Happy Deathday, Mr. Hughes!

On this day, in 1967, American writer and social-activist, Langston Hughes died of prostate cancer at the age of 65.

Hughes is widely considered to be one of the most important black writers of the 20th century.

In 1926 he published “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain” in The Nation, an essay that would influence the Harlem Renaissance for years to come.

Poetry, plays, short stories, nonfiction and memoirs… Hughes wrote it all. One of our favorite poems by Mr. Hughes will always be “A Negro Speaks of Rivers”. Hughes was speaking specifically of the Kaw River, which figures heavily in recollections of his youth, spent in Lawrence, Kansas. 

Hughes strongly believed that “black art” should represent the experiences and culture of the black “folk.” His work was infused with blues and jazz culture and reflected the soul of the urban working class at that time. Some of his more famous writing associated with the Harlem Renaissance include the collections of poems, The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jew (1927); the novel Not Without Laughter (1930);  and a personal favorite of ours, a collection of short stories called The Ways of White Folks (1934).

His influence, even today, upon not only “black art” but on the whole of politically charged writers and artists, is undeniable.

Today, think about your culture… your roots. Because in the end, it’s not really about whether you’re black or white anymore… (or at least, it shouldn’t be) … it’s about what you, as a voice of your generation, have to say about social injustice across the world… it’s about what you have to say about your own identity and how it fits into the environment and time in which we live now. Write for your people today… whoever they may be.

Write on in Peace, Mr. Hughes!

Happy Belated Deathday Mr. Hugo!

We were absent yesterday due to our “google machine”, as we call it, being curiously sluggish. We would like to extend apologies to Mr. Victor Hugo for missing his official deathday, which was yesterday.

Victor Hugo died of advanced infection on May 22nd in 1885. The brilliant poet, author, artist, activist and playwright was 83 years old.

During his lifetime Hugo published a great many works; most notably Les Miserbales, Notre-Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), La Legende des Siecles, and his numerous volumes of poetry. 

Victor Hugo captured the spirit of the Romantic Era unlike any other writer of his time. Though his first works in poetry and in fiction were devoted to the passionate proclamation of his faith, the precocious eloquence and ardor of these early works made him famous before his time. With later works like Notre-Dame de Paris, Hugo’s writing became darker and his characters all the more tragic and naturally, all the more romantic.

We at Dead Writers Club have a favorite poem by this delightful French man. If you’ve not read Et Nox Facta Est, please click the link provided. You will be all more enriched for having read it.

We do not say this of many writers very often but Victor Hugo might just be one of those writers who truly perfected the craft. We would like to tip our hats to Mr. Hugo today and hope you will too.

Write on in peace, Victor Hugo!