“Salvation” is a short personal narrative from Langston Hughes’ childhood about the struggle to reconcile adult concepts with a childish mind. “Salvation” is excerpted from Langston Hughes’ autobiography as an example of an incident that in...One of several Hughes poems about dreams, appropriately titled “ Dreams ,” was first published in 1922 in World Tomorrow .”. The eight-line poem remains a popular inspirational quote ...In fact, he hates the fact that he is a black man. Langston Hughes's father ... Three Major Themes In Langston Hughes's Poetry. 1089 Words | 5 Pages. Langston ...Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902 in Missouri. His grandfather had fought against slavery. He spent most of his time with his grandmother in Kansas ...Jun 22, 2021 · Of all the writers represented in the Harlem Renaissance, one specific writer stood out as an intelligent and bold man who changed lives and influenced many changes: Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes was born in 1902 and grew up in Kansas with his grandparents. He later left his grandparents’ home to live with his mother, but his father had ... Langston Hughes was a leader of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. He was educated at Columbia University and Lincoln University. While a student at Lincoln, he published his first book of poetry, The Weary Blues (1926), as well as his landmark essay, seen by many as a cornerstone document articulation of the Harlem renaissance, “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain.”In Langston Hughes ’s landmark essay, “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain,” first published in The Nation in 1926, he writes, “An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he must choose.”. Freedom of creative expression, whether personal or collective, is one of the many ...Langston Hughes (1901-1967) was a poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, columnist, and a significant figure of the Harlem Renaissance. Born in Joplin, Missouri, Hughes was the descendant of enslaved African American women and white slave owners in Kentucky. He attended high school in Cleveland, Ohio, where he wrote his first poetry ...Analysis: “Theme for English B” is without a doubt one of Langston Hughes ’s most famous, beloved, and anthologized poems. He wrote it in 1951, the evening of his career, and it addresses one of his most ubiquitous themes – the American Dream. Thematically, "Theme for English B" resembles “American Heartbreak” and “Let America Be ...The writer and poet Langston Hughes made his mark in this artistic movement by breaking boundaries with his poetry and the renaissance's lasting legacy. During the Harlem Renaissance, which took ...Interesting Facts about Langston Hughes. His full name was James Mercer Langston Hughes. Before he turned 12, Hughes lived in 6 different cities. During his senior year of high school he was voted class poet and editor of the school newspaper. He spent time working as a truck farmer, cook, waiter, sailor, and a doorman at a nightclub.Langston Hughes Facts. 1. Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902. Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. He grew up in a racially divided America, experiencing the challenges and discrimination faced by African Americans during that time. Also Read: Langston Hughes Timeline.Hughes was awarded the Spingarn Medal for his achievements as a writer by the NAACP. Hughes died of complications following a surgery for prostate cancer. He was 65 when he died. The City College of New York annually recognizes talented African American writers with the Langston Hughes Medal. His autobiography “The Big Sea” was published ...James Mercer Langston Hughes was born on 1st February 1902 in Joplin in the U.S. state of Missouri. His ancestry was mixed with both his paternal great-grandmothers being African-American while both his paternal great-grandfathers being white slave owners of Kentucky. Langston was the second child, and the only one to survive till adulthood, of ...His most famous poem “Negro Speaks of Rivers” was published when he was still a teenager. The line from this poem “my soul has grown deep as the rivers” was ...In Lost Essay, Langston Hughes Recounts Meeting A Young Chain Gang Runaway. In the summer of 1927, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston drove together from Alabama to New York. Just outside ...Langston Hughes, American writer who was an important figure in the Harlem Renaissance and who vividly depicted the African American experience through his writings, which …1926–1964. Langston Hughes (1902 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, novelist, playwright and short story writer. Hughes was one of the writers and artists whose work was called the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes grew up as a poor boy from Missouri, the descendant of African people who had been taken to America as slaves.He is the author of Days of Grace: A Memoir with Arthur Ashe, Jackie Robinson: A Biography, and he edited Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. He is winner ...Sep 25, 2019 · Hughes eventually titled this book Montage of a Dream Deferred (1951). In addition to “Harlem,” Montage contains several of Hughes’s most well-known poems, including “Ballad of the Landlord” and “Theme for English B.”