Langston Hughes
1902 – 1967
About Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes (1902–1967) was an American poet, playwright, novelist, and social activist, and the central figure of the Harlem Renaissance. Born in Joplin, Missouri, he grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, and came of age in Harlem during the 1920s cultural explosion. His debut poetry collection The Weary Blues (1926) established him as a major voice.
Hughes was distinctive for his use of blues, jazz, and vernacular Black speech as poetic forms — he argued that Black American musical and oral culture was a legitimate literary tradition, not a departure from it. His work spans over 40 books in multiple genres. He remained productive until his death in 1967, covering the rise of the Civil Rights Movement he had spent a lifetime helping to build.
“I, too, am America.”
Quick Facts
- Born
- 1902
- Died
- 1967
- Lifespan
- 65 years
- Domain
- inspiration
- Quotes
- 5 collected
- Key Themes
- IdentityNatureDreamsLiving
Learn More
Wikipedia — Langston HughesLangston Hughes's Famous Quotes
5 quotes
“I, too, am America.”
— "I, Too" (poem, 1926) — The Weary Blues (1926)
“Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.”
— "April Rain Song" (poem, 1921) — The Dream Keeper and Other Poems (1932)
“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.”
— "Dreams" (poem, 1922) — The Dream Keeper and Other Poems (1932)
“What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?”
— "Harlem" (poem, 1951), also known as "Dream Deferred" — Montage of a Dream Deferred (1951)
“Life is for the living.”
— Widely attributed — consistent with Hughes's documented philosophy and writings
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Frequently Asked Questions
Langston Hughes (1902–1967) was an American poet, playwright, novelist, and social activist, and the central figure of the Harlem Renaissance. Born in Joplin, Missouri, he grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, and came of age in Harlem during the 1920s cultural explosion. His debut poetry collection The Weary Blues (1926) established him as a major voice. Hughes was distinctive for his use of blues, jazz, and vernacular Black speech as poetic forms — he argued that Black American musical and oral culture was a legitimate literary tradition, not a departure from it. His work spans over 40 books in multiple genres. He remained productive until his death in 1967, covering the rise of the Civil Rights Movement he had spent a lifetime helping to build. Langston Hughes lived 1902 – 1967.