Langston Hughes poems benefit from the analysation of a historicism standpoint as his works were not only influenced by the current events at the time, but they also influenced the world and shifted the paradigm. “I, Too” conveys the perspective of African Americans who felt inferior during the infancy of the civil rights movement, and helped the movement grow.  The Poem “Harlem” likely influenced the famous speech by Martin Luther King with similar imagery to lines of the poem like “What happens to a dream deferred?” the poem and the speech both have similar sentiment as well and both contributed greatly to the civil rights movement. With Langston Hughes having been so influenced by the Harlem Renaissance as well as contributing so much to it, makes criticization from a historic standpoint many times more valuable.

 

The poem “Harlem” has similar rhythm and form to the popular music at the time of the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes explained the similarities “—this poem on contemporary Harlem, like be-bop, is marked by conflicting changes, sudden nuances, sharp and impudent interjections, broken rhythms, and passages…”  the poem later became one of Hughes most popular that he had made. Langston Hughes has many works that attempt to explain how African Americans can dance while still being hurt by the ostracisation of society with many of his poems including a rhythm created by form or word choice. The poem Harlem influenced Martin Luther King who also spoke of dreams with a definite rhythm, however Langston Hughes has passed four years prior to the famous speech. “Harlem” influenced the civil rights movement, and was influenced by the Harlem Renaissance each being a significant movement in human history.