Read these books suggested by Langston Hughes
What's the story
Langston Hughes, a leader of the Harlem Renaissance and pioneer of jazz poetry, touched hearts with his raw and emotional writing.
His work, a mirror to the African American experience, also explores universal themes of love, struggle, and resilience.
This article is about books that either influenced Hughes or can be enjoyed by his fans.
Identity
Exploring racial identity through literature
One book that echoes the themes explored in Langston Hughes's poetry is The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois.
This groundbreaking book blends history, sociology, musicology, and political science to paint a vivid picture of the African American experience at the dawn of the 20th century.
Du Bois' powerful essays on race, culture, and society probe the very issues that Hughes would later address in his poetry.
Music
The power of jazz and blues
Langston Hughes didn't just write poetry; he made it sing, hum, and echo with the rhythms of jazz and blues.
Blues People: Negro Music in White America by Amiri Baraka delves deep into the African American history that birthed these genres, tracing their transformative impact on American culture.
Baraka's exploration provides a powerful counterpoint to Hughes's musical tapestry, revealing the cultural identity and resistance woven into every note.
Renaissance
A glimpse into Harlem Renaissance artistry
To Make My Bread by Grace Lumpkin offers a powerful and authentic depiction of early 20th century American life, shedding light on social activism and the struggles of the labor movement.
While not directly connected to Hughes or his immediate circle, this novel embodies the revolutionary fervor and activism that characterized the Harlem Renaissance, the very era that inspired and influenced Hughes's works.
Folklore
Celebrating African folklore traditions
Zora Neale Hurston's Mules and Men is a must-read for anyone interested in African American folklore—something that Langston Hughes often refers to in his poetry.
Hurston's collection of folktales, collected during her anthropological research in the South, are filled with wisdom, humor, and cultural heritage.
You can hear the same echoes of these rich narratives in Hughes's poetry.
Activism
The influence of social justice movements
The Autobiography of Malcolm X, as told to Alex Haley, is essential reading for grasping the realities of racial injustice, the struggle for self-identity, and the fight for empowerment—themes at the heart of Langston Hughes's poetry.
While Malcolm X's time followed Hughes's, his autobiography offers a profound look into the social movements that shaped Hughes's era and continues to motivate modern-day activists and poets.