Langston Hughes

Fine artist Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri and died of cancer on May 22, 1967. James Langston Hughes was a member of an abolitionist family. He was the great-great-grandson of Charles Henry Langston, brother of John Mercer Langston, who was the first Black American to be elected to public office, in 1855. Langston began writing poetry in the eighth grade, and was selected as Class Poet. His father didn't think he would be able to make a living at writing and encouraged him to pursue an engineering degree.

One of his favorite pastimes was sitting in the clubs listening to blues, jazz and writing poetry. Langston Hughes was a prolific writer. When the United States plunged into World War II, Hughes escaped military service, but he put his pen to work on behalf of political involvement and nationalism.

Langston Hughes died of cancer on May 22, 1967. His residence at 20 East 127th Street in Harlem, New York has been given landmark status by the New York City Preservation Commission. His block of East 127th Street was renamed "Langston Hughes Place" .