Langston Hughes And Rivers
Langston Hughes was a prolific poet, novelist and playwright whose works spanned over a long career from the 1920’s to the 1960’s. He wrote about many topics, including race, jazz, children and rivers. The rivers mentioned most often in his work were the Mississippi and the Ohio rivers, though references to other bodies of water frequently appear in his poetry, prose and plays.
The Mississippi is a symbol of freedom throughout Langston Hughes’s works, often embodying themes of resilience and endurance. In his poem ‘Let America Be America Again’, Hughes envisioned the river as “rolling along, full of sadness, full of longing”. As a major artery of transportation and commerce, the Mississippi’s importance to African Americans during the pre-Civil Rights era can scarcely be overstated. The Ohio River is referenced in a supplemental poem by Hughes called ‘Oh My Goodness, Thank the Lord’. Here, it is the backdrop to a spiritual salvation scene, in which a group of people make a baptismal journey across the waters.
The Colorado River makes brief appearances in both Hughes’s fiction and poetry. In his poem ‘A Summer Thought’, the Colorado serves as a source of rejuvenation and renewal. Hughes mentions it as a source of inspiration as well as a burial site: “cool waters smooth [his] weathered face and ease pain in his soul for his broken dreams”. Beyond its literary references, the Colorado River holds significant historical and economic importance for both the United States and Mexico.
Lesser known rivers in Hughes’s works include the Missouri and the Arkansas, which feature in his short story ‘One-Way Ticket’. In the text, an African American man reflects on a trip he and his family took down the Missouri and Arkansas rivers. Hughes expresses his nostalgia for the historic jaunts taken by black Americans along different rivers in the piece.
Overall, it is clear that Langston Hughes was deeply interested in the physical and metaphysical benefits that rivers have to offer. His references to the Mississippi, Ohio and other free-flowing bodies of water throughout his works capture the hope, dreams and deprivation that defined America’s racial history.
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River served as a major source of inspiration to Hughes throughout his life. Hughes himself spent significant time in St. Louis and Cairo, two cities located along the banks of the Mississippi. As a site of resilience and endurance for generations of African Americans, the Mississippi’s importance in the works of Langston Hughes is paramount. In his poem ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers’, Hughes explicates one of his key ideas – that disease, poverty, happiness and strength all live along the river for both current and future generations.
The Mississippi is no stranger to depicting wretchedness and hopelessness in black life either. In his novel Not Without Laughter, Hughes paints the Mississippi as a merciless tyrant that will bring harm to African Americans and their communities. With imagery drawn from the river, Hughes’s story speaks to the pain and suffering experienced by African Americans in pre-Civil Rights era America.
Finally, the spirit of renewal and hope is also strongly felt throughout Hughes’s works concerning the Mississippi River. His poem ‘Put On the Weary Blues’ speaks to this idea, with the Mississippi remembered in a “black and deep (and threatening)” light. Hughes’s depiction of the Mississippi in Not Without Laughter is especially uplifting, with the river serving as a reminder that pain and suffering can be overcome.
Ohio River
The Ohio River is mentioned repeatedly in Langston Hughes’s poetry and prose, often serving as the backdrop for religious or spiritual scenes. In his poem ‘Oh My Goodness, Thank the Lord’, the Ohio figures prominently. Here, the river is presented as salvation for the protagonist, with baptismal rites being performed on its waters. Hughes also alludes to the Ohio River in his short story ‘One-Way Ticket’, where a group of African Americans take a journey down the river in order to find religious escape.
The Ohio river is also depicted as a source of liberation in Hughes’s works. In his poem ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers’, an image of emancipation unfolds as Hughes discusses retreating to the river to find solace and peace. This sentiment is echoed in Not Without Laughter, with the title of the book being a play on the Mississippi River’s own phrase ‘not without laughter’.
Hughes’s references to the Ohio River illustrate the importance of rivers in African American culture and life. By depicting the Ohio in his works, Hughes speaks to the idea of freedom from slavery that is intimately tied with the history of the river.
Colorado River
Though the Colorado River is mentioned only briefly in Langston Hughes’s works, its role in African American history and culture cannot be overlooked. The Colorado River was an important transport route and source of water for the Indigenous tribes that lived along its banks before the arrival of European settlers. Hughes’s brief references to the river in his works illustrate the significance of the Colorado in African American life.
In his poem ‘A Summer Thought’, Hughes evokes the idea of the Colorado as a source of transformation and regeneration. The poem opens with the phrase “cool waters smooth my weathered face”, and continues to reflect on the idea of the Colorado being a burial ground for lost dreams. This sentiment is echoed in one of Hughes’s most famous works, ‘Let America Be America Again’, where he describes the river as both a source of sadness and longing.
The Colorado is also referenced briefly in Hughes’s novel Not Without Laughter. Here, the river serves as an impetus for the protagonist’s journey to redemption and self-discovery. Again, the idea of the river being an instrument of salvation and liberation is clearly at work in the text.
Missouri and Arkansas Rivers
The Missouri and Arkansas rivers are far less mentioned in Hughes’s works than the Mississippi and the Ohio, but they still feature prominently in his stories and poems. In his short story ‘One-Way Ticket’, Hughes’s protagonist reflects on a past trip taken along the Missouri and Arkansas rivers. Here, the two rivers are depicted as symbols of hope and refuge for African Americans seeking to flee oppression.
The Missouri River is also mentioned briefly in Hughes’s poem ‘One Evening in June’. Here, Hughes paints the river as an instrument of change, with its waters serving as an impetus for transformation. By acknowledging the Missouri’s importance in African American culture and life, Hughes speaks to the idea of rivers being a source of liberation and strength.
Finally, the Arkansas River also makes an appearance in Hughes’s works. In his poem ‘Mississippi’, the Arkansas is mentioned in passing as a part of a grander narrative reflecting on the course of history. Hughes pays homage to the Arkansas River in a nostalgic way, reflecting on its importance to African Americans in the pre-Civil Rights era.
Rivers in Langston Hughes’ Works
In conclusion, rivers are a frequent motif in the works of Langston Hughes. The Mississippi, Ohio, Colorado, Missouri and Arkansas all make appearances throughout his poetry, fiction and plays. The rivers embody many of Hughes’s central themes – freedom, resilience, endurance, liberation and salvation. By referencing rivers in his works, Hughes speaks to the crucial role that rivers have played in African American culture and life for centuries.
