Langston Hughes

Works Cited

Rummel, Jack, and Coretta Scott King. Langston Hughes. New York: Chelsea House, 1988. Print.

Hughes, Langston. Poetry: An Introduction. Ed. Michael Meyer. 6^th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. 124. Print.
Diggsduke. "Langston Hughes Reads His Poem, "Dreams"" YouTube. YouTube, 15 June 2011. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpjFS3CQkKE>.
Polytheism. "The Negro Speaks of Rivers." YouTube. YouTube, 30 Oct. 2008. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px7EKIe4EE0>.

Langston Hughes

Write For Your Rights

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes

The Negro Speaks Of Rivers

Crisis Magazine

published by the N.A.A.C.P.

Langston Hughes

Care for by Mary Langston, Grandma of young Langston.


 His grandmother Mary often told him stories about his ancestry.

Langston liked to express himself through writing and was always concerned in what was going on in the community.
Mary Langston

Langston Hughes

Langston’s Dad



Thought African Americans lacked drive and sub-conscientiously hated himself.



James Went to Mexico because he felt being bi-racial, especially African and Caucasian was a problem in the U.S.

Langston Hughes

Hughes opposed racial prejudice and segregation; although this was the opposition it fueled Hughes poetry. Hughes major concerns after 18 were social equality and blues poetry.

Motto

I play it cool

And dig all jive

That's the reason

I stay alive

My motto

As I lived and learn,

is:

Dig And Be Dug

In Return

Langston Hughes

Langston Reading his poem "Dreams"

His particular set of unfortunate circumstances allowed him to write some of the most influential blues poetry of this century and serves as a temple for music and poetry.

Hughes argued the enforces of racism and demanded racial equality

Langston Hughes

Hughes encouraged his audience to not settle for less or what society portrays you as, but to be the best you can possible be.

Harlem

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

Like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore-

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over-

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load

Or does it explode?

Hughes took the bad experiences and made good poetry with it,

Hughes used satire as his tool to get readers to understand and even laugh at some of the more serious controversial topics. He had a way of bring the good out of bad situations.