White poetry written about the experiences of white people was the only kind of verse most folks had ever heard. ... Hughes first book of poetry, The Weary Blues, was published by Alfred A. ... He wanted to tell the stories of his people in ways that reflected their actual culture, including both their suffering and their love of music, laughter, and language itself. Hughes did not confine himself to revealing just the cadences of black music to his readers. ... If white people are pleased, we are glad. ...

• Word Count: 1071
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

This man's main mission was to help enlighten people on the racial issues that were before them (Berry 5). ... They gave him the worst dormitory and a job on the newspaper reporting about the white fraternity parties. ... There, in Africa, he was treated like he was White and found that it was, in many ways, like reverse discrimination from what was in America. ... He once said, "Jazz to me is one of the inherent expressions of Negro life in America" (Berry 21). When Hughes returned to New York City in 1926, he became involved in the Harlem Renaissance, and published his first poet...

• Word Count: 1218
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School