A leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes was the first to use his poetry to reflect the real daily lives of average Black people. This collection celebrates Black pride and contains messages of hope and optimism from the 1920s.
Langston Hughes is often referred to as the Poet Laureate of African-American experience. The writer featured themes of cultural heritage, racial discrimination, and optimism in his poetry. He used his work to reflect the struggles of Black people in America, but also to send messages of hope. Jazz and blues had a strong influence on his work and dreams are a recurring theme in his poetry. Not only does Hughes comment on the American dream and Black people's inability to achieve it, but he also uses dreams as a symbol of hope for equity and freedom.
This collection features several sections, including:
- The Weary Blues
- Dream Variations
- The Negro Speaks of Rivers
- Black Pierrot
- Water-Front Streets
- Shadows in the Sun
- Our Land
Where the Jazz Band Plays - The Weary Blues
has been proudly published by specialist poetry imprint Ragged Hand and features an introductory excerpt by Carl Van Vechten and the introductory essay
A Brief History of the Harlem Renaissance
. This collection is a perfect gift for fans of Hughes' poetry and those with an interest in Black history.