Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes (1902–1967) was an American poet, novelist, playwright, and columnist born in Joplin, Missouri. He was active during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. His poetry often drew on the rhythms of blues and jazz and used vernacular speech to portray working-class African American experience. Common themes included racial pride, resilience, and the realities of segregation and economic hardship. He published his first collection, The Weary Blues, in 1926. Later works such as Montage of a Dream Deferred (1951) extended his use of jazz forms and addressed postwar urban life. He also wrote fiction, essays, and the popular "Simple" stories featuring the character Jesse B. Semple. Through his prolific output and engagement with social issues, he became a widely read American poet of the twentieth century.