James Langston Hughes And Countee Cullen - 934 Words

James Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen were prominent poets. These poets were at the time of the Harlem Renaissance during the 20th century. Hughes and Cullen wrote for others to understand the stories of African-Americans living in the United State. These men had differences in their writing, but one mutual objective. James Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri on February 1, 1902. Hughes began writing poetry when he lived in Lincoln, Illinois. The Weary Blues was his first book of poetry and it was published in 1926. Hughes attended Columbia University and Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, which is where he finished his college education. Hughes first novel won the Harmon gold medal for literature in 1930. His novel was called, Not Without Laughter. Hughes died from prostate cancer in New York on May 22, 1967. Countee Cullen was born on March 30, 1903 in Louisville, Kentucky. Cullen was adopted by the Reverend Frederick A. and Carolyn Belle Cullen before 1918. Details on certain aspects of Cullen’s life are unsure. Cullen first went by the name Countee Porter then Countee P. Cullen and eventually stayed at Countee Cullen. Cullen began writing poetry while he attended DeWitt Clinton High School. Cullen’s poem â€Å"I have a Rendezvous with Life† won him his first contest. Cullen attended Phi Beta Kappa from New York University, then earned a master’s degree in English and French from Harvard. Cullen died on January 9, 1946 from high blood pressure and uremicShow MoreRelatedEssay on Journey to the Harlem Renaissance1282 Words   |  6 PagesAmericans. It showed blacks that they were becoming equals in American society. The talents of African Americans soared in art, music, literature and especially poetry. The main writers embodying the Harlem Renaissance were C laude McKay, Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen. Claude was born in Jamaica, in 1898. He got his education from his older brother, who â€Å"possessed a library of English novels, poetry and scientific texts.† (Callahan, 784) Claude was a little older when he created his first pieceRead MoreEssay about The Harlem Renaissance1515 Words   |  7 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Harlem Renaissance Poets consist of: James Weldon Johnson, Countee Cullen, Claude McKay, Jean (Eugene) Toomer, Langston Hughes, Sterling Brown, Robert Hayden, and Gwendolyn Brooks. These eight poets contributed to modern day poetry in three ways. One: they all wrote marvelous poems that inspired our poets of modern times. Two: they contributed to literature to let us know what went on in there times, and how much we now have changed. And last but not least they all have written poems thatRead MoreThe Modernist Period Of American Literature1155 Words   |  5 Pagesbut also in the arts through music and dance, especially jazz music. Major contributor s to the harlem renaissance who we see writing a great deal about the limitations and expansion of opportunities of race include Langston Hughes through his work â€Å"I, too, Sing America† , Countee Cullen through his work of â€Å"Heritage† and Zora hurston through her work of â€Å"How It Feels to Be Colored Me . We first begin to see a growth and focus on the limitations and the expansion of race in the 1920’s through theRead More Langston Hughes Essay670 Words   |  3 Pages James Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. His parents divorced when he was very small, and his father (who found American racism made his desires to be a lawyer impossible) left the family and emigrated to Mexico. Hughes mother moved with her child to Lawrence, Kansas, so she and he could live with his grandmother, Mary Langston. Langston Hughes mother moved to Topeka in 1907, leaving the five-year-old with his grandmother. Langston came from a family of African-AmericanRead MoreRacial Discrimination And The Harlem Renaissance2310 Words   |  10 PagesAmerican poets Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Claude Mckay were all part of the Harlem Renaissance movement. The setting during this time in 1920’s and 1930’s America post world war one was a time of great economic surplus then depression, and there were many problems with race in America. â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† by Langston Hughes (Appendix A), â€Å"Incident† by Countee Cullen (Appendix B), â€Å"If We Must Die† by Claude Mckay (Appendix C), and â€Å"I Too, Sing America† also by Langston Hughes (AppendixRead MoreThe New Negro Summary Essay1412 Words   |  6 Pagesliterature. One such writer was James Weldon Johnson; taking on the persona of a black preacher, he was able to greatly impress upon the black community how important it was to have a strong faith in God and in oneself. Catapulting the 1920s artistic movement that created a bulk of the first major literary pieces by African Americans, Johnson was the ancestor of great men and women such as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Wallace Thurman, and W.E.B. Du Bois. Langston Hughes is often called the poetRead More Countee Cullen Essay559 Words   |  3 Pages Countee Cullen was a prominent American poet and was known as the â€Å"poster poet† of the 1920 artistic movement called the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance produced the first African American works of literature in the United States. There were many leading figures in the Harlem Renaissance such as James Weldon Johnson, Claude McKay, Langston Hughes, Wallace Thurman and Arna Bontemps. Cullen was simply an amazing young man who won many poetry contests throughout New York, published two notableRead MoreThe Legacy Of African Americans2320 Words   |  10 Pageswe must first understand the origins of poetry, and learn about some of the notable African American poets of the past who have paved the way. There are many great African American artists that were very talented poets. Artists such as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Gwendolyn Bennett are just a few African Americans who had a momentous influence on writing and poetry in our culture. The Harlem Renaissance was an era when African Americans embraced their talents and created incredible artworksRead More Langston Hughes Essay1356 Words   |  6 Pages With such great notables as Countee Cullen, Jean Toomer, Zora Neale, and James Johnson, mainstream American now had a unique window into the plight of African Americans all over the country. One individual though stands out as one of the most prominent figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes defined himself by his ability to pursue the true essence of â€Å"black folk† at a time when black identity, culture, or art was considered an oxymoronic concept. Hughes sought to explore the true identityRead MoreReoccurring Themes in the Work of Langston Hughes Essay1649 Words   |  7 PagesLangston Hughes is an extremely successful and well known black writer who emerged from the Harlem Renaissance (â€Å"Langston Hughes† 792). He is recognized for his poetry and like many other writers from the Har lem Renaissance, lived most of his life outside of Harlem (â€Å"Langston Hughes† 792). His personal experiences and opinions inspire his writing intricately. Unlike other writers of his time, Hughes expresses his discontent with black oppression and focuses on the hardships of his people. Hughes’