Who Is Langston Hughes: A Black Poet

A Black Poet Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri in 1902 (Arnold Rampersad 11). When Hughes was a child his mother and father separated. Most of his young childhood was spent with his grandmother. She raised him to know his self-worth and the importance of know where he came from. He had a lonely childhood. His grandmother encouraged him to read all sorts of literature. At the age of 13 he wrote his first poem in honor of graduation in Lincoln, Illinois where he attended elementary school (John Wiley & Sons 97). During the 1920’s artistic growth was on the rise. This brought on the movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was important to Hughes ' development as a poet because he spoke to other African American or “common people” alike, letting them know there self-worth and to truth to the inequality practiced in America.

Hughes ' development as a poet during the Harlem
In the essay “To Negro Writer” He spoke to the Negro population in regards to exposing what was really going on in those times. He speaks to Negro writers, saying to “seek to unite”, with the “white masses” to make peace. His message was to the “Negro masses”. He wants to inspire confidence in his reader. Letting the Negro masses know their lives are just as important as the next. Hughes speaks of exposing war. They considered it to be a privilege for the Negro masses to join the American League and fight for the “Nobel Red, White and Blue”. Although at that time they Americans did not practice equality for one and all. He saluted the white man, referring to him as being “ignorant/nigger”, for constantly creating propaganda. Referring to the white man as being simple minded. Only writing “about the moon”, or as in an earlier reading “roses”. Lloyd Brown argues that Langston Hughes ' poetry deals with an