Racism is widely known, but Hughes takes readers to a personal level as he describes his everyday experiences with it. He frequently discusses the inequality that he has been faced with throughout his writing. He chooses to identify with blacks because he understands their struggle and wanted to encourage them to embrace their skin color as beautiful. Though faced with tough …show more content…
Hughes was unapologetically black and a highly acclaimed author in a time that society was built mostly around whites. In 1929, he published his first novel which provided enough stability for him to make it as writer. He continued writing poetry, books, and working on an autobiography. In the 1940s, he wrote for a newspaper column in which he focused on a character he created nicknamed "Simple", a stereotypical poor black man living in Harlem, New York. This series was very prosperous, leading Simple to become a reoccurring character in future plays and stories by Hughes. (Langston …show more content…
He was cremated and his ashes were spread under the entrance for a black culture research center in Harlem. There is a sign marking the spot that reads, "My soul has grown deep like the rivers.", an excerpt from a poem of his. His former home is a national landmark that is still visited by many today. People from all walks of life continue to take inspiration from his works. Despite the decline of plaudits received in his later years and some criticism faced for his work, it is overall something that proved to be influential and significant beyond its time. Many felt empowered by and found strength in the words that he wrote. (Langston Hughes Biography)
Langston Hughes was a key player in the Harlem Renaissance movement. His literary work provided a voice for struggling African Americans and drew attention to the problem, rather than brushing it under the rug. Although some aspects of his poetry can be seemingly negative, he was an influential writer as he produced a big driving force behind the civil rights movement and empowerment of race. He fully advocated for social justice despite the tough times he was put up against. Though Hughes was constantly faced with great difficulties, he used his personal struggles to empower fellow civil rights activists and make a change