Langston Hughes and the Langston Hughes and the Harlem RenaissanceHarlem Renaissance

Harlem Renaissance, firstHarlem Renaissance, first

When you hear the word When you hear the word HarlemHarlem, , what sort of things do you think of? what sort of things do you think of? (where is it? What (where is it? What connotations/stereotypes?)connotations/stereotypes?)

What about What about RenaissanceRenaissance??

Harlem Renaissance, originsHarlem Renaissance, origins

In the 1920’s in New York, there was this In the 1920’s in New York, there was this wonderful coming together of African American wonderful coming together of African American poets, writers, artists, and musicians that was poets, writers, artists, and musicians that was centered in Harlem, and Langston Hughes was centered in Harlem, and Langston Hughes was one of the major writers involved.one of the major writers involved.

You’ll hopefully get a more thorough You’ll hopefully get a more thorough background on this when you do some poetry in background on this when you do some poetry in your American lit and history classes, but these your American lit and history classes, but these are some basics you should know for context.are some basics you should know for context.

Harlem RenaissanceHarlem Renaissance

It began in Northern It began in Northern Manhatten, in Harlem Manhatten, in Harlem New YorkNew York

Black writers, many of Black writers, many of whom came from the whom came from the South and other parts South and other parts of the world like of the world like Jamaica came thereJamaica came there

The First Writers…The First Writers…

In 1921, Countee Cullen In 1921, Countee Cullen published “I Have a published “I Have a Rendezvous With Life”Rendezvous With Life”

This was a take on This was a take on Seeger’s “I Have a Seeger’s “I Have a Rendezvous with Death”Rendezvous with Death”

6 months later, Langston 6 months later, Langston Hughes published as Hughes published as well, and this sparked a well, and this sparked a huge burst of creativity huge burst of creativity in the community and in the community and other people soon joined other people soon joined the movement…the movement…

Who’s WhoWho’s Who

Claude McKayClaude McKay Jean ToomerJean Toomer Zora Neale HurstonZora Neale HurstonIn Music:In Music:• Billie HolidayBillie Holiday• Duke EllingtonDuke Ellington• Louis ArmstrongLouis Armstrong• Jellyroll MortonJellyroll Morton• Josephine BakerJosephine Baker

The movement was publicly recognized The movement was publicly recognized in March of 1924in March of 1924

It opened the doors for all black writers It opened the doors for all black writers because now they have role models and because now they have role models and

issues/cultural ideas in poems that issues/cultural ideas in poems that relate directly to themrelate directly to them

He was born Feb. 1He was born Feb. 1stst, , 1902 and died in 19671902 and died in 1967

He’s originally from He’s originally from Missouri and was Missouri and was raised in the Midwestraised in the Midwest

Langston HughesLangston Hughes

Although he is most Although he is most known for his poetry, known for his poetry, and is extremely and is extremely prolific (that means prolific (that means who wrote LOTS of who wrote LOTS of poems), he also wrote poems), he also wrote plays, fiction, plays, fiction, screenplays, and screenplays, and biographiesbiographies

EducationEducation

He moved to New York He moved to New York city to attend Columbia city to attend Columbia University, where he University, where he went for a year, but went for a year, but then left school to then left school to travel the world as a travel the world as a merchant seaman.merchant seaman.

He traveled to Europe, especially France--where he lived for a He traveled to Europe, especially France--where he lived for a time—and to Africa to gather inspiration, life stories, and time—and to Africa to gather inspiration, life stories, and observations. The Africa trip enabled him to get back to his observations. The Africa trip enabled him to get back to his cultural and historical roots, and inspired his poem, “The cultural and historical roots, and inspired his poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”Negro Speaks of Rivers.”

Upon his return from Upon his return from these travels, he had these travels, he had his first volume of his first volume of poetry published in poetry published in 19261926

Many of his poems are Many of his poems are about his pride in his about his pride in his heritageheritage

He provides a link for the black community to He provides a link for the black community to their cultural roots, and the promise of a better their cultural roots, and the promise of a better future.future.

The end!The end!