Langston Hughes (1902 - 1967) was the leading voice of the <em>Harlem Renaissance</em> (period of increased artistic activity among African Americans between the two world wars). He is known for portraying the beauty of ordinary black life, which often included his own experiences. He wrote novels, plays and poems. His poems, such as <em>The Negro Speaks Of Rivers</em> or <em>Let America Be America Again, </em>remain popular even today.
