Langston Hughes: American Poet

by Alice Walker, Catherine Deeter (Illustrator)

When Langston Hughes was a boy, His grandmother told him true stories of how African people were captured in Africa and brought to America enslaved. She told him about their fight for freedom and justice. Langston loved his grandmother's stories. To learn more stories and bear more beautiful language, he began to read books. He fell in love with books and decided that one day he would write stories too, true stories about Black people. When he was only fourteen, Langston wrote his first poem, and for the rest of his life he was always writing -- stories and essays and, most of all, poems. He wrote about Black people as he saw happy, sad, mad, and beautiful. Through his writing he fought for freedom from inequality and injustice; and his gift of words inspired and influenced many other writers. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker was one writer Langston influenced. In this moving and richly detailed portrait she celebrates the life of an extraordinary man. Accompanied by stunning paintings by artist Catherine Deeter, Langston American Poet will introduce a whole new generation to the life and works of a great African American Poet of the twentieth century, and one of the most important poets of all time.

Genres: Biography, Poetry, Childrens, Nonfiction, African American, Picture Books, History

48 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Noted American writer Alice Walker won a Pulitzer Prize for her stance against racism and sexism in such novels as The Color Purple (1982).

People awarded this preeminent author of stories, essays, and poetry of the United States. In 1983, this first African woman for fiction also received the national book award. Her other books include The Third Life of Grange Copeland , Meridian , The Temple of My Familiar , and Possessing the Secret of Joy . In public life, Walker worked to address problems of injustice, inequality, and poverty as an activist, teacher, and public intellectual.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read Langston Hughes' poems, but I do not know much about his life. This biography by Alice Walker is so informative. He was a resilient and lovely human being. I feel like teachers should teach more about this man...his history and his writing. Also, let's talk about the illustrations in this book. They are so beautiful and meaningful! If you ever get a chance, please take some time to read this book and share it.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I remember reading the poetry of Langston Hughes in middle school, we never really covered any aspect of his life or the fact that he wrote numerous autobiographical works. It wasn't until much later (an African-American history course in college, actually) that I learned this stuff out. While I really enjoyed reading this book, sometimes I found myself confused as to whether it was intended for older audiences (middle school students) or a younger one. Although the sentences are easy to read, some of the language presented doesn't seem suitable for young audiences. I know the point is to introduce children to multiculturalism early on, but I don't think the way to do that is to introduce derogatory terms to students that won't really understand what they mean. At first I was skeptical about how the story presented some of the feelings of Langston Hughes, but after reading Alice Walker's "Author's Note" about keeping in touch with him and reading his autobiographical works, I feel more comfortable in believing its accuracy. This book also does a great job of integrating some of his poems into the story line without seeming forced. I have to admit, though, that my favorite aspect of this book was the pictures. I mean, that Aloe plant on page 17? Great stuff!

[Cecoiya Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was about one of the greatest American poets Langston Hughes and his life story. The book has amazing pictures. This would be a great book to read for students to learn about American pioneers and African Americans in social studies. This was a great read overall.

[Mariana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, great introduction to Langston Hughes.

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Pulitzer Award-Winning author Alice Walker shares Langston Hughes’s story. His love for stories was evident in all the poems he wrote and he often loved hearing about his grandmother's stories. Wanting to be an advocate for his race through literature, this biography of Hughes's also includes some of his earliest poems. With wonderful illustrations, this book is a good life story that allows students to learn about Langston Hughes in a straightforward way. This book is appropriate for fifth grade and can be used in class to teach them how to research about historical people. Students can also look into other well known poems of Langston Hughes's and discuss its influence and how it becomes an artifact from a historical time period.

[Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

“My soul has grown deep like the rivers.” Harlem. Beautifully illustrated. Poetry. Want to know more.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! The text is well-written and Catherine Deeter's illustrations are beautiful! This is a great introductory text for children about this important American poet. Alice Walker tells us stories from Langston's life that shaped who he became. His relationships with his largely absent, stingy, and black-hating father and his college-educated but transient and lavish mother were fascinating. I didn't realize until the end, when Alice explains why she wrote the book (which was originally published in 1974), that it was THE Alice Walker who wrote it. She includes small details that color the entire story, like the spider Langston remembers from the Mexico City earthquake when he was six years old, his grandfather's shawl that was bullet hole riddled, and the contrast of the color of his copper-brown skin with the black skin of the west Africans he spent time with.

These are my favorite parts of this biography. On p. 30 Alice wrote, "By the time he was thirty years old, Langston was beginning to make his living by writing. He helped other black people who wanted to write. He gave them encouragement and advice. Sometimes he would pay to have their stories or poems printed in books. This did not mean that Langston made a lot of money from his writing. He didn't. But he was never stingy with money like his father."

