throughout her life. Artistic interests and inclinations were known as a heritage to him, and it is no surprise that he proved those traits to the world through his famous writings full of jazz rhythms and blues structures throughout the Harlem Renaissance. His usage of music in writings allowed the writer to become a large innovator in the movement of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes’ writings that portrayed the life of an African American and everyday issues spoke to readers in a unique tone that included musical patterns
Langston was able to learn the importance of hard work and determination early in life from his family. Hughes’ father left their family home in Joplin at an early stage in his life, and because of this he was introduced into the presence of poverty and discrimination at an early age. As a child, he traveled between 7 different cities before the age of 12 - between his mother and grandmother (“From” 4). Before going to live with his grandmother, Langston was admitted into a white elementary school that his mother Caroline had worked at as a stenographer; quickly learning that he was not the same as all of the other children. He claimed that few White students and teachers stood up for him, and said “I learned early not to hate all White people”. Hughes published his first poem in 1921, while receiving a Bachelor in Arts at Lincoln University in 1929 (Bloom 1934). Soon after, his writings were being promoted by Vachel Lindsay, a well favored American poet. This allowed his work to be introduced into a wider audience. Hughes was opened into the world of professional writing throughout the 1920’s, and is now one of the most well known artists of the Harlem
I have never been able to do anything with freedom, except in the field of my writing.” Langston Hughes explores the universal theme of jazz rhythms and blues structures throughout the development of his literary works of the 1920’s in the hub of the African American Renaissance in Harlem. In each of his poems, it is evident that Hughes took great pride and confidence in his race and the struggles that his people faced during World War II. The author was also very interested in his heritage, as he visited Africa shortly after dropping out of the University of Columbia to learn more about where he came from. However, he returned back to America as the people of Africa did not believe he was Black and instead called him a “White Man” (Talshir 2). Each Black citizen of America faced racial discrimination - which was the driving force and mission in the era of the Harlem Renaissance. Black artists and supporters, such as Countee Cullen and Claude McKay, aimed to change the race propaganda and pure art forms through the usage of writing, music, and other entertainment creations. Hughes was one of the most well known writers in the Renaissance, while helping to change the “negro” society that was blanketing all of America. He wrote jingles that incorporated musical tones and swing structures to sell for war bonds in hopes of encouraging the government to provide their own citizens with the rights they were fighting for in Europe. Langston