Langston Hughes

Langston HughesEarly Life

was born February 1, 1902 parents divorced when he was youngraised by his grandmother until age of 13settled with mother and her husband in

Cleveland, Ohiospent a year after graduation in Mexico with

his fatherattended Columbia University in New York

first began writing poetry in high schoolloved to read and wanted to recreate the

powerful impact of the written wordgraduated in 1920; first poem published in

1921left college to travelreturned to college in 1926 - Lincoln

University, first African American college

First book of Poetry, The Weary Blues, published in 1926

first novel, Not Without Laughter,published in 1930

wrote novels, short stories, plays, poetry

known for insightful, colorful portrayals of black life in America from the 1920s to 1960s

Harlem Renaissance1920s-1930s

period of cultural and artistic “rebirth” in African American culture

explosion of creativity in art, music, and literature

centered in Harlem, a section of New York City

Langston Hughes was a significant part of this movement