And on p. 31: "He always wrote truthfully about black people. He showed tht they were beautiful, and sometimes ugly, like most people. He showed that they were sometimes happy and sometimes sad--and that they could laugh even when they were feeling blue. He always thought this ability made them special."

"Langston Hughes had shown them how good it was to love one another. And this love, like his poems, would live forever--amid the deepest laughter of their own hearts."

Finally, at the end, on page 37, she wrote "There are places in the world that emit so much magnetism, energy, and power that people who visit them call them holy. There are people who have this quality too. Langston was one of them. He was a person who loved unconditionally. He seemed to gaze directly into the heart; gender and race, for instance, were not barriers for him. It was possible to feel this love, like a kind of radiance, all around him. That is why so many people loved him in return. He was accepting of others, patient with them, and capable of finding humor in the most complicated experiences of life. He was also thoughtful and humble. And very, very wise."

I highly recommend this book to you.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find myself in a predicament that I wasn't expecting with this book. I truly enjoyed the story, and I feel that I really gained a better grasp on the person that Langston Hughes was. However, as a children's librarian who has had to deal with similar situations in the past, I found myself wondering about the intended audience with this book. It would seem that this is a book is intended for the picture book audience to the unaware observer, but the text says otherwise. This is an excellent piece of writing that would be appreciated by a middle school audience were the format more indicative of that reading level. Instead, I'm afraid that the appearance would dissuade that crowd from giving it a chance, and that's too bad. Instead this book appears on the outside to be an elementary school read. An astute observer would know with only a brief review that this wasn't the case, but I still foresee it being shelved at an average impersonal bookstore in the children's section rather than with the young adult books where it would truly receive the appreciation it deserves. As I've said, the book is impressive and to have a biography written by someone who actually knew the subject is a rare treat, but I just wonder whether this book is presented in a manner that would attract its best audience.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful book! It was written by Alice Walker, a favorite of mine, and illustrated with beautiful paintings by Catherine Deeter. My favorite was the image of a young black boy superimposed over a river and facing, on the other page, one of Langston's best known poems, The Negro Speaks of Rivers. "My soul has grown deep like the rivers."

Langston's father, a wealthy landowner in Mexico helped him go to Columbia University but he felt like an outsider there, was lonely and bored. He much preferred Harlem. He quit after a year, deciding "it was wrong to love books more than people" and wanting "to live life firsthand, seeing it with his own eyes."

Though this book about him is probably written for students in grades 5 to 7, I really enjoyed reading it myself and learned some things I didn't know about a poet whose work I've loved for many years.

[Shania Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Appropriate Grade Levels: 2nd - 4th (Ages 7 - 10)

Did you know that Langston Hughes survived an earthquake and was voted class poet in primary school? Learn all of this in more in the story-style depiction of this great man's life.

Langston Hughes: American Poet is a great way to tell the life of him in a literature format rather than an informational text. The book is fairly dated, however. The language is inappropriate for young students to either see or read, explaining a number of negative slang words that could be used for oppressed people. If you use this book, please be very cautious to explain what is and is not appropriate to say in today's world.

Classroom Uses:
1) Black History Month
2) Lesson on Poetry
3) Comparing and Constrasting Informational biographies and literature biographies

[Ayanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to my kids and they loved it. They were fascinated with all of the details that kids find important - spiders, mean parents, and pretty girls. I was surprised at how much they enjoyed the poetry as they are young and have not been exposed to that much poetry. Their reception made me wish there were more poems in the book.
The art is beautiful and the story is well written.

[Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walker does a strong job of describing the childhood and life of the poet/writer Langston Hughes in an understandable manner for elementary age children. She interweaves some of this poetry into her story about him. The illustrations by Catherine Deeter are beautiful and support the text well.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Langston Hughes: American Poet
Walker, Alice
The history and life stories that affected Hughes and how he saw the world. Only two poems that show highlights of his work and how they changed his life.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had purchased this book to read to my class when we were studying Langston Hughes poems. I had to edit some of it because of the use of the N word, but it did give them a background on the man, altho not that interesting. I enjoyed Alice Walker's Author's Note more than the book.

[Marla · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first introduction to Langston Hughes...made me want to read more. Especially interesting to learn what a man of character he was, as revealed in the story of his relationship with his father.

[Leif]

I have read many of his poetic writings but yet to own one of his books. That is of course in the making. A man of his charisma will be added to my library.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little book on Hughes by Alice Walker

[Marjorie Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book highlights Langston Hughes the poet.

[Alicia]

For Ages: 7-11

Summary: The story of Langston Hughes and how he grew up in a world that was against him and many people who didn't agree with the things he wanted to do but he was able to persevere through all this. He also did not give up on the people around him even though they did not always make the right choices.

Review: A very informative story about the life of Langston and the struggles he went through but how he never gave up and did what he loved.

Classroom Use: I would use this teach children about the civil rights and the things African Americans went through but how many never gave up and that they should not either. The children can write about things they love and even their own bibliography.