. But the sum is greater than the parts. In all, Montage is made up of more than 90 poems across six sections that ... Hughes left three of his poems near Lindsay's plate, and at the poetry reading ... Langston Hughes: A Biography. New York: Crowell, 1968. Rampersad, Arnold ...Hughes asks very important question about dreams. Saw dreams of many Harlem residents crumble after WWII. Compares dreams to concrete things in our life. Speaker asks what happens if dreams are postponed/put on hold. Offers some possible answers to question. Analysis of A Dream DeferredLangston Hughes, American writer who was an important figure in the Harlem Renaissance and who vividly depicted the African …Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was an American poet, novelist, playwright, and social activist who is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance, a period of great cultural and artistic growth among African Americans in the 1920s and 1930s. He was born in Joplin, Missouri, and raised primarily by his grandmother in Lawrence, Kansas.Fact Check. The Harlem Renaissance was the development of the Harlem neighborhood in NYC as a black cultural mecca in the early 20th century and the subsequent social and artistic explosion that ...Langston Hughes had a five-decade career. ‘Democracy’ was published in 1949 and is focused on the fight for equal rights under the law including the ability to vote for African Americans. The diction and syntax in this poem are quite simple and easy to understand. This makes sense as the poem was meant to appeal to everyone and anyone, from ...69 Facts About Langston Hughes. 1. James Mercer Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. 2. One of the earliest innovators of the literary art form called jazz poetry, Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. 3. 14.The Dream Keeper. Sounding like a lullaby, The Dream Keeper is one of Langston Hughes famous ‘Dream’ poems written in 1932. The poem is short and written in free verse. In The Dream Keeper, the speaker contends that dreams are fragile and need intense care. He asks the reader to bring him ‘all of your dreams’.Here are some of the biggest accomplishments of Langston Hughes. 1. Poetry. Langston had a natural talent for poetry that he developed from a very young age. He started writing these poems by the age of 8 and continued throughout the majority of his life. He was able to get his real feelings onto paper when he wrote poetry and let is real ...Get LitCharts A +. “Mother to Son” is a poem by Langston Hughes. It was first published in 1922 in The Crisis, a magazine dedicated to promoting civil rights in the United States, and was later collected in Hughes’s first book The Weary Blues (1926). The poem describes the difficulties that Black people face in a racist society, alluding ...By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University) ‘Theme for English B’ is a 1951 poem by Langston Hughes (1901-67), one of the leading figures in the Harlem Renaissance. In the poem, a young African-American man studying at a college in Harlem describes the piece of homework his white teacher gave his class, which involved going home and ...Stanza 1. The poet begins the poem with the words, Hold fast to dreams. Thus in the very first line, the poet mentions the importance of dreams. He asks the readers and audience to hold their dreams fast i.e. keep dreaming because if dreams die life is a broken-wing bird that cannot fly. The poet uses the bird as a metaphor.Top image: Bethune and the Capital. Photo courtesy of Daytona Times. In his 1956 autobiography, titled I Wonder as I Wander, Langston Hughes vividly recalled being invited by Mary Bethune to give a reading at Bethune-Cookman College in 1929.After the event, Bethune hitched a ride with the young poet back to New York City.Despite this, Langston Hughes faithfully recorded the nuances of black life and its frustrations more than any other black poet or writer. His poetry topics ...James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri.One of the earliest innovators of the literary art form …Langston Hughes Memorial Library is named for one of Lincoln University’s most famous graduates, the celebrated poet Langston Hughes, who also bequeathed his personal library here upon his death in 1967. The library itself is an integral part of the Lincoln experience. The 1972 facility contains areas for microforms, periodicals, computer ...4.6: Biography: Langston Hughes. James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1902 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form called jazz poetry. Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance.5. ‘ The Negro Speaks of Rivers ’. One of Hughes’ most popular and best-known poems, this very short poem is something of a brief history of black culture from ancient times to the present. Hughes was extraordinarily precocious, and wrote it when he was still a teenager. One day, as Hughes was travelling on a train that crossed over the ...The way the content is organized. and presented is seamlessly smooth, innovative, and comprehensive." "Dreams" is an early poem by American poet Langston Hughes, one of the leading figures of the 1920s arts and literary movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. Originally published in the magazine The World Tomorrow in 1923, it explores themes ... As we look at each question we find out what those effects are. With each question, the speaker offers a possibility of each negative affect. The first one “Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun”: a raisin is already dry, and as a raisin, it is a good thing, useful and nutritious, but if a raisin is left in the sun to dry up, it becomes hard and impossible to eat; its value sucked out ...A Brief Timeline of Hughes’ life . 1902 Born in Joplin, Missouri. … 1921 Enrolls at Columbia University with his father’s unwilling support. … 1922 Withdraws from Columbia and works on trading ships, traveling to Europe and the west coast of Africa. 1926 Publishes The Weary Blues to positive reviews. What places did Langston Hughes visit?Other facts. Facts about Langston Hughes. After battling prostate cancer for quite some time, the renowned African-American writer and poet died on May 22, 1967. The 66-year-old was cremated and his ashes interred at the entrance of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, New York.The short story "Berry" is an example of satire, which is used to expose or criticize human vices, habits or behavior through ridicule, humor, irony or exaggeration.. The story revolves around a ...Today, we tell about writer Langston Hughes, who has been called the poet voice of African-Americans. Langston Hughes is usually thought of as a poet. But he also wrote novels, plays, short stories, essays, autobiographies, newspaper columns, children's books, and the words to operas. He also translated into English the works of foreign poets.Of all the writers represented in the Harlem Renaissance, one specific writer stood out as an intelligent and bold man who changed lives and influenced many changes: Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes was born in 1902 and grew up in Kansas with his grandparents. He later left his grandparents’ home to live with his mother, but his father …The poem “Dreams” by Langston Hughes is about the importance of dreams and their ability to empower, strengthen and sustain an individual’s life. In the poem, Hughes implores the reader to “hold fast to dreams” because life without dreams i...He is the author of Days of Grace: A Memoir with Arthur Ashe, Jackie Robinson: A Biography, and he edited Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. He is winner ...1. Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. He grew up in a racially divided America, experiencing the challenges and discrimination …Feb 20, 2022 · Langston Hughes' short story, Thank You, Ma'am, published in 1958, captures both situations. Langston Hughes was an important and prolific writer during the Harlem Renaissance of the early 20th ... What are three interesting facts about Langston Hughes? 9 things you should know about Langston Hughes. He grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. He was a major …"The Negro Speaks of River" was written in 1920 by the American poet Langston Hughes. One of the key poems of a literary movement called the "Harlem Renaissance," "The Negro Speaks of River" traces black history from the beginning of human civilization to the present, encompassing both triumphs (like the construction of the Egyptian pyramids) and horrors (like American slavery). Langston Hughes was a defining figure of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance as an influential poet, playwright, novelist, essayist, political commentator and social activist. Known as a poet of the ...Interesting Facts about Langston Hughes. His full name was James Mercer Langston Hughes. Before he turned 12, Hughes lived in 6 different cities. During his senior year of high school he was voted class poet and editor of the school newspaper. He spent time working as a truck farmer, cook, waiter, sailor, and a doorman at a nightclub. Three Major Themes In Langston Hughes's Poetry 1089 Words | 5 Pages. Langston Hughes was an