The poetry of Langston Hughes has been widely published and analyzed by critics, academics, and students, and it is no surprise that Hughes enjoyed a good relationship with American colleges and universities. Hughes made a side career of speaking engagements at schools, and the University of Illinois was no exception. Hughes made multiple visits to the Urbana campus, including a well-documented trip in 1957.
The exhibit “Dream Singer and Story Teller” explores the background and events related to this visit through historical documents and contemporary accounts.