By the time Langston Hughes was 20, he had lived in many places. None felt like home. The young poet always felt lonely and unwanted. He wished for a place where he belonged. 

    It wasn’t until he stepped off the subway in New York City in 1921 that he found it. In a neighborhood called Harlem, Black people were coming together. They were expressing themselves through music, writing, and art. 

    “Harlem!” Hughes later wrote. “I stood there, dropped my bags, took a deep breath, and felt happy again.” 

    Hughes had big dreams. And for him and other Black Americans, Harlem was special.

    It was a place where dreams came true. 

    By age 20, Langston Hughes had lived in many places. None felt like home. He was a young poet. He always felt lonely and unwanted. He wished for a place where he belonged.

    He found it in 1921. That’s when he stepped off the subway in Harlem. It’s a neighborhood in New York City. There, Black people were coming together. They were writing. They were making music and art.

    “Harlem!” Hughes later wrote. “I stood there, dropped my bags, took a deep breath, and felt happy again.”

    Hughes had big dreams. And for him and other Black Americans, Harlem was special.

    It was a place where dreams came true.

    By the time Langston Hughes was 20, he had lived in many places, but none felt like home. The young poet always felt lonely and unwanted, and he wished for a place where he belonged.

    It wasn’t until he stepped off the subway in New York City in 1921 that he found it. In a neighborhood called Harlem, Black people were coming together and expressing themselves through music, writing, and art.

    “Harlem!” Hughes later wrote. “I stood there, dropped my bags, took a deep breath, and felt happy again.”

    Hughes had big dreams. And for him and other Black Americans, Harlem was special.

    It was a place where dreams came true. 

    Hughes was born in 1901. His parents divorced when he was young. He was mostly raised by his grandmother until he was 13. When she died, he went to live with his mom and stepdad. They moved around a lot.

    Being the new kid is never easy. But growing up Black in the early 1900s made everything harder. Hughes faced racism. In school, some kids and teachers were cruel to him simply because of the color of his skin. 

    Still, Hughes was a good student. He read books to escape his lonely life. He explored the work of authors and poets from all over the world. Reading made him feel like big things were possible for him.

    When his eighth-grade class needed to pick a class poet, everyone voted for Hughes. He read his first poem at graduation that year. The audience clapped for him. In that moment, Hughes had a new dream: He wanted to share his words with the world.

    Hughes was born in 1901. At first, his grandmother raised him. She died when he was 13. Then he lived with his mom and stepdad. They moved around a lot.

    Being the new kid is never easy. But being Black in the early 1900s made things harder. Hughes faced racism. Some kids and teachers were cruel to him because of the color of his skin.

    Even so, Hughes was a good student. He read books and poems to escape his lonely life. Reading made him feel like big things were possible for him.

    In eighth grade, everyone voted for Hughes for class poet. He read his first poem at graduation that year. The audience clapped. That gave Hughes a new dream: He wanted to share his words with the world.

    Hughes was born in 1901. His parents divorced when he was young, and he was raised mainly by his grandmother until he was 13. When she died, he went to live with his mother and stepfather, who moved around a lot.

    Being the new kid is never easy, but growing up Black in the early 1900s made everything harder. Hughes faced racism, and in school, some kids and teachers were cruel to him simply because of the color of his skin.

    Still, Hughes was a good student. He read books to escape his lonely life, exploring the works of authors and poets from all over the world. Reading made him feel like big things were possible for him.

    When his eighth-grade class needed to pick a class poet, everyone voted for Hughes. He read his first poem at graduation that year, and the audience applauded. In that moment, Hughes had a new dream: He wanted to share his words with the world.

A- The Scene
People dressed up in their best clothes. Photographer James Van Der Zee took hundreds of pictures like the one here. He loved showing off the energy of the neighborhood.

B- The Music
Jazz music poured out of Harlem’s many clubs, theaters, and dance halls. Artists like Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith (both pictured) became big stars.

C- The Art
Artists created art that celebrated being Black. Augusta Savage was one of the first artists to focus on the features of Black people in fine art. The sculpture above was modeled after her nephew.

A- The Scene
People dressed up in their best clothes. Photographer James Van Der Zee took hundreds of pictures like the one here. He loved showing off the energy of the neighborhood.

B- The Music
Jazz music poured out of Harlem’s many clubs, theaters, and dance halls. Artists like Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith (both pictured) became big stars.

C- The Art
Artists created art that celebrated being Black. Augusta Savage was one of the first artists to focus on the features of Black people in fine art. The sculpture above was modeled after her nephew.

A- The Scene
People dressed up in their best clothes. Photographer James Van Der Zee took hundreds of pictures like the one here. He loved showing off the energy of the neighborhood.

B- The Music
Jazz music poured out of Harlem’s many clubs, theaters, and dance halls. Artists like Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith (both pictured) became big stars.

C- The Art
Artists created art that celebrated being Black. Augusta Savage was one of the first artists to focus on the features of Black people in fine art. The sculpture above was modeled after her nephew.

    When Hughes got to Harlem in 1921, he was ready to add his words to the movement. Being around so many Black people inspired him. 

    Much of the world was cruel to Black people. But Hughes celebrated them. One of his most famous poems is called “I, Too.” It talks about how Black Americans can rise up in their own beauty and power. It talks about how they are important to America too. 

    Hughes was known for writing in a way that everyone could understand. He paved the way for other Black writers to tell their stories.

    Hughes moved to Harlem in 1921. He was ready to join the movement. Being around so many Black people inspired him.

    Much of the world was cruel to Black people. But Hughes celebrated them. He wrote a poem called “I, Too.” It says that Black Americans have beauty and power. It says they are important to America too.

    Hughes wrote in a way that everyone could understand. He paved the way for other Black writers to tell their stories.

    When Hughes arrived in Harlem in 1921, he was ready to add his words to the movement. Being around so many Black people inspired him.

    Much of the world was cruel to Black people, but Hughes celebrated them. One of his most famous poems, called “I, Too,” talks about how Black Americans can rise up in their own beauty and power. It talks about how they are important to America too.

    Hughes was known for writing in a way that everyone could understand. He paved the way for other Black writers to tell their stories.

    Hughes never stopped writing. Before he died in 1967, he shared his thoughts in newspapers. He wrote hundreds of poems. His plays were performed on Broadway.

    Throughout his life, Hughes traveled the world. He spent time in Africa, Europe, and Asia. But he always came home to Harlem. 

    If you go there, you’ll see signs of his legacy. His face is painted in murals and graffiti. The street he lived on is named after him. 

    Hughes first showed up in Harlem as a lonely young man with a dream.

    Today, he is remembered by many as one of the most important writers in American history. 

    Hughes wrote for newspapers. He wrote plays. He wrote hundreds of poems. 

    He also traveled the world. He went to Africa, Europe, and Asia. But he always came home to Harlem. He died in 1967.

    Go to Harlem, and you’ll see signs of his legacy. His face is painted in murals. The street he lived on is named for him.

    Hughes was once a lonely young man with a dream. Today he’s remembered as one of the most important writers in American history. 

    Hughes never stopped writing. Before his death in 1967, he shared his thoughts in newspapers, wrote hundreds of poems, and had his plays performed on Broadway.

    Throughout his life, Hughes traveled the world, spending time in Africa, Europe, and Asia—but he always came home to Harlem.

    If you visit the neighborhood today, you’ll see signs of his legacy. His face is painted in murals and graffiti, and the street he lived on is named after him.

    Hughes first showed up in Harlem as a lonely young man with a dream.

    Today he is remembered by many as one of the most important writers in American history.