Poet Langston Hughes is born in Joplin, Missouri.
At a Glance
- Date
- 1 February 1902
- Location
- Joplin, Missouri
- Key people
- Langston Hughes
- Category
- Arts & Literature
- Source
- Collected poems · Library of Congress
What It Meant Then
He became the signature poetic voice of the Harlem Renaissance.
What It Means Now
Hughes's verse remains among the most widely read in American letters.
Also on 1 February
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Langston Hughes Is Born.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/langston-hughes-is-born/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Langston Hughes Is Born. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/langston-hughes-is-born/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Langston Hughes Is Born.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/langston-hughes-is-born/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.