American poem born in the early nineteen hundreds, who became known as the leader of the Harlem Renaissance. He published many poems that brought light to the life of people of color in the twentieth century.Hughes died on May 22, 1967, due to complications from prostate cancer. Langston Hughes was a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance, the flowering of black intellectual, literary, and artistic life that took place in the 1920s in a number of American cities, particularly Harlem. A major poet, Hughes also wrote novels, short stories, essays ... Facts About Langston Hughes. March 27, 2015, Nathan, Leave a comment. Brief Introduction His full names were James Mercer Langston Hughes. He was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He is credited to be one of the foremost developers of the then-new literary art form known as the jazz poetry. He was born on ...A major poet, Hughes also wrote novels, short stories, essays, and plays. What are three facts about Langston Hughes? 9 things you should know about Langston Hughes. He grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. He was a major leader of the Harlem Renaissance. He was a poet of the people. He was more than just a poet; he was a writer in almost any genre you ...Langston Hughes (1 February, 1902 – 22 May, 1967) was a poet, novelist, playwright & translator born in Missouri, and a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Books by Langston Hughes* Born as James Mercer Langston Hughes in Joplin, Missouri. Both his paternal great-grandmothers were slaves, and both paternal great-grandfathers were white ...Line-by-Line Commentary and Analysis. "Mother to Son" is a single-stanza poem of 20 lines. Most are short (one is only a single word), and they constitute a monologue, like a series of lines from a play spoken by the same character. The basic message is that life isn't an easy trip, and steps taken can be full of peril that might set …In Lost Essay, Langston Hughes Recounts Meeting A Young Chain Gang Runaway. In the summer of 1927, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston drove together from Alabama to New York. Just outside ...The author talks about his new book, ‘There Was a Party for Langston,’ and its celebration of books and Black literature. By Deborah Taylor. October 13, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EDT. Jason Reynolds ...Langston Hughes, American writer who was an important figure in the Harlem Renaissance and who vividly depicted the African American experience through his writings, which ranged from poetry and plays to novels and newspaper columns. Learn more about Hughes’s life and work.The 1950s, according to James A. Emanuel in Langston Hughes, “ excelled other decades in Hughes ’ s career in the number and variety of books produced. ” In …Throughout the story, Langston Hughes makes fun of the characters' prejudice. He, for example, mentions how Mrs. Osborn had a consternation about African American employees and how she found it ...Langston Hughes. 1902-1967 / Poet, novelist, playwright, essayist. Lauded as the "Poet Laureate of Harlem" in the 1920s, Langston Hughes was one of the first African Americans to earn a living solely as a writer. Hughes was known mainly for his poetry. But he also wrote plays, novels, a wealth of nonfiction pieces, and even an opera.Langston Hughes is considered as one of the most important writers of the Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes had a five-decade career. “Dreams” by Langston Hughes is a two- stanza poem with an ABCB rhyme scheme that highlights the value of “ dreams ” by presenting two situations that revolve around the loss of those “ dreams .”.2. Three facts about Langston Hughes: a. Langston Hughes was a prominent African American poet and writer during the Harlem Renaissance. b. He is known for his powerful and emotionally resonant poems, often addressing themes of racial inequality and social justice. c. Hughes was a prolific writer, with works spanning poetry, essays, novels, and ...Langston Hughes. 1902-1967 / Poet, novelist, playwright, essayist. Lauded as the "Poet Laureate of Harlem" in the 1920s, Langston Hughes was one of the first African Americans to earn a living solely as a writer. Hughes was known mainly for his poetry. But he also wrote plays, novels, a wealth of nonfiction pieces, and even an opera. Langston Hughes captured the scene of Harlem life in the early 20th century significantly influencing American Literature. He once explained that his writing was an attempt to “explain and illuminate the Negro condition in America” (Daniel 760). To fulfill this task, he wrote 15 volumes of poetry, six novels, three books, 11 plays, and a ...James Mercer Langston Hughes is remembered as one of the greatest contributorsto the artistic realm of the Harlem Renaissance. A poet and writer by profession, Hughes was an African-American. Through his …300 quotes from Langston Hughes: 'Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird, That cannot fly.', 'Life is for the living. Death is for the dead. Let life be like music. And death a note unsaid.', and 'Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.'The poem “Dreams” by Langston Hughes is about the importance of dreams and their ability to empower, strengthen and sustain an individual’s life. In the poem, Hughes implores the reader to “hold fast to dreams” because life without dreams i...Langston Hughes makes Walt Whitman—his literary hero—more explicitly political with his assertion “I, too, sing America.” NPG, Thomas Cowperthwaite Eakins 1891 (printed 1979)1. Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. He grew up in a racially divided America, experiencing the challenges and discrimination …Lines 1-5. The instructor said, Go home and write. a page tonight. And let that page come out of you—. Then, it will be true. In the first lines of ‘Theme for English B,’ the speaker begins by laying out the assignment he was given. The speaker, who is a young boy, explains in simple terms that he was told to “God home and write / a ...Genius Annotation. 1 contributor. “Thank You, Ma'am” is a American short story written by Langston Hughes. The story was published in 1958 and it is a great example of the short story form in ...Langston Hughes wrote “Harlem” in 1951 as part of a book-length sequence, Montage of a Dream Deferred.Inspired by blues and jazz music, Montage, which Hughes intended to be read as a single long poem, explores the lives and consciousness of the black community in Harlem, and the continuous experience of racial injustice within this community.While he was best known as a poet, he also published many novels, short stories, works of nonfiction plays and children’s books. His play “Mulatto” opened on Broadway in 1935. …Stanza 1. The poet begins the poem with the words, Hold fast to dreams. Thus in the very first line, the poet mentions the importance of dreams. He asks the readers and audience to hold their dreams fast i.e. keep dreaming because if dreams die life is a broken-wing bird that cannot fly. The poet uses the bird as a metaphor.Langston Hughes (1902-1967) is perhaps the best-known African American poet of the twentieth-century. Born in Joplin, Missouri, as a young man Hughes also spent time in Mexico, Chicago, and Kansas before returning to Cleveland for high school. Hughes graduated high school in 1920, and spent time in Mexico before moving to New York City, where ...The 1950s, according to James A. Emanuel in Langston Hughes, “ excelled other decades in Hughes ’ s career in the number and variety of books produced. ” In …In this poem, the use of rhetorical questions is notable for two reasons. First, the questions are all parallel, in that they each suggest a possible outcome of deferring a dream. Because they each suggest a possible outcome, each rhetorical question is in fact an answer to the poem’s opening query: “What happens to a dream deferred ...A Brief Timeline of Hughes’ life . 1902 Born in Joplin, Missouri. … 1921 Enrolls at Columbia University with his father’s unwilling support. … 1922 Withdraws from Columbia and works on trading ships, traveling to Europe and the west coast of Africa. 1926 Publishes The Weary Blues to positive reviews. What places did Langston Hughes visit?One of several Hughes poems about dreams, appropriately titled “ Dreams ,” was first published in 1922 in World Tomorrow .”. The eight-line poem remains a popular inspirational quote ...It was in Spivak's papers that Hoelscher found three pages titled "Foreward From Life," written by Langston Hughes — one of the most celebrated poets of the Harlem Renaissance.The phenomenon known as the Harlem Renaissance represented the flowering in literature and art of the New Negro movement of the 1920s, epitomized in The New Negro (1925), an anthology edited by Alain Locke that featured the early work of some of the most gifted Harlem Renaissance writers, including the poets Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, …Langston Hughes was a very important writer of the Harlem Renaissance. He was raised by his mother, grandmother, and the childless reeds until his grandmother died. Then, he and his mother moved around alot until finally reaching Cleveland where they stayed. Langston Hughes went to Columbia University. He worked as a busboy as well, as a steward.These years encompassed some of the landmark achievements of the literary Harlem Renaissance, such as Alain Locke’s anthology, The New Negro: An Interpretation, which included works by Langston Hughes, Jean Toomer, and Zora Neale Hurston and sought to define the movement.Yet the economic boom that had allowed African American culture …Langston Hughes was the poetic voice of not just a generation, but of an entire race. Born in the mid-west in the early 1900’s, his work became synonymous with the struggle for equality during ...
