Hughes's creative genius was influenced by his life in New York City's Harlem, a primarily African American neighborhood. His literary works helped shape American literature and politics. Hughes, like others active in the Harlem Renaissance, had a strong sense of racial pride.
During the Harlem Renaissance, which took place roughly from the 1920s to the mid-'30s, many Black artists flourished as public interest in their work took off. One of the Renaissance's leading lights was poet and author Langston Hughes.
Hughes not only made his mark in this artistic movement by breaking boundaries with his poetry, he drew on international experiences, found kindred spirits amongst his fellow artists, took a stand for the possibilities of Black art and influenced how the Harlem Renaissance would be remembered.
