Langston Hughes and Poetry

     On February 1, 1902, a poet was born, James Langston Hughes. Best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance. Born in Joplin, Missouri, his parents divorced when he was a small child. He ended up moving all the way to Mexico with his father. Brought up by his grandmother until he was thirteen, he lived a very normal life. Soon he moved to Lincoln, Illinois with his mother and her new husband. It was there in Lincoln that he began writing his poetry. Staying with his mother til after graduation, then moving to Mexico for a year and studying at Columbia University for a year. Having odd jobs here and there he managed to look after himself. In 1924 Hughes moved to Washington, D.C. , and by 1926 his book of poetry, Weary Blues, was published.
     By 1930 his first novel, Not Without Laughter, was published and won the Harmon gold medal for literature. Hughes was known for his colorful portrayals of black life in America from the twenties to the sixties. Some of his primary influences were: Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Carl Sanburg, and Walt Witman. He wrote novels, short stories and plays, as well as poetry that portrayed the life of the blacks in America. Hughes was known for telling stories that reflected their actual culture, music,language, and laughter itself. Hughes contribution to the Renaissancee in the twenties was extremely important to the poetry community and poetry itself. He was one of the best poets and authors of his time.