Teaching Langston Hughes

Webinar Leader

Carmella Williams

Author of Langston Hughes in the Classroom: "Do Nothin' till You Hear from Me"

Webinar Details

Black, broke, bereft of parental encouragement and love, the baby born James Langston Hughes on February 1, 1902 had his life set on a bleak, terribly troubled road, primarily because it ran right through America. In 1953 the Permanent Standing House Sub-Committee on Un-American Activities labeled Langston Hughes's work as "un-American." Hughes responded, “To give a full interpretation of any piece of literary work, one has to consider not only when and how it was written, but what brought it into being. The emotional and physical background that brought it into being. I, sir, was born in Joplin, Missouri. I was born a Negro. From my earliest childhood memories, I have encountered very serious and very hurtful problems.” This webinar will examine Hughes's poetry collection in an effort to advance an understanding of the genesis of his work.