Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes was an American poet, playwright, novelist, fiction writer, and columnist known for his portrayals of Black American life. He was one of the earliest innovators for jazz poetry, wrote multiple poetry books, and became one of the most important writers of the Harlem Renaissance.

His writing was unique for discussing topics including: spirituality, equality, the condemnation of racism and its injustice, politics, and in some cases, humor. His writing style also helped to form jazz poetry, a poem that mimics jazz music’s flow and rhythm. Langston’s most notable jazz poem is The Weary Blues, a poem about the power and pain of black art. He uses the character of a black blues singer playing at a bar in Harlem late at night, with the music channeling the pain of living in a racist society.

Langston was a major contender for using his skills to bring light to important issues. He was known as a poet of the people due to his portrayals of everyday life. He used his writing to describe what he saw in the world and to showcase pride in his well being. In order to accomplish this, Hughes worked for The Baltimore Afro-American newspaper and reported on the Spanish Civil War. He wrote over 20 articles touchbasing on its injustice and recapping the events. After he left The Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper, he worked for the Chicago Defender from 1942-1962. He used his status as a reporter during the Harlem Renaissance to touch base on controversial issues in his time such as injustice in America and around the world.

Aside from being a reporter and a poet, Langston also was a playwright, writing pivotal plays such as Mulatto, Black Nativity, Simply Heaven, Tambourines to Glory, and Jerico-Jim Crow. His plays covered different subjects such as the Nativity, anti-black racism in the South, and the Civil Rights Movement. He wrote several genres of plays from comedies to tragedies in order to cover these topics in a unique and entertaining way, while also informing audiences of controversy.

His writing received praise across the country in many forms. Whether it be through the amount of protests displayed to fight against racial injustices, or through the multitude of awards he won such as the Spingarn Medal and the Ainsfield-Wolf Award. His exceptional works and outlooks on worldwide topics allowed him to create a legacy for future generations.

-Gianna Rivera