NOT 4 CLASS! Langston Huhghes Notes

James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1902 – May 22, 1967) was an American novelist, playwright, short story writer, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best-known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance. He famously wrote about the period that "Harlem was in vogue

-Was born in Joplin, Missouri

-became the first African American to be elected to the United States Congress from Virginia

-Hughes was elected class poet

-Hughes managed to maintain a B+ grade average

-Hughes died from complications after abdominal surgery, related to prostate cancer, at the age of 65

-First published in The Crisis in 1921