Langston Hughes
American poet of 20's
Langston Hughes Successes
Langston Hughes was an American poet and activist. He Invented a new art called " Jazz Poetry. He may be best known for his leadership in the Harlem Renaissance and his writing of "When Harlem Went Vogue". In 1960 the NAACP awarded Hughes the Spingarn Medal. In 1971 Langston Hughes had a Middle school named after him in Reston, VA. Most recently in 2002, the Langston Hughes stamp was made.
Life story
Langston Hughes spent most of his childhood in mid western towns as his mother looked for a job. His father left him when he was born, hoping to escape racism. When his mother was gone he spent time with his grandmother. After his grandmothers death, Hughes went to live with a family friends until he went with his Mother to Clevelend. There is where he went to grammar school. After winning class poet he started getting publishers and his signature poem became " A Negro Speaks of Rivers". He was diagnosed with cancer, he had surgery who's complications went on to kill Hughes in 1967.
Poems by Langston Hughes
Poem
A Negro Speaks of Rivers
I've known rivers: I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins. My soul has grown deep like the rivers. 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. I've known rivers: Ancient, dusky rivers. My soul has grown deep like the rivers - See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15722#sthash.OOW3c7bt.dpufMini Bio: Langston Hughes