Lesson 2: My Favourite Poet - James Langston Hughes

Do you know that James Langston Hughes was the great-great-grandson of Charles Henry Langston, brother of the first Black American to be elected to public office, John Mercer Langston?

James Langston Hughes attended Central High School in Cleveland, Ohio. He began writing poetry at eighth grade and since then had famous pieces like his first piece, "The Weary Blues". His poems and essays have been a great influence to the people. We can tell because when James Langston Hughes died, his residence at 20 East 127th Street in Harlem, New York City, was given landmark status by the New York City Preservation Commission, and East 127th Street was renamed "Langston Hughes Place".

James Langston Hughes was a Black American. We can tell that we wanted equality in America from his poems, "Let America Be America Again", " I, Too, Sing America" , "Dream Variations", and many more.

From my point of view, I think that he deserves respect from everybody, regardless of their skin colour. His wish to have equality in the nation and society should be fulfilled. I think that now that the President of America is a Black American, James Langston Hughes's dream would finally come true and America would be a more equal nation.