Langston Hughes
In 1931, more than 90 years ago, poet Langston Hughes visited UNC-Chapel Hill amidst controversy
When Langston Hughes, a world-renowned poet, author and playwright was invited to speak at the then all-White University of North Carolina-Chapel.
In 1931, more than 90 years ago, poet Langston Hughes visited UNC-Chapel Hill amidst controversy
When Langston Hughes, a world-renowned poet, author and playwright was invited to speak at the then all-White University of North Carolina-Chapel.
By - All Things Considered host Gwendolyn Glenn talks to UNC-Chapel Hill archivist Nicholas Graham
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When Langston Hughes, a world-renowned poet, author and playwright was invited to speak at the then all-white University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1931, the event caused a major stir.
A few days before his appearance, the 30-year-old Hughes had an essay and a poem printed in a local, radical publication, Contempo, about the injustice of the trial in Alabama that year of the Scottsboro Boys — nine black teenagers falsely accused of raping two white prostitutes.
His poem titled, ‘Christ in Alabama,’ depicted Jesus as a Black man beaten down by prejudice just like Christ. The university was strongly criticized for inviting Hughes to campus and the school's president received many letters calling for the visit to be canceled. The president refused and one trustee wrote that Hughes should be run out of town before he had a chance to speak.
According to Hughes, the event was packed with students and local white residents. A police officer was assigned to prevent trouble. Hughes wrote in his 1958 Reader that a "...leading politician of the town attempted to get police protection for the program withdrawn..."
UNC’s archivist Nicholas Graham says the magazine "Contempo" that ran Hughes’ writings was seen as a radical publication, so its focus on the trial was not surprising. WFAE's All Things Considered host Gwendolyn Glenn talks to Nicholas Graham, UNC-Chapel Hill's archivist about Hughes' visit to the university.
Highlights from their conversation:
Hughes’ poem and his appearance at UNC-Chapel Hill caused a major stir across North Carolina.
UNC president at the time, Frank Porter Graham, said he had contempt for Hughes' poem and essay but refused to cancel the event or censor Hughes' speech. He said he would take full responsibility for any backlash.
Hughes never joined the Communist Party but an editorial in the Southern Textile Review called his visit an attempt by communist, radical professors to influence students.
Below image description is the link to listen to this interview.
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Image description left to right:
First image: a 1931 Contempo publication issue featuring Langston Hughes’ essay and poem relating to the Scottsboro Boys trial. Source: UNC Chapel Hill Library
Middle image: Portrait of Langston Hughes, Source: Schomburg Center For Research In Black Culture, Photographs And Prints Division, The New York Public Library.
Third image: photograph of Langston Hughes standing beside man, words on image - "University Faulty with a strong interest in race relations and African American culture defied southern racial mores by inviting prominent Blacks to speak on campus. In 1927, poet and activist James Weldon Johnson addressed a university conference on race relations. In 1931, a time of economic hardship and political radicalism, two university professors, Paul Green and Guy Johnson, invited poet and radical leader, Langston Hughes to speak on campus.
Letters of protest poured into the office of President Frank Porter Graham, who defended the right of Hughes to speak on campus. Contempo, a local magazine edited by radical activists, published some of Hughes' poems before his visit, including "Christ in Alabama," which compares southern blacks to the crucified Christ. During the Depression, students and faculty members sympathetic to radical causes gathered at the Intimate Bookshop."
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Listen to All Things Considered host Gwendolyn Glenn talks to UNC-Chapel Hill archivist Nicholas Graham.
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Source link: https://www.wfae.org/.../more-than-90-years-ago-poet...
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Third image source link: https://museum.unc.edu/.../langston-hughes--1902-1967--an
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Read Langston Hughes, "Christ in Alabama," Contempo, 1931.
Source Link: https://dc.lib.unc.edu/.../collection/vir_museum/id/445
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The Hawley Museum is passionately committed to uncovering and sharing the fascinating family stories that have influenced our state's and nation's history. We believe that every family has a unique story to tell, one that adds depth to the rich tapestry of North Carolina and U.S. History.
We encourage you to reflect on your own family narrative—did your ancestors play a pivotal role in these historical events? We invite you to become a part of our family curator team by sharing your family's history, whether it be through photos, videos, articles, or documents.
Let’s work together and weave a more comprehensive narrative that honors the roles families have played in our collective past to inspire future museum visitors.