Langston Hughes (1902-1967) had a varied career that took him far away from his birthplace in Joplin, Missouri. His early love for reading books was encouraged by his mother, who often took him to the library. His mother also wrote poetry and gave dramatic readings. Her work required her to travel extensively. After his parents separated, his father moved to Mexico and Hughes went to live with his maternal grandmother. She, too, had an influence on his future career. She was a good storyteller, and she often told him about the days of slavery. The maternal influence and the sense of deep pride in his people (then referred to as Negroes) are evident in all of Hughes's writing. At nineteen, Langston enrolled at Columbia University but left after a year.he traveled throughout Europe and Africa and worked at many jobs, including being a deckhand on a ship and a dishwasher in a Parisian nightclub. Money was always a problem, but he persevered and remained optimistic Whether he was struggling