Biography:Considered one of the 100 greatest African Americans, Langston Hughes was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form called jazz poetry.
He is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. He famously wrote about the period that "the negro was in vogue" which was later paraphrased as "when Harlem was in vogue".
Died:May 22, 1967 (aged 65) Cause of Death: Complications after abdominal surgery, related to prostate cancer
Historical Events
1935-10-24 Langston Hughes' stage drama "Mulatto: A Tragedy of the Deep South", opens at Vanderbilt Theatre, NYC; runs for 373 performances
1949-03-31 William Grant Still's opera "Troubled Island" with libretto by Langston Hughes and Verna Arvey, premieres at the New York City Opera; 1st grand opera composed by an African American produced by a major company
1950-11-02 Jan Meyerowitz and Langston Hughes' musical drama "The Barrier" opens at Broadhurst Theater, NYC; runs for 4 performances
1950-11-04 Jan Meyerowitz and Langston Hughes' musical drama "The Barrier" closes at Broadhurst Theater, NYC. after 4 performances
1990-09-07 New York City Opera's production of Kurt Weill and Langston Hughes' "Street Scene" opens at NY State Theater, NYC; runs for 6 performances
1991-02-14 Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston's stage comedy "Mule Bone" opens at Ethel Barrymore Theatre, NYC; runs for 68 performances
1991-04-14 Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston's stage comedy "Mule Bone" closes at Ethel Barrymore Theatre, NYC, after 68 performances
Gerhart Hauptmann
Maxim Gorky
Tennessee Williams
John Milton
Lewis Carroll
Sylvia Plath