Langston-Hughes

LangstonHughesLangstonHughes(1902–1967)LangstonHugheswasborninJoplin,Missouri,in1902.Hugheswasconsideredasoneofthemostpopularblackwritersandgreatestpoets.HeisanAmericanpoet,socialactivist,novelist,playwright,andcolumnist.Hughes'parentswereseparated.HewasraisedmainlybyhisgrandmotherinLawrence,Kansas.Ingrammerschool,hewaselectedclasspoetandpublishedhisfirstshortstorieswhilehewasinhighschool.In1920,HughesmovedtoMexicotolivewithhisfather.ButHughes'relationshipwithhisfatherwasverypoor.Yet,Hughesturnedthepaincausedbyhisfamilyproblemsintooneofhismostfamouspoems,TheNegroSpeaksofRivers.LangstonHughes(1902–1967)LangstonHughes(1902–1967)HisfatherdiscouragedhimtowriteandsenthimtoColumbiaUniversitytostudyengineering.Butallthewhilehenevergaveupwritingpoetry.Later,Hughesdroppedoutandbegantraveling.Hisexperiencesoftravelinggreatlyinfluencedhisworkandhelpedestablishhimasaprofessionalwriter.LangstonHughes(1902–1967)In1924,HughesreturnedtotheUnitedStatestolivewithhismotherinWashington,D.C.ThereheencountedthepoetVachelLindsay,LindsaydiscoveredhistalentandhelpedHughestobeknownasanewblackwriter.HealwayscamebacktoNewYork'sHarlemarea,thelifethereinfluencedhiscreativity.HediedofcomplicationsfromprostatecanceronMay22,1967,inNewYork.LangstonHughes(1902–1967)HugheswastherepresentiveoftheHarlemRenaissance.Hewasthefirstpoettocombinerhythmsofblackmusic(jazzmusic)withpoetryandbroughtthemovementofjazz.HewasoneoftheoutstandingblackwriterswhostressedracialconsciousnessandhopedthatgreatartcouldchangetheracistideasinAmericaaboutAfricanAmericans.MajorWorksTheWearyBlues,1926FineClothestotheJew,1927LetAmericaBeAmericaAgain,1938NotWithoutLaughter,1930TheBigSea,1940MuleBone,1931StreetScene,1947MarianAnderson,1954HarlemRenaissanceblossomfrom1920sto1930s.(betweenWorldWarOneandtheGreatDepression)alsoknowasNewNegromovement.FoundationofthemovementtheGreatMigrationMillionofAfrican-Americansmovedfromtheruralsouthtotheurbannorth,includingWashingtonD.C.,NewYorkandChicago(HarlemisinNewYork.),forseekingwork.DevelopmentoftheNAACP(NationalAssociationfortheAdvancementofColoredPeople)andTheNationalUrbanLeague.ThenucleusofthemovementMarcusGarveyFoundthenewspaperTheNegroWorldW.E.B.DuboisAwriterandcivilrightsactivistTheintellectualsouloftheHarlemRenaissance“RenaissancemanofAfrican-Americanletters”LangstonHughesThePoetLaureateoftheHarlemRenaissanceOneoftheleadingvoiceoftheHarlemRenaissanceHubertHarrisonTheFatherofHarlemRadicalism”Creativemindslikemusicians,writers,andartistsassembledonHarlem,livingandworkingtogether.Theydevelopedaprosperousartisticsceneofliterarymagazines,cafes,jazzclubs.MusicPianoVSJazzPiano:theinstrumentusesbythewealthyJazz:asymbolofthesouth.ThewealthyBlacksgotmoreintouchwithJazz.IthelpedtoshortenthedistancebetweenthepoorBlacksandthevaluableBlacks.TheBlacks’musicalstylewasmoreandmorepopularinWhites.Sothewhitenovelists,dramatistsandcomposersbegantousetheAfrican-Americanmusicaltendenciesandthemesintheirworks.MagazinesandNewspapersOpportunitybyCharlesS.Johnsontheleadingvoiceofblackculture,TheCrisisbyW.E.B.DuBoisBlack-ownedmagazinesandnewspapers,publishedtheworksoftheBlacks,allowedthemtoshowtheworldwithtrueAfricanAmericancapability.AturningpointintheblackculturehistoryHarlemRenaissanceinfluencedthegenerationsofAfricanAmericanwriters.HarlemRenaissancehelpedtobuildupanewBlackIdentity.HarlemRenaissancefadedbytheeffectoftheGreatDepression.ConclusionMainThemesofHughes’sworksInequality(I,Too,SingAmerica);Perseverance(MothertoSonandTheNegroSpeaksofRivers);Pride(MyPeople);Hope(Freedom'sPlow”);Music(TheTrumpetPlayerandJukeBoxLoveSong).•Justbesimple;•Straightforward;•Honestdescription.WritingstyleJazzPoetryAtthestartofthe20century,withthebirthofbluesandjazz,jazzpoetrybecomeprevalentintheHarlemRenaissance.Aliterarygenrewhichisinformedbyjazzmusic.Involvevariousforms,rhythms,andsounds.JazzPoetryHughes’sfirstcollectionofpoetry,WearyBlues“.Thewholepoemischaracterizedbytheelementsofbluesandjazz.ElementsofblackfolkcultureandthemusicoftheAfricanAmericanchurch.Itisoneofthefirstpoemstocombinemusicandpoetry.TheWearyBluesItisaboutlisteningtoabluemusicianinHarlem.Thewordsisconnectedwithmusic,melodyandtune.Withtherepetitionoflinesandthebluelyrics,musicbecomesthethemeofthepoem.Throughthispoem,musicisofvitalimportanceineverydaylife.Musiccanconveypleasureandhappiness.TheNegroSpeaksofRiversByLangstonHughes(1902-1967)I'veknownrivers：I'veknownriversancientastheworldandolderthantheflowofhumanbloodinhumanveins.Mysoulhasgrowndeepliketherivers.IbathedintheEuphrateswhendawnswereyoung.IbuiltmyhutneartheCongoanditlulledmetosleep.IlookedupontheNileandraisedthepyramidsaboveit.IheardthesingingoftheMississippiwhenAbeLincolnwentdowntoNewOrleans，andI'veseenitsmuddybosomturnallgoldeninthesunset.I'veknownrivers：Ancient,duskyrivers.Mysoulhasgrowndeepliketherivers.WritingBackgroundIn1922,HugeswasonatraincrossedtheMississippiRivertoMexico.Thebeautifulsceneryinspiredhimandremindedofitsroleplayedinthehistoryofslavery.ThemesPrideanddignityBlac