November 18, 2011: Edwidge Danticat at the Langston Hughes Festival

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Our Mission

The Langston Hughes Festival explores the literary legacy of the poet laureate of Harlem, James Langston Hughes (1901-1967).  Hughes rose to become a major American poet and central figure of the Harlem Renaissance.  He lived in and traveled to many places, including Africa, Mexico, France and Asia.  Upon the publication of his first volume of poetry, The Weary Blues (1926), he inaugurated a tradition of poetry inflected with the Afrocentric rhythms and tonalities of blues and jazz, and remained dedicated to the depiction of urban African American folk life. Hughes also wrote plays, a novel, two autobiographies and newspaper columns.

The Medal

The Langston Hughes Medal is awarded to highly distinguished writers from throughout the African American diaspora for their impressive works of poetry, fiction, drama, autobiography and critical essays that help to celebrate the memory and tradition of Langston Hughes.

We also sponsor salons, scholarly conferences and symposia as well as a Choral Reading Festival for students grade K through 12 and a Young Scholar's High School Essay Contest.

Affiliated Institutions:

• The Langston Hughes Society
• RAP-SI (BMI)