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We Negro writers, just by being black, have been on the blacklist all our lives. Censorship for us begins at the color line.

Langston Hughes

If the government can set aside some spot for a elk to be a elk without being bothered, or a buffalo to be a buffalo without being shot down, there ought to be some place where a Negro can be a Negro without being Jim Crowed.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Animal Be Yourself Equality Government Oppression Place Safety
Well, when Christ comes back this time, I hope He comes back mad His own self. I hope He drives the Jim Crowers out of their high places, every living last one of them from Washington to Texas.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Drive God Hope Myself Place Time
Let America be America, where equality is in the air we breathe.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Breathe Country Equality
Politics can be the graveyard of the poet. And only poetry can be his resurrection.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Grave Himself Poet Poetry Politics
The calm, Cool face of the river, Asked me for a kiss.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Calm Cool Face Kiss Myself River
Yet the ivory gods, And the ebony gods, And the gods of diamond-jade, Are only silly puppet gods That people themselves Have made.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Build Fake God Imagination People
The depression brought everybody down a peg or two. And the Negroes had but few pegs to fall.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Alcohol Depression Fall
Good morning, Revolution: You’re the very best friend I ever had. We gonna pal around together from now on.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Best Friendship Morning Myself Togetherness
A dog gets lonesome just like a human. He wants to associate with other dogs, but when they take him out, the poor dog is on a leash and cannot run around.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Dog Human Prison Run
Peace We passed their graves: The dead men there, Winners or losers, Did not care. In the dark They could not see Who had gained The victory.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Death Grave Man Peace Victory
Words Like Freedom There are words like Freedom Sweet and wonderful to say. On my heartstrings freedom sings All day everyday. There are words like Liberty That almost make me cry. If you had known what I know You would know why.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Freedom Heart Myself Sing Wonderful Word
Looks like what drives me crazy Don’t have no effect on you– But I’m gonna keep on at it Till it drives you crazy, too.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Affect Crazy Drive Love Relationship Yourself
My seeking has been to explain and illuminate the Negro condition in America and obliquely that of all human kind.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Condition Explanation Human Kind Seek
If you want to honor me, give some young boy or girl who’s coming along trying to create arts and write and compose and sing and act and paint and dance and make something out of the beauties of the Negro race-give that child some help.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Beautiful Children Help Honor Man Race Respect Woman Writing Young
Both of them were very good and kind – the one who went to church and the one who didn’t. And no doubt from them I learned to like both Christians and sinners equally well.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Doubt Equality Goodness Kindness Learning Myself Sin
Most musicians remain poor. But the music that they make, even if it does not bring them millions, gives millions of people happiness.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Happiness Music People Poor

We Negro writers, just by being black, have been on the blacklist all our lives. Censorship for us begins at the color line.

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Popular Authors

We Negro writers, just by being black, have been on the blacklist all our lives. Censorship for us begins at the color line.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Langston Hughes Quotes