Langston+Hughes

=﻿Langston Hughes= Langston Hughes, born James Langston Hughes(February 1, 1902, Joplin, Missouri) was an american jazz poet during the Harlem Renaissance. He is famous for his poetry, fiction, journalism, essays, plays, and song lyrics for black Americans that told about black culture. His works raised awareness about racial issues to Americans across the nation (Berry-5).

=﻿Early Life= Living in Joplin, Missouri, his parents, James and Carrie Hughes, struggled to find a job. His father left for Mexico in search of a job and to send money to his family, and his mother worked where she could, working as a waitress and a stenographer. Later his mom left Langston with his grandma in Lawrence, Kansas and moved from city to city in search of a better job. For 10 years, Langston lived with his grandma in the segregated Lawrence, Kansas. Although he went to an integrated school in Lawrence, he wasn't allowed to participate in the YMCA, the Boy Scouts, or any sports.His grandma helped him stay self-confident despite the segregation, as she was a free women and pushed for equality for all(Berry-7).

After his grandmother died, he went to live with his mom, and attended high school in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, who did not like the idea of writing for a living, paid Langston's tuition at Columbia University, only to study engineering(Jackson).

=﻿Later Years= Though he continued to write in college, he dropped out of Columbia to pursue his writing more intensively. Langston Hughes traveled abroad in Africa, Italy, France, Russia, and Spain in 1923. He returned to Harlem in 1924, during the Harlem Renaissance. He enjoyed sitting in clubs, listening to jazz or blues, and writing poetry. His writing was often published, enjoyed by many, and motivating for black Americans(Jackson).

His writing earned him a scholarship to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania where he earned his B.A. degree(Berry-15).

=Works= Langston Hughes wrote 16 books of poems, 2 novels, 3 short stories, 4 volumes of editorial and documentary fiction, 20 plays, children's poetry, musicals, operas, 3 autobiographies, television scripts, and magazine articles. His literary works exposed true racial relations and inspired many for a change(Berry-15).

=Death= May 22, 1967 Langston Hughes died of cancer in Harlem, New York(Jackson).

=﻿Awards and Honors= Throughtout Langston Hughes' life, he recieved: -//Opportunity// magazine literary contest, first prize in poetry- Amy Spingarn Contest, //Crisis// magazine- poetry and essay prizes, Witter Bynner undergraduate poetry prize contests- first prize, //Palms// magazine Intercollegiate Poetry Award, Harmon Gold Medal for Literature, Guggenheim fellowship for creative work, Rosenwald fellowship, Doctor of Literature- Lincoln University, Doctor of Literature- Howard University, Doctor of Literature- Western Reserve University, National Institute and American Academy of Arts and Letters grant, Anisfeld-Wolfe Award for best book on racial relations, Spingarn Medal (NAACP)(Berry-19)