Fun Facts about Langston Hughes tell the readers about the prominent American poet, playwright, novelist, and activist. He was born on 1 February 1902 and died on 22 May 1967. His full name is James Mercer Langston Hughes. The jazz poetry is always associated with Hughes. It was considered as a new literary art form where Hughes was one of the pioneers. Get other facts about Hughes below:
Fun Facts about Langston Hughes 1: Harlem Renaissance
Harlem Renaissance spread in New York City where Hughes was recognized as the leader.
Fun Facts about Langston Hughes 2: the ancestry
The ancestry of Hughes was complex just like the other African Americans in United States. Both of Hughes’ paternal great grandfathers were from Kentucky. They were the white slave owners. On the other hand, his paternal great-grandmothers were African American slaves.
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Fun Facts about Langston Hughes 3: the birthplace of Hughes
The birthplace of Hughes was located in Joplin, Missouri. His father was James Nathaniel Hughes. His mother was Carrie Mercer Langston.
Fun Facts about Langston Hughes 4: the childhood time
His parents divorced. During his childhood, Hughes was mostly raised in Lawrence. He lived with his grandmother.
Fun Facts about Langston Hughes 5: the death of his grandmother
Hughes decided to live for two years with James and Mary Reed after the death of his grandmother. They were the family friends.
Fun Facts about Langston Hughes 6: the writing experience
Hughes began to write since he was young. When he was at school, Hughes took the place as the class poet. At that time, the African American was stereotyped with rhythm.
Fun Facts about Langston Hughes 7: the odd jobs
Hughes earned the living by doing several odd jobs. In 1925, he finally took a white-collar job. He became the personal assistant for Carter G. Woodson. He was a historian.
Fun Facts about Langston Hughes 8: as a busboy
He left the job as the personal assistant and worked as a busboy due to the limited time for him to write. His earlier work was published in magazines after he encountered the poet Vachel Lindsay.
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Fun Facts about Langston Hughes 9: the death of Hughes
Hughes passed away at the age of 65 in New York City on 22nd May 1967. His death was related to prostate cancer, which led into complications after he had abdominal surgery.
Fun Facts about Langston Hughes 10: honors and awards
There were various awards and honors that Hughes had. The Witter Bynner Undergraduate Poetry Prize was given to Hughes in 1926. The 113th birthday of Hughes was commemorated with Google Doodle in 2015.
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