Langston Hughes
Not only does the first day of February usher in Black History Month, it is
the birthdate of Langston Hughes (1902-1967), one of the nation's most respected writers. VCU Libraries is unveiling its latest online exhibit on what would have been Hughes' 103rd birthday.
"Something Very Real" - Langston Hughes and Richmond, Virginia explores
Hughes' visit to Richmond on Friday, November 19, 1926. His appearance at Virginia Union University marked his first reading in the South.
On the night before his reading, Hughes attended a small party given in his honor in the Richmond home of Hunter Stagg (1895-1960), remembered best as one of the founding editors of The Reviewer, Richmond literary magazine that received national attention in the 1920s. Hughes' papers are housed in VCU Libraries' Special Collections and Archives and materials in the collection are featured in the exhibit.
-- Ray Bonis, Special Collections and Archives.