Black History Month – Literature – Derek Walcott and Langston Hughes
It would be a pleasure to study each of these men and their poetry for a year at least!
Derek Walcott with his amazing legacy of the St. Lucia island where he grew up, his dignity, insight, and keen intelligence.
Langston Hughes brings music, jazz, and the heat of the Harlem Renaissance to his work after living and moving around the south. Poetry, music, theater, books, Langston did it all.
I am so grateful for the internet. We can be lifelong students on anything that interests us in this day and age!!
Derek Walcott
My nephew is studying African American Literature this semester in school. I was very happy to learn about Omeros during his current project. I loved the Epic poems from Greece, and Homer in particular. How wonderful that Derek Walcott was inspired by them to write about the experience of the African hostages as they journeyed to the Caribbean as they became slaves. This amazing piece of literature was given the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992.
Omeros has some images that are difficult to bear. The story is dark and deep and told with many characters. Even so, the beauty as they come to St. Lucia is hopeful for the future as they start their new lives of adversity.
Here is a video of Derek Walcott speaking at a writer’s conference. We are fortunate that he is a living treasure in our society!
Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes passed away in NYC in 1967 at the age of 65. In the 1920′s he was one of the most active artists in the Harlem Renaissance. His occupation is listed on Wikipedia as: poet, columnist, dramatist, essayist, lyricist, novelist.
His father did not like his own people, and left Langston’s mother early in his life to live in Mexico. Langston said after staying with his father - ”I had been thinking about my father and his strange dislike of his own people. I didn’t understand it, because I was a Negro, and I liked Negroes very much.”
Hughes made himself into a great artist and grew with his society through the 1920′s through his death in the 60′s.
Langston Hughes reading his poem – “I, too” on youtube.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omeros
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Walcott
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1992/walcott-bio.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes
http://www.redhotjazz.com/hughes.html
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/langston-hughes
Sally K Witt
Social Media and Ministry
sallykwitt@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/HowManyPlacesCanWeConnect
http://bruceandsallywitt.wordpress.com
http://sallykwitt.blogspot.com
http://xeeme.com/SallyKWitt/
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Amen! and thanks for a beautifully researched and written piece!
What a wonderful poem! Thank you for sharing! Mom
Thank you so very much for participating in the blog hop! Wishing you the very best in your bloggy endeavors! Cheers!
Kelly
http://www.livelaughrowe.com
Reblogged this on txwikinger's blog.
For someone who did his Masters in D-town MI this means a lot. Listening to all those stories this is a wonderful read. Beautifully written.
Thanks for writing a post in particular about black history month
Thanks so much Sally. There is nothing quite like a poem to bring forth the truth of he heart.
What a beautiful post about two outstanding writers. I love reading the poetry of Langston Hughes. He is such a powerful poet.
Thanks for sharing thoughtful poem for the black history month.
G.W. Carver – my H.S. was named for him, a great black scientist (the peanut guy)
Hughes created a huge body of great musical work …….!
I wish good people lived longer lives. They have so much to give.
Beautiful poem , thanks for the post!!
T^hanks
Nice to give credit and remember their great contribution to literature and to the society.for that matter. Here’s to the rich black american culture.
Black History Month. Now, who had the bright idea to put a color on something great? Why look at the color of a person and not at their value as a human being? Huges could be any color to a blind person, and they would still love his work. Sorry, but I just don’t see any reason to put a color to a work of art.
A well researched piece. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for sharing, Sally
Had heard about Langston Hughes before, but not Derek Walcott. Thanks for sharing.
Vet nice post i particularly liked “I, too”
“Very” nor “Vet”
Thanks for sharing, Sally!
Really well done! I appreciate the time & attention you put into this post, Sally!
i loved your site, thanks!
Stopping by from the Grow your blog {blog Hop}! http://queenofsavings.com