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, Poetry, Emotion, Personal Experience, Social Commentary
Langston Hughes’s Quotes On Topics
Justice | Empowerment | Artistic Impact | Suffering | Resilience | Truth | American Life | Media Representation | Spiritual Growth | Materialism | Emotional Complexity | Social Observation | Cosmic Imagery | Cultural Comparison | Artistic Inspiration | Poetic Expression | Human Goodness | Creative Challenge | Childhood | Black Experience | More
More Langston Hughes Quotes
“Why should I want to be white? I am a Negro – and beautiful!” Langston Hughes
Identity, Pride, Beauty, Racial Affirmation, Self-acceptance
Langston Hughes Identity, Pride, Beauty, Racial Affirmation, Self-acceptance“What a difference a border makes: on one side of an invisible line, food; on the other side, none. On one side, peace. On the other side, war. On one side, quiet in the sunlight. On the other side the dangerous chee-eep, chee-eep, chee-eep, that was not birds, the BANG! of shells, the whine of sirens, and the bursting of bombs over crowded cities.” Langston Hughes
Borders, War, Peace, Inequality, Global Politics
Langston Hughes Borders, War, Peace, Inequality, Global Politics“One of the great needs of Negro children is to have books about themselves and their lives that can help them be proud.” Langston Hughes
Education, Representation, Identity, Empowerment, African American Literature
Langston Hughes Education, Representation, Identity, Empowerment, African American Literature“Black like me - a Negro with a white skin - can only get so far.” Langston Hughes
Racial Identity, Social Limitations, Prejudice, Appearance, Irony
Langston Hughes Racial Identity, Social Limitations, Prejudice, Appearance, Irony“The silence inside the library, the big chairs, and long tables, and the fact that the library was always there and didn’t seem to have a mortgage on it, or any sort of insecurity about it – all of that made me love it.” Langston Hughes
Library, Solitude, Comfort, Love Of Reading, Intellectual Sanctuary
Langston Hughes Library, Solitude, Comfort, Love Of Reading, Intellectual Sanctuary“Sometimes I wish the public were equally aware of the men of our race in the cultural fields. You, for instance, have you ever bought a book by a Negro writer?” Langston Hughes
Representation, Literature, Racism, Cultural Awareness, Social Challenge
Langston Hughes Representation, Literature, Racism, Cultural Awareness, Social Challenge“Youth is not entirely a time of life; it is a state of mind.” Langston Hughes
Youth, Mindset, Age, Perspective, Personal Philosophy
Langston Hughes Youth, Mindset, Age, Perspective, Personal Philosophy“Oh, my land, my friends, I am no Communist, I am no foreigner, I am the same man, tired, hungry, poor, my tax there helped you win in war.” Langston Hughes
Identity, Struggle, Poverty, Patriotism, Socio-economic Commentary
Langston Hughes Identity, Struggle, Poverty, Patriotism, Socio-economic Commentary“They could not understand that there is some few people in the world who do good without being asked. It were a hot day, I were a little boy, and ice-cream cones are always good. And that man just looked at me and thought I would like one – which I did. That is one reason why I do not hate all white folks today because some white folks will do good without being asked or hauled up before the Supreme Court to have a law promulgated against them.” Langston Hughes
Kindness, Racial Relations, Childhood Memory, Prejudice, Human Goodness
Langston Hughes Kindness, Racial Relations, Childhood Memory, Prejudice, Human Goodness“The first of the month falls every month, too, North or South. And them white folks who sends bills never forgets to send them-the phone bill, the furniture bill, the water bill, the gas bill, insurance, house rent.” Langston Hughes
Capitalism, Inequality, Socio-economic Reality, Social Commentary, Financial Responsibility
Langston Hughes Capitalism, Inequality, Socio-economic Reality, Social Commentary, Financial Responsibility“I went down to the river, I set down on the bank. I tried to think but couldn't, So I jumped in and sank.” Langston Hughes
Despair, Confusion, Metaphor, Emotional Turmoil, Poetic Imagery
Langston Hughes Despair, Confusion, Metaphor, Emotional Turmoil, Poetic Imagery“Violent anger makes me physically ill.” Langston Hughes
Anger, Health, Emotion, Personal Boundary, Self-awareness
Langston Hughes Anger, Health, Emotion, Personal Boundary, Self-awareness“When a man starts out to build a world, He starts first with himself.” Langston Hughes
Self-improvement, Responsibility, Social Change, Personal Growth, Ambition
Langston Hughes Self-improvement, Responsibility, Social Change, Personal Growth, Ambition“O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe.” Langston Hughes
Liberty, Equality, Opportunity, Patriotism, Social Justice
Langston Hughes Liberty, Equality, Opportunity, Patriotism, Social Justice“Without going outside his race, and even among the better classes with their 'white' culture and conscious American manners, but still Negro enough to be different, there is sufficient matter to furnish a black artist with a lifetime of creative work.” Langston Hughes
Art, Race, Identity, Creativity, Cultural Heritage
Langston Hughes Art, Race, Identity, Creativity, Cultural Heritage“We younger Negro artists who create now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased, we are glad. If they are not, it doesn't matter. We know we are beautiful. And ugly too.” Langston Hughes
Art, Identity, Self-expression, Racial Pride, Artistic Freedom
Langston Hughes Art, Identity, Self-expression, Racial Pride, Artistic Freedom“Democracy will not come today, this year, nor ever through compromise and fear.” Langston Hughes
Democracy, Courage, Social Change, Political Commentary, Determination
Langston Hughes Democracy, Courage, Social Change, Political Commentary, Determination“Hang yourself, poet, in your own words. Otherwise, you are dead.” Langston Hughes
Poetry, Authenticity, Artistic Integrity, Self-expression, Creative Challenge
Langston Hughes Poetry, Authenticity, Artistic Integrity, Self-expression, Creative Challenge“Mortal frailty, greed, and error, know no boundary lines. The explosives of war do not care whose hands fashion them. Certainly, both Marxists and Christians can be cruel. Would that Christ came back to save us all. We do not know how to save ourselves.” Langston Hughes
War, Humanity, Greed, Moral Ambiguity, Social Critique
Langston Hughes War, Humanity, Greed, Moral Ambiguity, Social Critique