Harlem

Paper Summary:

The paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the poem "Harlem" by Langston Hughes. Specifically, the paper discusses the importance of the poem in black history and literature and notes that Langston Hughes is considered to be one of the premier black poets, and that he often wrote of Harlem and other places where he had lived and worked. "Harlem" is one of his most notable poems as it fostered black literature, thought, and understanding, and is a valuable part of black history and literature.

From the Paper:

"Hughes poem captured the essence of Black life in the 1950s, but it inspired other Black literature and art, as well. One of the most famous inspirations is the play, A Raisin in the Sun, which takes its title from the line in Harlem, which she often acknowledged. She wrote the play in 1959, about a family in Chicago struggling to find their dreams and own a home in the white suburbs. The play was the first play written by a Black woman to appear on Broadway, and it won several Tony awards. A historian writes, "Unquestionably, however, the spotlight at the AMSAC gathering was not on Langston but on twenty nine-year-old, dramatically shy Lorraine Hansberry, who delivered the closing address."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Harper, Donna Akiba Sullivan. "Langston Hughes." GaleCengage.com. 2008. 2 Aug. 2008. <http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_resources/bhm/bio/hughes_l.htm>
• Horton-Stallings, Lamonda. "Langston Hughes: Folk Dramatist in the Protest Tradition, 1921-43." The Western Journal of Black Studies 23.2 (1999): 133.
• Rampersad, Arnold. The Life of Langston Hughes. Vol. 2. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
• Tracy, Steven C., ed. A Historical Guide to Langston Hughes. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.
• Whitaker, Charles. "Langston Hughes: 100th Birthday Celebration of the Poet Laureate of Black America." Ebony Apr. 2002: 70+.

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• Essay # 32190 : "East Harlem And Robert Moses"
• Analytical Essay # 133568 : "The Harlem Renaissance and the Concept of Negro Art"
• Analytical Essay # 121042 : "Poets of the Harlem Renaissance"
• Analytical Essay # 140823 : "East Harlem Social Work Challenges"

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