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Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes was an American writer. He was an important figure in the Harlem Renaissance and made the African American experience the subject of his writings, which ranged from poetry and plays to novels and newspaper columns.


Born

February 1, 1901, Joplin, Missouri

Death

Age 66 years: May 22, 1967, Stuyvesant Polyclinic

Why he's Important

He shaped the artistic contributions of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. He refused to differentiate between his personal experience and the common experience of Black America. He wanted to tell the stories of his people in ways that reflected their actual culture, including their love of music, laughter, and language, alongside their suffering.