James Mercer Langston Hughes, born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri, was a towering figure in American literature and the Harlem Renaissance. As a poet, novelist, playwright, and social activist, he chronicled the African American experience with profound empathy and insight. Hughes’ career highlights include publishing his first poem at age 19, writing iconic works like “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” and earning recognition for his contributions to civil rights and culture. He received numerous honors, including the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. His quotes, sourced from poetry collections, autobiographies, essays, and interviews, offer timeless wisdom on life. In this list, we present 15 quotes by Langston Hughes that explore themes of dreams, resilience, and the human condition, drawing from his extensive body of work.
15 Langston Hughes Quotes
1. “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” (Poem, “Dreams,” 1922)
2. “Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine!” (Poem, “Life is Fine,” 1949)
3. “What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?” (Poem, “Harlem,” 1951)
4. “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” (Poem, “Mother to Son,” 1922)
5. “I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother.” (Poem, “I, Too,” 1926)
6. “Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.” (Poem, “April Rain Song,” 1921)
7. “I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins.” (Poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” 1921)
8. “Oh, God of dust and rainbows, help us see that without dust the rainbow would not be.” (Poem, “Prayer,” 1948)
9. “In all my life, I have never been free.” (Autobiography, “The Big Sea,” 1940)
10. “I am so tired of waiting, aren’t you, for the world to become good and beautiful and kind?” (Poem, “Tired,” 1942)
11. “Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be.” (Poem, “Let America Be America Again,” 1936)
12. “Life must be lived, and curiosity kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.” (Essay, “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain,” 1926)
13. “The night is beautiful, so are the faces of my people, the stars are beautiful…” (Poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” 1921)
14. “Hold on to your dreams, for they are the seeds from which life grows.” (Interview, The New York Times, 1959