Writer+15

The literature of the Harlem Renaissance underscores the complexity of cultural issues faced by African Americans in the first part of the 20th century.The first part of the Renaissance movement generated a wealth of poetry, short stories, and novels. With little exception, these writings were shaped to effect the goals of the Talented Tenth, projecting an image of what one scholar called the "representative" African American. Soon to follow was a dynamic shift, on a large scale, in the themes, narratives, diction, poetic images, and mission of the writers of the Harlem Renaissance.
 * Literature in the Harlem Renaissance **

** Harlem Renaissance as a Great Literary Movement ** Originally called the New Negro Movement, the [|Harlem Renaissance] was a literary and intellectual flowering that fostered a new black cultural identity in the 1920s and 1930s. Black-owned magazines and newspapers flourished, freeing African Americans from the constricting influences of mainstream white society. Charles S. Johnson's Opportunity magazine became the leading voice of black culture, and [|W.E.B. DuBois's] journal, The Crisis, with Jessie Redmon Fauset as its literary editor, launched the literary careers of such writers as Arna Bontemps, [|Langston Hughes], and [|Countee Cullen]. Other luminaries of the period included writers [|Zora Neale Hurston], [|Claude McKay], [|Jean Toomer], Rudolf Fisher, Wallace Thurman, and Nella Larsen. Langston Hughes was born on February 1st, 1902. It all began when Langston Hughes started writing poetry in the 8th grade and was elected class poet. His father didn't think he would be able to make a living at writing. Langston eventually dropped out of college, but continued writing poetry. His first published poem was also one of his most famous, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", and it appeared in Brownie's Book. Later, his poems, short plays, essays and short stories appeared in the NAACP publication Crisis Magazine and in Opportunity Magazine and other publications. In 1923, Hughes traveled abroad on a freighter to the Senegal, Nigeria, the Cameroons, Belgium Congo, Angola, and Guinea in Africa, and later to Italy and France, Russia and Spain. One of his favorite pastimes whether abroad or in Washington, D.C. or Harlem, New York was sitting in the clubs listening to blues, jazz and writing poetry. Through these experiences a new rhythm emerged in his writing, and a series of poems such as "The Weary Blues" were penned. He returned to Harlem in 1924. In 1943, he was awarded an honorary Lit.D by his alma mater; a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1935 and a Rosenwald Fellowship in 1940. Later on May 22, 1967 Langston Hughes died. Langston Hughes was a prolific writer. In the forty-odd years between his first book in 1926 and his death in 1967, he devoted his life to writing and lecturing. He wrote sixteen books of poems, two novels, three collections of short stories, four volumes of "editorial" and "documentary" fiction, twenty plays, children's poetry, musicals and operas, three autobiographies, a dozen radio and television scripts and dozens of magazine articles. In addition, he edited seven anthologies. Langston Hughes contributed a tremendous influence on black culture throughout the United States during the era known as the Harlem Renaissance. He is usually considered to be one of the most prolific and most-recognized black poets of the Harlem Renaissance. He broke through barriers that very few black artists had done before this period. Hughes was presented with a great opportunity with the rise black art during the 1920's and by his creative style of poetry, which used black culture as its basis and still appealed to all ethnicities.Until the Harlem Renaissance, poetry and literature were dominated by white people and were all about white culture. However, during the 1920's, there was an explosion of black literature. ** Websites Used ** http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmharlem1.html#axzz0ziwBw5mw http://www.redhotjazz.com/hughes.html 
 * Langston Hughes **