Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri but was raised mainly by his grandmother in Lawrence, Kansas. He began writing poetry in 8th grade and was named "Class Poet" by his classmates. His first published poem was "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" in 1923. Hughes wrote on political, racial, and children's topics. He was a prominent figure of the Harlem Renaissance and became involved in radical politics during the Great Depression.