1. Test Questions
How old was Langston Hughes when his first poem was published?
What was the title of the book that he wrote in 1929?
What Chicago-based magazine criticized Langston Hughes as “low-rate”?

2. Langston Hughes
Photo by Carl Van Vechten

3. Background Information
Parents divorced when young
Raised mostly by grandmother
Began writing poetry early
Job on freighter took him to:
Africa
&
Spain

4. Education – Not Always Formal
Attended Columbia University for one year Left to travel Saw: Italy France Russia

5. On scholarship
Attended and graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania

6. His work of the 1920s
Poetry and Literature of Langston Hughes

7. Inspired by
Carl Sandburg
Walt Whitman

8. 1920
“The Negro Speaks of Rivers”
19 years old
Gave him attention

9. 1925
“The Weary Blues”

10. 1927
Fine Clothes to the Jew
A collection of poetry
Mixed reviews

11. Negative Criticism of his book
The Chicago Whip characterized Langston Hughes as “the poet low-rate of Harlem.” Others called the book: a disgrace to the race a return to the dialect tradition a parading of all our racial defects before the public

12. He criticized the critics for:
being ashamed of their race
trying to please the race majority 
shaming other authors into denying themselves

13. 1929
Not Without Laughter First novel Semi-autobiography

14. Works Cited
"Langston Hughes Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 14 Jan Web. 14 Jan "Langston Hughes." : The Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, 14 Jan Web. 14 Jan Hughes, Langston. The Big Sea: An Autobiography. New York: Hill and Wang, Print. Rampersad, Arnold. "Hughes's Life and Career." The Oxford Companion to African American Literature English.illinois.edu/. University of Illinois Board of Trustees, 27 Aug Web. 20 Jan Fleming, Raychel. "Illuminated Text Project- The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes."YouTube. YouTube, 30 May Web. 20 Jan