Langston Hughes

BRIEF BACKSTORY

• Born James Mercer Langston Hughes on February 2nd 1902 in Joplin, Missori
• Is to believe to be Native American, Scottish, French, English, and African American descent
• Parents divorced; father moved to Mexico to get away from the racism in America, mother moved to Lincoln, Illinois
• Lived with his grandmother in Lawrence, Kansas

Brief Backstory

• Once his grandmother died, Hughes moved back in with his mother and settled down in Cleaveland, Ohio where he attended high school
• It is there in high school where Hughes got interested in writing, and finished his ever first jazz poetry called "When Sue Wears Red"

Hughes' style

• What made Hughes different from other poets is his use of rhythm and beat, that would then mirror a blues song when being read
• He became a known civil rights activist and help innovate the 'Harlem Renaissance' which gave the African American communities to freely express themselves with any topic that they hold dear

Life in the 1920

• The 1920s is an era that brought many changes, people were now living in major cities than farms, the economy has gone to it's highest than ever before
• Women were granted the right to vote, after a U.S Representitive named James Mann, proposed the idea and the bill now known as the 19th Amendment was passed a year later

Life in the 1920

• Innovations such as, the invention of the television, the creation of Winnie-the-Pooh and Mickey Mouse,
• the founding National Football League, first Winter Olympics, the creation of the Oscars and the first ever commercial radio station

Life in the 1920

• The era also saw movement within the community, many African Americans moved to the northern part of America, hoping to find better living conditions then the ones they faced in the south
• Unfortunately they were faced with the same fate, horrible housing, difficulty to find jobs and the horrible mistreatment from the white citizens

Life in the 1920

• Racial tensions were high, due to the formation of the Klu Klux Klan, and the brutal actions the organization did towards African Americans
• But the African American community also had an influence in arts; from the rising popularity of blues music (Louis Armstrong) to the beauty of art (Augusta Savage)

THE POEM

• This poem was written by Hughes in the year 1935
• Fully explains the events that were happening in the country, especially to those who are at a disadvantage
• The poem even after 82 years of it being published can be related to the events happening in America right now

Theme and relevance

• The theme of this poem is about the American Dream, and how the Dream has disappointed many of its citizens
• Literary Devices used in the poem include personification, repetition, alliteration, imagery, tone,

Theme and relevance

• The relevance of this poem mirrors the situation that is happening in America
• Injustice
• Corruption
• Discriminatory behavior towards people with different religions