Langston Hughes was an influential African American writer born in 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. He was a renowned poet, novelist, playwright and columnist known for incorporating African American musical styles like blues and jazz into his poetry. Some of his most famous poems included Dreams, Theme for English B, and Freedom's Pillow. Hughes received numerous honors for his work, including an honorary literature degree and the Spingarn Medal, and lived in Harlem until his death from cancer in 1967.