He grew up primarily in Kansas, but also spent time in Illinois, Missouri, and Mexico. Langston Hughes attended Columbia University, but left after one year to join the Navy. He was able to travel around the world with his time in the military, including Africa, France, and many other parts of Europe. Langston Hughes had begun writing poetry at the age of 13 and as a young man, he published his first book of poetry in 1926. Hughes returned to college and finished his Bachelor degree at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1929. He taught at college afterward and continued his writings Langston Hughes never married and was rumored to be homosexual. He died in 1967.
