Langston Hughes' stay in Washington DC

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Did you know that Langston Hughes had a short stay in Washington, D.C. before he became a famous poet in Harlem, NY? Langston arrived in Washington, DC in November of 1924, and stayed until January 1926. He got a job as a Busboy at the Wardman Park Hotel (Now Marriott) in N.W. Washington. Why DC? As some of you know, DC had a thriving Black community at the turn of the 20th Century. Some of that still exist today, but it is slowly disappearing with growing cost of real estate in cities like Washington, Harlem, and Chicago.

Wardman Park Marriott

Langston Hughes writes, "I have a new job at a hotel. . . . The place I work is quite classy. There are European waiters and it caters largely to ambassadors and base-ball players and ladies who wear diamonds."



Sources: prorev.com and porg.org

Comments

Fly Girl said…
It doesn't surprise me that Langston was in DC, he seemed to be in every Black Metropolis of the era at one time or the other. He spent a lot of time in Chicago writing a column for The Defender. He really led a cosmopolitan writer's life, whether it was easy or not.
Saturday, November 15, 2008 1:59:00 PM
Deb Sistrunk Nelson said…
I learned something new today about one of my favorite authors. Thank you.
Saturday, November 15, 2008 5:00:00 PM
get zapped said…
I didn't know this. It's good to know he walked those lovely city streets in the District.

Say hello to our Capital for me :)

Peace.
Monday, November 17, 2008 12:57:00 PM
Writing on Board said…
I knew but you do and you do it well...
Tuesday, November 18, 2008 4:15:00 PM
christina said…
No, this is new to me. I seem to always gravitate to his writings, no matter, my mood. ; )
Tuesday, November 18, 2008 10:19:00 PM
Stephen A. Bess said…
Fly Girl-
Yes, that lifestyle sounds better than it lives. :)

Deb S.-
Cool. I'm happy to deliver.

Zapped-
I said hello and the streets asked me when are you coming back. :)

Alex-
Good to see you. Thanks.

Christina-
Yes, I just need to do it more.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008 2:45:00 PM
Stephen A. Bess said…
T Stephens-
A poet poet poet. :)
Thursday, November 20, 2008 10:33:00 AM
J.M said…
Agreed. He put some very intense, almost inexpressible emotions as well as some very abstract ideas into word pictures, you have to be a poet poet poet achieve that.
Sunday, November 23, 2008 10:31:00 PM
Rose said…
Oh yeah this man probably traveled alot. I love his poems.Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday, November 28, 2008 2:28:00 AM
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