“Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—
I, too, am America.”
— Langston Hughes, I, Too
The Ne
Langston Hughes is an influential poet and author, best known for being one of the first Black Americans to earn a living as a writer and being one of the formative characters in the Harlem Renaissance. Some of his most famous poems are “Dreams,” “I, Too,” and “Harlem.” He published 35 books and even wrote short stories, novels, plays, autobiographies, and childrens books. His works mainly revolve around the African American living experience during the 20th century. Hughes refused to differentiate between his personal experience and the common experience of Black America in his works, as he insisted on telling the stories of his people in ways that reflected their actual culture. For example, he made sure to include notes of their love of music, laughter, and language, alongside writing about their suffering. His New York home received national landmark status and he will forever be remembered for his extreme activism for the African-American community during the Harlem Renaissance.
