I have to be completely honest and go out of my normal conservative shell and say:
I REALLY LOVE THIS POEM! ... Ok, I am calm now.
James Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri in 1902, the grandson John Mercer Langston, who was the the first Black American to be elected into public office in 1855. Langston Hughes attended Central High School in Cleveland, Ohio, and began writing poetry at a very early age.
After dropping out of Columbia University, Langston continued writing poetry. His first published poem was also one of his most famous, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", and it appeared in the Brownie's Book. Later on, his poems, short plays, essays, and short stories appeared in the NAACP publication Crisis Magazine and in Opportunity Magazine.
Hughes traveled extensively abroad from Nigeria, Belgium Congo, Guinea to Italy. Upon his returned to the United States, Hughes most dear enjoyment was listening to the blues in Harlem, New York. Many biographies of his life have many emphasis on how the blues was the driving force for his creativity. The blues would ease his comfort zone in order for him to create a masterpiece.
This is how I too am able to create literature by listening to jazz or the rhythm and blues ... it soothes me to surrender and let my spirit speak.
For Langston listening to his love of the blues helped produced the infamous "The Weary Blues" and in 1924 in Harlem, the period then being called the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes writing and poetry was being frequently published in the modern day major publications. In 1925 he moved to Washington, D.C., where the prestige Howard University was the cultural spot also during this time of the Harlem Renaissance. Langston still spent most of his time on the development of his craft of writing and poetry. While in Washington, D.C. he became the editor of the Journal of Negro Life before finally returning back to Harlem later that year. In which, Langston Hughes received a scholarship to Lincoln University, in Pennsylvania, where he received his B.A. degree in 1929.
One of his most unique character Hughes created was really based on a conversation he had in a blues club in a Harlem bar, Langston created a character known as My Simple Minded Friend in a series of essays in the form of a dialogue. Around 1950, he named this lovable character Jess B. Simple leading to a series of best selling books on Mr. Simple. Hughes also authored of over fifteen books of poems, a collections of short stories, twenty-five plays, children's poetry, musicals and operas, and four autobiographies. In addition, he edited seven anthologies centering around black folklore.
The copyright of the article Negro Speaks Of Rivers in Writing from Harlem is owned by . Permission to republish Negro Speaks Of Rivers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
10.
Feb 13, 2002 7:11 PM
In response to message posted by Red:
Hey Mary,
Thank you for your feedback...and I will submit this one to your future e ...
-- posted by Nichel
9.
Feb 13, 2002 6:47 PM
Nichel,
I just popped over to see what articles would fit the "Nature's Treasures Event," re your post in the Editor's Lounge.
This one is perfect. It would fit perfectly under the category, "E ...
-- posted by Red
8.
Feb 12, 2002 5:35 PM
In response to message posted by kcruver:
Hi Kendahl,
I love this poem so much because it provides all the needed ingredi ...
-- posted by Nichel
7.
Feb 11, 2002 4:54 PM
What an almost dreamy poem--the mood has the effect of a summer day making you drowsy. I especially like the last part: and I've seen its muddy bosom turn All golden in the sunset That part gives ...
-- posted by kcruver
6.
Feb 8, 2002 3:08 PM
In response to message posted by Sunbear:
Hi Tom,
I know Langston Hughes had a way with words, a real master of the lyric ...
-- posted by Nichel
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