Langston Hughes: “Dream Variations”

Goals:

Aim:

What insights did the poetry of Langston Hughes offer about the African-American community in Harlem?

At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Highlight elements in Langston Hughes' poetry that reflect the community from which he came.
  Identify areas of concern to the African-American community in the first half of the twentieth century.
• Compare and contrast the different ways Langston Hughes uses dreams to define the goals of the African American community.
• Trace the recurring theme of dreams in African-American culture and history.

Essential Questions:

• How did African American history, including slavery and discrimination, shape African American communal life and cultural expression?
• How was the African American community defined?