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Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes Quotes

Poet

American poet, writer, playwright, editor, and actor. Langston Hughes is one of the most prominent figures of the Harlem Renaissance, known for his poetry and prose. His works often explore themes of race, class, and identity, and have been beloved by readers.

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Famous Langston Hughes Quotes

“Books -where if people suffered, they suffered in beautiful language, not in monosyllables, as we did in Kansas”

People Ifs Book Beautiful Language Kansas

Author:Langston Hughes

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.”

Ifs Love Inspirational Dream Life Is Poetry Dies Change Freedom Business Knowledge Positive Thinking Inspirational Life Broken Bird Wings Educational African American Novelists Your Dreams Broken Heart Dreamer American Dream Fulfilling Follow Your Dreams Black History Chase Your Dreams Dreams Do Come True Hopes And Dreams I Had A Dream Dreams And Reality Essayists Just A Dream Dreams You Have Hold Fast Columnists Black History Month Dare To Dream Small Dreams Dreams And Goals Broken Dreams Following Dreams Achieving Dreams Black History Month Inspirational Life Dream Dream Reality Following My Dreams African American History Achieving Your Dreams Inspirational Dream Life Is A Dream Dreams And Aspirations Hopes Dreams Black History Inspirational Life And Dreams Harlem Renaissance Fulfilling Dreams African American Inspirational Dreaming About You Never Stop Dreaming Broken Wings Bird Flying Cute Dream Dreams And Passion Hopes In Life Dream Chasing Fulfilling Your Dreams

Author:Langston Hughes

“I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go.”

Ifs Way Want Life Inspirational Life Determination Will And Determination Harlem Renaissance

Book:The Collected Works of Langston Hughes

Source: The Collected Works of Langston Hughes

“I asked you, baby, If you understood- You told me that you didn't, But you thought you would.”

Ifs Baby Understood

Book:The Poems, 1951-1967

Source: The Poems, 1951-1967

“Though you may hear me holler, And you may see me cry-- I'll be dogged, sweet baby, If you gonna see me die.”

Ifs May Dies Cry Sweet Baby Sweet Baby

Book:Selected Poems of Langston Hughes

Source: Selected Poems of Langston Hughes

“Most musicians remain poor. But the music that they make, even if it does not bring them millions, gives millions of people happiness.”

People Ifs Giving Doe Poor Millions Musician

Book:Works for Children and Young Adults: Biographies

Source: Works for Children and Young Adults: Biographies

“I don't dare start thinking in the morning. I don't dare start thinking in the morning. If I thought thoughts in bed, Them thoughts would bust my head-- So I don't dare start thinking in the morning.”

Ifs Thinking Morning Bed Dare

Book:The Collected Works of Langston Hughes: Gospel plays, operas, and later dramatic works

Source: The Collected Works of Langston Hughes: Gospel plays, operas, and later dramatic works

“Words Like Freedom There are words like Freedom Sweet and wonderful to say. On my heartstrings freedom sings All day everyday. There are words like Liberty That almost make me cry. If you had known what I know You would know why.”

Ifs Knows Known Liberty Wonderful Cry Sweet Everyday Heartstrings

Book:The Panther and the Lash

Source: The Panther and the Lash

“We younger Negro artists who create now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased, we are glad. If they are not, it doesn't matter. We know we are beautiful. And ugly too. The tom-tom cries and the tom-tom laughs. If colored people are pleased, we are glad. If they are not, it doesn't matter either. We build our temples for tomorrow, strong as we know how, and we stand on top of the mountain, free within ourselves.”

Source: The Collected Works of Langston Hughes: Essays on art, race, politics, and world affairs

“We younger Negro artists who create now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased we are glad. If they aren?t it doesn?t matter.”

People Ifs Self Matter Artist Individual Black Dark White Shame Glad Dark Skinned

Book:Langston Hughes and the Chicago Defender: Essays on Race, Politics, and Culture, 1942-62

Source: Langston Hughes and the Chicago Defender: Essays on Race, Politics, and Culture, 1942-62

“If you want to honor me, give some young boy or girl who's coming along trying to create arts and write and compose and sing and act and paint and dance and make something out of the beauties of the Negro race-give that child some help.”

Ifs Want Giving Writing Trying Children Art Helping Young Girl Race Boys Honor Paint

Book:The Early Simple Stories

Source: The Early Simple Stories

“As long as what is is-and Georgia is Georgia-I will take Harlem for mine. At least, if trouble comes, I will have my own window to shoot from.”

Ifs Long My Own Trouble New York Mines Window Georgia Harlem

Book:The Early Simple Stories

Source: The Early Simple Stories

“If the government can set aside some spot for a elk to be a elk without being bothered, or a buffalo to be a buffalo without being shot down, there ought to be some place where a Negro can be a Negro without being Jim Crowed.”

Ifs Government Rights Ought Shots Spots Bothered Jim Crow Buffalo Elk

Book:The Best of Simple

Source: The Best of Simple

“When I were a young man, I used to play baseball and steal bases just like Jackie Robinson. If the empire would rule me out, I would get mad and hit the empire.”

Ifs Men Play Young Used Sports Baseball Bases Mad Stealing Young Man Empires Jackie

Author:Langston Hughes

About the Author

Born: February 1, 1902
Died: May 22, 1967
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 225

Related Topics

Poetry African Americans Blacks Race Poem Racism Race Relations Dream People America Ifs Black Knows Harlem Renaissance Poverty World Stills White Democracy Fall

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Good Morning, Revolution: Uncollected Social Protest WritingsRelated source material

The Collected Works of Langston Hughes: Essays on art, race, politics, and world affairsRelated source material

The Poems, 1951-1967Related source material

The Best of SimpleRelated source material

The Collected Works of Langston Hughes: The poems, 1921-1940Related source material

The Early Simple StoriesRelated source material

The Return of SimpleRelated source material

Selected Poems of Langston HughesRelated source material

The Collected Works of Langston Hughes: The poems, 1941-1950Related source material

The Collected Works of Langston Hughes: Works for children and young adults: poetry, fiction, and other writingRelated source material

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