Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes, Cab Calloway and Illinois

If you want a key to 20th century African American culture — and, for that, matter, to 20th century American culture — you could do worse than Langston Hughes, who was born today in 1902 in Joplin, Mo.

This poet, journalist, essayist and literary translator does it all: His career spans the Harlem Renaissance, the Great Depression, and the postwar period even as he travels to Europe and seeks his roots in Africa and grapples with American racism. And, of course, the concerns of his writing are as global as his travels: Hope, history and gap between the haves and have-nots. 

Interestingly, Hughes has an Illinois connection: While still a boy, he lived for a time in Lincoln, where he first started writing poetry. Illinois also figured in his first big break: While working as a busboy in Washington, D.C., Hughes placed  three poems beside the plate of Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay, who was then credited with discovering a new “Negro” poet. Thanks to that meeting, Hughes was eventually awarded a scholarship to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

Hughes was deeply influenced by jazz and blues, so the Youtube tribute above — which  blends his poetry with images and music of Cab Calloway — is especially appropriate.