LANGSTON HUGHES

     One of the most prolific American writers of
the 20th century, Langston Hughes (1902-1967)
gained international renown as "the poet laureate
of the Negro" during the Harlem Renaissance.  By
his death in 1967, he had published sixteen books
of poetry, two novels, seven collections of short
stories, two autobiographies, nine children's books
and five works of nonfiction including pictorial
histories of black America and blacks in the
performing arts.  The Book of Negro Humor and the
Book of Negro Folklore are counted among the nine
anthologies of poetry, folklore, short fiction and
humor that he edited.  His translations of works by
Jacques Roumain, Nicholas Guillen and Federico
Garcia Lorca introduced these Haitian, Cuban and
Spanish writers to American and English-speaking
audiences.  Some thirty plays, as well as radio,
television and film scripts and opera librettos are
included in his oeuvres.  Hundreds of his poems
have been set to music.

     Born in Joplin, Missouri in 1902, Langston
Hughes attended Columbia University between 1921
and 1922 and earned his bachelors degree from
Lincoln University (PA) in 1929.  He published his
signature poem, The Negro Speaks of Rivers in 1921
and his first book of poetry, The Weary Blues in
1926, the same year that The New York Public
Library acquired the personal collection of Arturo
Alfonso Schomburg.  Like other Harlem Renaissance
figures, Hughes was a friend of Mr. Schomburg and a
regular user of the library.  Early on in his
career, he made a practice of reserving copies of
his literary works for deposit in the "Schomburg
Collection."  He also made a point of donating
copies of programs, reviews and clippings related
to his career to the Collection.  These materials
have been supplemented by items acquired or
collected by the Center staff or donated by
individuals who knew Mr. Hughes.

     One of the most widely translated 20th-century
American writers, Hughes' works have been published
in many languages including French, Italian,
Spanish, Swedish, Chinese, Russian and Japanese.
In his will, he donated all of the foreign language
translations of his work to the Schomburg.   The
Langston Hughes Collections at the Schomburg Center
include these books as well as autographed
manuscripts, typescripts and drafts of poems and
books; scripts for radio, motion pictures and
television; Broadway revues and musicals; programs,
playbills, photographs and sound recordings.