Langston Hughes: A Voice of the Harlem Renaissance

Early Life and Influences of Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes, an iconic figure of the Harlem Renaissance, was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. His early life was shaped by his parents' separation, which led him to live with his maternal grandmother, Mary Patterson Langston, in Lawrence, Kansas. She was a strong influence on young Hughes, teaching him about racial pride and the abolitionist movement in which his grandfather had been active. After her death, Hughes lived with his mother and her new husband in several cities before settling in Cleveland, Ohio. It was at Cleveland's Central High School where Hughes began to write poetry, influenced by the works of Carl Sandburg and Walt Whitman, and he started to develop his unique literary voice.

Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance

Hughes graduated from high school in 1920 and spent the following year in Mexico with his estranged father. He then enrolled at Columbia University in 1921, but left after only one year due to racial prejudice and his growing interest in the Harlem arts scene. Immersing himself in the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes's poetry reflected the joys and hardships of African-American life. His poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," published in The Crisis in 1921, was widely acclaimed and marked his emergence as a prominent voice in the movement. Hughes's work celebrated African-American culture and sought to capture the experiences of the working class, a theme that would pervade his extensive body of work.

Hughes's Early Writing Career and Education

After leaving Columbia, Hughes embarked on a period of travel and work that took him to Africa, Europe, and Asia. In 1924, he lived briefly in Paris, where he continued writing and was exposed to the international black community. Returning to the United States, Hughes worked various jobs, including as a busboy in Washington, D.C., where he met the poet Vachel Lindsay, who helped promote his poetry. Hughes's talent was recognized with a scholarship to Lincoln University, a historically black college, where he completed his BA degree in 1929. His first book of poetry, "The Weary Blues," was published in 1926, and he followed it with "Fine Clothes to the Jew" in 1927. His debut novel, "Not Without Laughter," won the Harmon gold medal for literature and confirmed his commitment to a career in writing.

Langston Hughes in the 1930s: Writing and Ideology

The 1930s were a period of intense creativity and political engagement for Hughes. He traveled extensively, including to the Soviet Union and Spain, where he reported on the Spanish Civil War. His literary output included several collections of short stories, such as "The Ways of White Folks" (1934), and plays like "Mulatto," which opened on Broadway in 1935. Hughes's experiences abroad and his observations of social injustice influenced his political views, leading him to sympathize with leftist causes. However, during the McCarthy era, he was called before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, where he distanced himself from communism. Despite this, he continued to face criticism from conservative circles for his past affiliations.

The Later Years: Advocacy, "Simple," and Legacy

In the later years of his career, Hughes continued to write and engage in social issues. His autobiography, "The Big Sea," published in 1940, offered insights into his life and the times he lived in. He also created the beloved character Jesse B. Semple, known as "Simple," in a column for the Chicago Defender. Simple's humorous yet poignant musings on everyday life provided a platform for Hughes to comment on race relations and social injustice. Hughes remained a resident of Harlem until his death on May 22, 1967, and his advocacy for civil rights was often aligned with the nonviolent activism of figures like Martin Luther King Jr. Hughes's legacy endures as a seminal figure of the Harlem Renaissance and as a poet who gave voice to the African-American experience, influencing countless writers and activists who followed in his footsteps.