Essay on Langston Hughes American Poet and Social Activist

Langston Hughes inspired others to reach their true potential in their work by using their own life as a catalyst: â€Å"You will find the world in your own eyes, if they learn how to see; in your own heart if it learns how to feel; and in your own fingers if they learn how to touch.† (Dunham 188). Langston Hughes was an influential leader toward many African American men, woman, and children in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Langston Hughes may not be as well-known for the civil rights movement as Martin Luther King Jr. was, but Hughes was capable of placing an everlasting impact on black culture during this period of civil rights unrest in the United States. Martin Luther King Jr. was an advocate for allowing the rights of African American people†¦show more content†¦She moved Langston around often as a child in search for better work after her and Mr. Hughes divorced early in Langston’s childhood. James Nathaniel Hughes abandoned his family when Langston was very young. James Nathaniel Hughes was in search of leaving the United States in order to outrun the racism and civil rights issues occurring during the time period. Hughes’ father moved to Cuba at first, and then finally settled in Mexico City, Mexico. Hughes’ mother decided to move t o Mexico City to reunite their family, but when they had arrived an earthquake had scared Hughes’ mother in wanting to move back to Kansas. Soon after being back in Kansas, Hughes’ mother decided to place Langston in the care of her mother. Langston then lived with his grandmother for a period of time. Langston’s grandmother, Mary, had a huge impact on Langston while he was growing up. Langston had resided with his grandmother for most of his childhood, and into his early teenage years. Langston wrote in his memoir that he remembered often sitting on his grandmother’s lap as a child and would listen to her tell him stories that would later be the fuel to his powerful vision over African Americans. Mary often told him stories of slaves who struggled for their freedom, and of abolitionists. These stories gave young Langston the vision for African Americans to be free and gave him a good outlook for his people that would become evident in his writings. MaryS how MoreRelatedGiving A Voice : Langston Hughes, An American Poet And Social Activist967 Words   |  4 PagesVoiceless Langston Hughes is an American poet and social activist. Hughes’ poems tend to resonate with the majority of his readers because he discusses topics that transcend time. Hughes wrote his poetry so eloquently that his poetry can be interpreted in many different ways depending on the reader’s personal background and what they bring to the reading. Even today his readers can connect to his poetry because he discusses subjects that we are faced with today, such as identity issues. Hughes is knownRead MoreThe Difference Between Langston Hughes And I Hear America Singing998 Words   |  4 PagesWhitmans poem â€Å" I Hear America Singing† and Langston Hughes poem â€Å" I, Too, Sing America†. I will also be giving my opinion on whether or not Langston Hughes is responding to Walt Whitmans poem. Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and a columnist from Joplin, Missouri. Walt Whitman was an American poet, essayist, and a journalist from West Hills, New York. This is all just background information about the two poets jobs and of where they came from. In the poemRead MoreSimilarities And Similarities Between Langston Hughes And I Hear America Singing835 Words   |  4 Pagesincredible poets and were probably one of the best in their lifetimes. The first poem is written by Walt Whitman and is called â€Å" I Hear America Singing†. The other poem is by Langston Hughes and is called â€Å"I, Too, Sing America† .Many people believe that Langston Hughes wrote his poem â€Å"I, Too, Sing America† in response to Walt Whitmans poem â€Å" I Hear America Singing†. Some people have a completely opposite opinion and say that the two poems have nothing to with each other. Langston Hughes did many thingsRead MoreWhite Supremacy And The Jim Crow Laws1369 Words   |  6 Pageswhite supremacy in the south where ninety percent of African Americans lived until the Great Migration north th at gave way to the Harlem Renaissance. Which was a movement in the 1920 s and 1930 s that opened the discussion on a minority in America. This movement gave a voice to civilians who were slaves sixty years earlier. Even though the Harlem Renaissance was not a true renaissance, the period did serve to stimulate African American writing as well as a new view into politics. They expressedRead MoreRacism and Langston Hughes658 Words   |  3 PagesLangston Hughes was a great African American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist (â€Å"The Biography of Langston Hughes†). As a child, he grew up in the times of racial inequality. As a result, his poems often shared the recurring theme of hope, breaking free from racial inequality, and to strive for a better future. This theme was very evident in the poems â€Å"Dreams† and â€Å"I Dream a World†, by Langston Hughes. This common theme is a result of the era Hughes grew up in. James LangstonRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance with Langston Hughes1676 Words   |  7 PagesHarlem Renaissance with Langston Hughes The Harlem Renaissance brought about uniqueness amongst African Americans; everything was new. The visual art, the jazz music, fashion and literature took a cultural spin. During this time writer Langston Hughes seemed to outshine the rest with amazing works. The Harlem Renaissance brought about many great changes. It was a time for expressing the African American culture. It is variously known as the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Literary RenaissanceRead MoreSummary Of The Negro Artist And The Radical Mountain By Langston Hughes895 Words   |  4 PagesLangston Hughes has made many accomplishments that most people couldn’t make. It was a great challenge for colored people to express their feelings without going through a lot of trouble. Hughes was successful in expressing he feelings. Considering the fact that he was half Caucasian and half African American, he wasn’t treated the way he was supposed to. So he wanted to do something about it and change the course of history. On June 23, 1926, Hughes published a stunning essay called â€Å"The NegroRead MoreTaking a Look at African American Poets827 Words   |  3 PagesWho continues to ring bells when African American poets are mentioned? The legends who have influenced the path in which our ancestors fought hard to obtain in past generations. Booker T. Washington, Rita Dove, Richard Wright, Zora Hurston and Langston Hughes were a few among various highly influential poets during the 1900s. One of the biggest accomplishments of blacks today is that literature has developed from these African American poets. These individuals have set a tone and path to allow writersRead MoreDreams in Langston Hughes Poems1401 Words   |  6 Pages Langston Hughes’ challenging background, ethnicity, and era of life can all be thought of reasons as to why his style of writing relates among discrimination and unsettling topics. Although his writing can be said to bring hope to the African Americans, his style can be frightening and daunting when taken the time to read his pieces. They may not seem real, but they are his way of interpreting and informing the future of what African Americans, like himself, had to go through and what they hadRead MoreThe Negro And The Racial Mountain976 Words   |  4 PagesLangston Hughes was an African American poet, social activist, novelist, and playwright. His works are still studies, read, and, in terms of his poems and plays, performed. He is best known for being a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. Within his works, he depicted black America in manners that told the truth about the culture, music, and language of his people. Besides his many notable poems, plays, and novels, Hughes also wrote essays such as The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain which Hughes