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UPDATED: 9:42 a.m. ET, Feb. 1, 2020 —
Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri, on Feb. 1, 1902 — a date that would go on to mark the start of Black History Month. The legendary writer and poet would go onto become one of the most iconic figures of the Harlem Renaissance, which would include Zora Neale Hurston, Wallace Thurman, Claude McKay, Countee Cullen, Richard Bruce Nugent and many others.
Hughes was first published in 1921 “The Crisis,” which was the official magazine of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which is more commonly referred to as the NAACP. He would release a collection of poems all throughout the 1920s that included “The Weary Blues, “Fine Clothes to the Jew,” “The Negro Mother and Other Dramatic Recitation,” “Dear Lovely Death” and “The Dream Keeper and Other Poems.”
He also wrote novels and short stories like “Not Without Laughter,” “Laughing to Keep from Crying,” “Simple Speaks His Mind” and, one of his most famous, “The Ways of White Folks.”
Hughes’ work was deeply political and unapologetically Black, as shown by the following brief passage that was published in The Nation in 1926.
“The younger Negro artists who create now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased we are glad,” Hughes wrote at the time. “If they are not, it doesn’t matter. We know we are beautiful. And ugly, too. The tom-tom cries, and the tom-tom laughs. If colored people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, their displeasure doesn’t matter either. We build our temples for tomorrow, strong as we know how, and we stand on top of the mountain free within ourselves.”
Hughes died May 22, 1967, following complications after abdominal surgery related to prostate cancer. He was 65 years old.
Hughes’ legacy still lives on. His work has been featured in films, plays and music and is a staple in American culture, especially in the Black community.
See some of his most iconic words below, which are still very much relevant in 2020.
1.
Today's quote of the day:
— DJ The Balloonman (@DJTheBalloonman) February 1, 2019
"An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose."
Langston Hughes
2.
"I stuck my head out the window this morning and spring kissed me bang in the face. " -- Langston Hughes #spring #quotes
— GetHappyQuotes (@GetHappyQuotes) March 7, 2011
3.
The only way to get a thing done is to start to do it, then keep on doing it, and finally you'll finish it. -Langston Hughes #quote #quotes
— Betsy Hodges (@BetsyHodges) February 1, 2019
4.
What happens to
— Coach Brian (@_IamCoachBrian) February 1, 2019
a dream deferred?
Does it dry
up Like a
raisin in the
sun?... Or does
it explode?
Langston Hughes#quotes #quote #FridayThoughts
5.
When you turn the corner
— u s kakodker (@uskakodker1) February 1, 2019
And you run into yourself
Then you know
that you have turned
All the corners that are left.
Langston Hughes
Poet and novelist
(1 Feb 1902-1967)#quote#quotes #quotestoliveby #quoteoftheday
6.
In honor of Langston Hughes's birthday, here's a collection of our favorite quotes from one of our favorite poets https://t.co/KdzYkTh3pB pic.twitter.com/xauMtHLpgb
— Nat'l Endow f/t Arts (@NEAarts) February 1, 2019
7.
Gud!
— Milena Bereket (@tekerebanelim) February 1, 2019
Side note: it's Langston Hughes b'day & as a loyal Busboys'n'Poets fan (6191 in Massawa - one day soon!), I was searching for a quote to tweet...& then I remembered him saying: "LIBERTY! FREEDOM! DEMOCRACY! True anyhow no matter how many Liars use those words"
So fitting!
8.
Today's quote of the day:
— DJ The Balloonman (@DJTheBalloonman) February 1, 2019
"An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose."
Langston Hughes
9.
The only way to get a thing done is to start to do it, then keep on doing it, and finally you'll finish it. -Langston Hughes #quote #quotes
— Betsy Hodges (@BetsyHodges) February 1, 2019
10.
February 1, year 1902 was born Langston Hughes. How do you like one of his quotes? “Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air and you”.
— citatis (@citatiscom) February 1, 2019
Read, save, share and create your own quotes at https://t.co/MGPaX9xVKv
#citatis #citatiscom #qoutes pic.twitter.com/T4TFZJnwVI