Langston Hughes

An item at American Writers Museum

Born in Missouri, Langston Hughes lived in New York during the 1920s, where he was a key figure of the Harlem Renaissance. Yet he was also a citizen of the world. His wide-ranging travels showed him "that most people are generally good," a fundamental belief that guided his vast body of work. Best known as a poet, Hughes also wrote novels, short stories, newspaper columns, plays, memoirs, and children's books.

Hughes felt that all people deserved access to art. He wrote in an honest and accessible style and celebrated African-American culture-its hardships, joy, and music. Several poems, like "The Weary Blues" (1926), borrow directly from the blues, while the book-length Montage of a Dream Deferred (1951) was inspired by bebop.

AMERICAN VOICES

An exhibit at American Writers Museum

American writing is distinctive, diverse, and comes in many forms from across the nation. The 100 authors featured here represent the evolution of American writing. Learn more about each writer on the timeline by turning the panels below their portraits. Explore centuries of writing by pulling, turning, and touching the interactive elements on the counter.

This is not meant to be a list of the greatest or most influential writers. Instead, we present authors and works as part of the American story as it grows and changes. Taken together, this rich literary heritage reflects America in all of its complexity: its energy, hope, conflict, disillusionment, and creativity.

American Writers Museum