Langston Hughes Research Paper

ENC 1102 CRN-20824
04 February 2014

How to See through the Eyes of a Negro
At certain points during his time, Langston Hughes was considered a "racial chauvinist" by many. During the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes ' work was widely appreciated but also criticized by many. He was not afraid to speak about his political views through his works. He was a proud African American and lived by the theme "Black is Beautiful" (Langston). "The height of his fame, Langston Hughes (1902-67) was esteemed as 'Shakespeare in Harlem ', a sobriquet he borrowed for the title of a 1942 volume of poems" (Sundquist). Langston Hughes was more than just a poet, novelist, playwright and columnist; he was a visionary in displaying
African American politics,
Langston Hughes could not be classified as just a poet. While in grammar school,
Hughes ' poetry timeline began when he was elected to be the class poet. Hughes stated that in retrospect he thought it was because of the stereotype that African Americans have rhythm.
"During high school in Cleveland, he wrote for the school newspaper, edited the yearbook, and began to write his first short stories, poetry, and dramatic plays" (Langston). Around the same time in high school, Hughes began to create a new form of poetry called "Jazz Poetry". His earliest work in this form of poetry was "When Sue Wears Red". With the new style of poetry that he created he began to add a new risky task for the typical poetry writer. Keeping the flow of a poem in Jazz Poetry was not an easy task. Jazz Poetry was a very difficult form to master.
Hughes was one of the few that attempted and succeeded a lot more than others. When mixing

Blues quality and performance with a poetic base some people lose the genuine Blues feeling but
Hughes solved that problem on many occasions
Very few writers are able to become a household name. Hughes was one of the few as he was considered one of the most significant
African American writers of the Harlem Renaissance period. His work influenced many future creative figures of generations beyond that of his own (Miller).
African Americans needed a voice during the Harlem Renaissance and Langston Hughes did his best to create one. He dared to be more than just a poet and playwright. He tested the game of poetry and created a new form while inserting the voice of his people through those works. Not many can say they have dared to test the limits in his time and were still able to earn a spot forever known in history. Langston Hughes was that man. Whether it was his views against African Americans being involved in the current war or his standpoints with racial inequality, Hughes dared to be bold. He dared to take a chance in the ocean of politics of his time and his poetry kept him afloat.

Works Cited

1. Chinitz, David. "Literacy and Authenticity: The Blues Poems of Langston Hughes."
Callaloo 19.1 (Winter 1996): 177-192. Rpt. in Poetry Criticism. Ed. Timothy J.