Why is langston hughes significant to the state of oklahoma?
The dream reference is to Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech. Langston, Oklahoma was named after John M. Langston, the great-uncle of Langston Hughes and Virginia's first black congressman. Langston Hughes real name was James Mercer Langston Hughes. His mother, Carrie Langston Hughes, was a schoolteacher and his father, James Nathaniel Hughes, had hoped to become a lawyer. After completing law studies in Oklahoma, he was not allowed to test for the Bar nor allowed to practice law in Missouri. On the day of his son's birth, Hughes was angry because a law that prohibited blacks from becoming lawyers had just been passed.
What does the poem "A Dream Deferred" mean?
It means the dream of black people to have a life. It's alluding to Martin Luther King's speech "I have a dream" and King was alluding to "the American Dream." Hughes says in this poem is it better to have violence from blacks being poor, or stop deferring black's equality (deferring like it's a business option) for another day and support blacks the way whites are supported.
What are some of the most important or central texts to African American Studies?
Not all of these texts would be classified as "central" to African American studies, but I can say that they are worthy of such. These are off the top of my head, edits may come later.The Bible - Various Authors"The Miseducation of The Negro" - Carter G. Woodson"C'mon People!: On the Path from Victims to Victors" - Bill Cosby"Return to Glory" - Joel Freeman & Don B. Griffin"Invisible Man" - Ralph EllisonAny speeches or essays by James Baldwin, most notably his collection entitled, "The Fire Next Time".Any speech, sermon, essay from Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., with special regard to his many letters from jail."Message to the People: the Course of African Philosophy" - Marcus GarveyAny speech, essay by Malcolm X; with more focus on his post-Nation of Islam doctrines are far more accessible and critical of greater, broader topics and issues.The many articles, speeches, and essays of Frederick Douglas"Lies My Teacher Told Me" - James LoewenPoems and artistic writings by those such as: -Langston Hughes ("A Dream Deferred", etc.), -Maya Angelou ("I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", etc.), -Toni Morrison ("Beloved", "The Bluest Eye", etc.), -Gil Scott Herring, more-so for a sense of perspective-And many more!Music and artistic expression by artists such as (this list is mostly made up of rap and/or hip-hop) these which communicate the black experience very well:-Stevie Wonder ("Living For The City", "I Wish")-Lupe Fiasco ("Dumb It Down", "Little Weapon", "B-tch Bad", "Hurt Me Soul", "Around My Way", many more)-Common ("Retrospect For Life", "Strange Fruit", "The Corner", "Pops Belief" many more)-Mos Def ("Thieves In the Night" w/ Talib Kweli, "Climb", "No Hay Nada Mas", "Hip-Hop", "History", "Mr. N-gga", many more)-Big K.R.I.T ("Praying Man", "Rich Dad, Poor Dad")-The Roots ("Make My", "Little Ghetto Boy" w/ John Legend, many more)-John Legend ("Shine" w/ The Roots, "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free" w/ The Roots)-Lauryn Hill ("Social Drug", "Motives & Thoughts", "What I Gotta Say"-her entire UNPLUGGED album, many more)-Kanye West ("Heard 'Em Say", "All Falls Down")-Kendrick Lamar ("Ab-Soul's Outro" w/ Ab-Soul, "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst")-Lecrae ("Just Like You")I could go on forever with these lists, especially music, so I'll halt it here. Let me know if you want/need more in any category.EDIT: An extremely enlightening text that I can't believe I forgot to mention,"The Souls of Black Folk" by WEB Du Bois, changed my life.