How do we view Hughes’s legacy today? How did Martin Lither King help further that legacy?

Answer: Langston Hughes's legacy today is that of a cultural hero who was a major figure in the Harlem Renaissance—a period during the 1920s and 1930s when African American art, music, and literature flourished. Hughes was a prolific writer whose work includes poetry, plays, essays, and novels that often focused on the lives and struggles of African Americans. He was known for his use of jazz rhythms and the vernacular in his writing, which made his work accessible and relevant to the black experience in America. Hughes's contributions to American literature helped validate the African American experience and inspired future generations to explore their cultural identity.

In terms of Martin Luther King Jr., while he was not directly connected to Hughes, his efforts in the Civil Rights Movement furthered the legacy of racial equality that Hughes promoted through his work. King was a leader in the movement that sought to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans, often emphasizing the importance of nonviolent protest. Through his eloquent speeches and leadership, King helped mobilize the public and brought about significant civil rights legislation, building upon the social consciousness that Langston Hughes and other artists of the Harlem Renaissance tried to instill through their art.