1. In 2018, it was revealed that Langston Hughes was a year older than previously thought. Although biographers agreed... 2. Hughes’ mother was also a poet. Langston’s mother, Carrie Langston Hughes, also wrote poetry and was an amateur... 3. He began publishing poetry at a young age. The .... Brassring onboarding
In June of 1932, poet Langston Hughes, political activist Louise Thompson, and 22 other African American artists, filmmakers, and actors, traveled to the Soviet Union (USSR) to create a film about African American life in the American south.The film, aptly titled Black and White, was to focus on the many examples of racial discrimination experienced by blacks in …It's wonderful to go somewhere, but you get tired of staying.”. 10. On determination. “I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really ...Dec 26, 2019 · Known For: Poet, novelist, journalist, activist. Born: February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. Parents: James and Caroline Hughes (née Langston) Died: May 22, 1967 in New York, New York. Education: Lincoln University of Pennsylvania. Selected Works: The Weary Blues, The Ways of White Folks, The Negro Speaks of Rivers, Montage of a Dream Deferred. LangstonHughesFacts. 1.)LangstonHugheswasbornonFebruary1,1902 ... 3.)Rampersad,Arnold.“Hugheslifeandcareer.”Hughes'slifeand ...Langston Hughes — Making Queer History. We now shift from one prolific writer to another: Langston Hughes. A leading force in the Harlem Renaissance, a poet, a scholar, an activist, and a black man, Hughes spoke unashamedly of his experiences with racism in a still heavily segregated America.May 29, 2022 · Who is Langston Hughes often compared to? Langston Hughes is often compared to Walt Whitman; Hughes was influenced heavily by Walt Whitman, but Hughes’s portraits of America in his poetry are… What are three interesting facts about Langston Hughes? 9 things you should know about Langston Hughes. He grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. Langston Hughes (1902-1967) is perhaps the best-known African American poet of the twentieth-century. Born in Joplin, Missouri, as a young man Hughes also spent time in Mexico, Chicago, and Kansas before returning to Cleveland for high school. ... May 1923: Hughes publishes three poems in The World Tomorrow, including "Our Land." These are his ...In the 1950s and 60s, Hughes penned a series of children’s books on the social and cultural issues at the heart of his writing, starting with The First Book of Negroes and ending with The First ...Langston Hughes (1901–1967) was a poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, columnist, and a significant figure of the Harlem Renaissance. Born in Joplin, Missouri, Hughes was the descendant of enslaved African American women and white slave owners in Kentucky. He attended high school in Cleveland, Ohio, where he wrote his first poetry ...1.3. I look at the world by Langston Hughes . One of the famous poems by Langston Hughes, ‘I Look at the World’ was written during the Harlem Renaissance, a period of African-American cultural expression.Composed between 1930 and 1933, the poem always sparks a fire to continue fighting oppression, break down the walls it builds …Stanza 1. The poet begins the poem with the words, Hold fast to dreams. Thus in the very first line, the poet mentions the importance of dreams. He asks the readers and audience to hold their dreams fast i.e. keep dreaming because if dreams die life is a broken-wing bird that cannot fly. The poet uses the bird as a metaphor.Margaret Allison Bonds ( March 3, 1913 – April 26, 1972) [1] was an American composer, pianist, arranger, and teacher. One of the first Black composers and performers to gain recognition in the United States, she is best remembered today for her popular arrangements of African-American spirituals and frequent collaborations with Langston …"My People" is a six-line lyric poem written in three stanzas . There is no ... Elizabeth Barrett Browning Biography Learn · A Red Red Rose Learn · Sailing to ...The title of the poem, “”Harlem,”” implies that the specific dream was shared by a community of people; The dream of equal rights. Hughes was widely known for his literary works which shared the common theme of educating his readers on the aspects and issues faced by an African-American. “Hughes writes to remind a people who had been ..."The Negro Speaks of River" was written in 1920 by the American poet Langston Hughes. One of the key poems of a literary movement called the "Harlem Renaissance," "The Negro Speaks of River" traces black history from the beginning of human civilization to the present, encompassing both triumphs (like the construction of the Egyptian pyramids) and horrors (like American slavery). .