Special Interest/Noteworthy Collections at the Langston Hughes Community Library include:
![]() Feb 19 1:00PM --to-- 2:00PM Professional EtiquetteLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required This workshop covers a variety of topics such as professional conduct and attitudes, business communication, suitable apparel, and maintaining an appropriate work environment. |
![]() Feb 19 2:00PM --to-- 3:00PM Identifying Your Work SkillsLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required In this workshop you will learn how to define and categorize job skills, identify your own job skills, understand the difference between job skills and job duties, market your job skills, and become aware of the most sought-after job skills. |
![]() Feb 19 4:00PM --to-- 4:45PM StorytimeLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Children ages 3 and up can enjoy a read-aloud program which includes crafts, music, and finger plays. |
![]() Feb 19 4:00PM --to-- 5:00PM Traveling Shoes: Black Migrations – Putting my traveling shoes on and off I go...Location: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Enjoy a picture book biography on artist Jacob Lawrence and view selected works from his Migration Series projected on a screen. Afterwards, kids are invited to create the vehicle that will take them to their next traveling adventure: Car or spaceship? Boat or flying dragon? There is no limit to where the mind and heart can travel! For more Traveling Shoes programming, visit https://queenslib.org/travelingshoes19. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Feb 20 10:30AM --to-- 11:15AM Toddler TimeLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Bring your toddler to share songs, a story, finger plays, and craft activities. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Feb 20 4:00PM --to-- 6:00PM Black History Month: Historical Figures in WatercolorLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Paint watercolor portraits of famous African Americans with creative borders. Choose from a list of subjects or propose one of your own. We will have the option of incorporating collage techniques as well. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Feb 21 12:00PM --to-- 2:00PM Creating Impactful ResumesLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Make your resume the best it can be in this workshop! Participants will learn about types of resumes, how to get started, what to include and not include, and tips for making a resume stronger. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Feb 21 2:00PM --to-- 3:00PM Introduction to Job InterviewsLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required So, you’ve landed an interview for a wonderful job…now what? It takes practice to perfect your interviewing skills. In this workshop, you will learn how to prepare for your interview, successfully deal with difficult questions, and follow up properly afterwards. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Feb 21 5:30PM --to-- 7:00PM Spanish for Beginners Location: Langston Hughes Registration: Online or by phone Availability: 5 openings ¡Hola! Would you like to speak Spanish? Do you want to say hello to your Spanish-speaking neighbors? Would you like to be able to read the menu in a restaurant serving Latino food? Are you planning a trip to a Latin American country and want to learn helpful phrases? Then this class is for you. Preregistration is required online, by phone at 718-651-1100, or in person at the reference desk. First-come, first-served. Additional Program Dates/Locations This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.Additional Dates
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Feb 22 4:00PM --to-- 5:30PM Black History Month: Color Your African-American Heroes and SheroesLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Color famous African American heroes and sheroes and learn about them along the way. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Feb 23 10:30AM --to-- 1:30PM Free English Classes for Intermediate Level at Langston Hughes Location: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required In-person registration is Saturday, February 23, at 10:30 am. For more information, call 718-651-1100/718-480-4300. Additional Program Dates/Locations This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.Additional Dates
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Feb 23 11:00AM --to-- 5:00PM Free Tax Prep (NABA)Location: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Free tax preparation by the National Association of Black Accountants. Additional Program Dates/Locations This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.Additional Dates
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Feb 23 2:00PM --to-- 4:30PM Introduction to Microsoft Word (in Spanish)Location: Langston Hughes Registration: Registration is not yet open for this program. Please check back closer to the program date. Details: Customers are required to attend all sessions of this program. Registering for this session will reserve your spot for the entire program. Learn how to create a document and work with tables. Participants should have basic computer skills and must attend all three classes. Preregistration is required in person at the Langston Hughes Library reference desk beginning Saturday, February 2 at 10:00 a.m. or call 718-651-1100. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Feb 25 4:00PM --to-- 5:00PM Black History Month: Getting to Know Langston Hughes Location: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Celebrate Black History Month -- Getting to Know Langston Hughes 2/4 - Put a poem in your pocket: Copy Langston Hughes poem "Slave Song" on small piece of paper, create a design or image that relates to the poem. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Feb 25 6:30PM --to-- 7:30PM Introduction to ComputersLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Let's learn how to use a computer! Participants will become familiar with the basics such as opening desktop applications, operating the mouse, highlighting text, copying and pasting, understanding the start button and task bar, and much more. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Feb 27 10:00AM --to-- 1:00PM Youth Development Specialist Job Information SessionLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Attend this free information session to learn about applying for the Youth Development Specialist position offered at Administration for Children's Services (ACS). Become a Youth Development Specialist at ACS and make a difference in the life of a young person. Interested participants can register with the link: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 4 4:00PM --to-- 4:45PM StorytimeLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Join us for picture books, songs, and crafts for children age 3 and up with their caregivers. Each week in March, Women's History Month, learn about a different female figure in history: Pura Belpre, Maya Angelou, Elizabeth Blackwell, Sonia Sotomayor. Additional Program Dates/Locations This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.Additional Dates
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 4 6:30PM --to-- 7:30PM Computer Basics: What is a Computer?Location: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Learn about the importance of the monitor, keyboard, mouse, and printer and how they are all connected. Please register at the reference desk or call 718-651-1100. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 9 2:30PM --to-- 5:00PM Microsoft Excel for Spanish Speakers Location: Langston Hughes Registration: Registration is not yet open for this program. Please check back closer to the program date. Details: Customers are required to attend all sessions of this program. Registering for this session will reserve your spot for the entire program. Learn how to create a worksheet and perform calculations. Participants should have basic computer skills, such as being able to use the keyboard and mouse and to open and close applications. Participants must attend all three classes. Preregistration is required in person at the Langton Hughes Library Reference Desk beginning Saturday, March 2 at 10 a.m. or by calling 718-651-1100.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 11 6:30PM --to-- 7:30PM Computer Basics: Mouse ExercisesLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Let’s practice maneuvering the mouse, right and left clicking, using the scroll wheel, and understanding the different cursor symbols. Please register at the reference desk or call 718-651-1100. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 18 6:30PM --to-- 7:30PM Computer Basics: The KeyboardLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Typing can be tough but let’s learn what the keys on the keyboard mean first. We will also put them into practice. Please register at the reference desk or call 718-651-1100. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 20 11:00AM --to-- 11:45AM Toddler TimeLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Learn early literacy basics by joining us for songs, finger plays, rhymes, and stories. For children ages 1 to 3 years and their caregivers. Additional Program Dates/Locations This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.Additional Dates
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 21 4:00PM --to-- 5:30PM Inspiring Women In Science – Trivia Game!Location: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Do you think you know your Inspiring Women in Science? Think again! Prepare yourself to be amazed, surprised and, well, definitely inspired learning more about the achievements of these fearless scientists that changed our thinking, science, and world forever! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 22 4:00PM --to-- 5:00PM Spring CraftLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Celebrate the season and new beginnings by participating in a spring-themed craft activity! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 25 5:30PM --to-- 7:00PM Women's History Month: Screening of Rebel - Loreta VelazquezLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Celebrate Women's History Month with the screening of Maria Agui Carter's "Rebel - Loreta Velazquez." Disguised as a man and under the alias of Harry T. Buford, Velazquez fought in the civil war and scandalized America when she revealed her story in her 1876 memoir, "The Woman in Battle." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 25 6:30PM --to-- 7:30PM Computer Basics: Desktop FunctionsLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required What are applications? What is a window? And what in the world is a task bar? This class will cover all of these desktop functions and more. Please register at the reference desk or call 718-651-1100. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 26 3:30PM --to-- 5:30PM ESOL Job Search Training at Langston HughesLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Online or by phone Availability: 20 openings This program is geared towards high intermediate and advanced English language learners seeking to enter the job market. The curriculum is focused on helping students understand different types of marketable skills as well as develop vocabulary associated with these skills. Participants will exit the series with at least an outline or a complete resume. Additional Program Dates/Locations This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.Additional Dates
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 27 4:00PM --to-- 5:30PM Inspiring Women In Science: Bingo!Location: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required The excitement of Bingo and the fun of learning something new? Yes please! Fun facts about fifty Inspiring Women in Science in a bingo game for the whole family! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mar 28 3:30PM --to-- 5:30PM Ready, Set, Bank! - Financial LiteracyLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Online or by phone Availability: 20 openings This four-session series is a program of financial literacy where users will learn how to download and navigate financial and banking applications. They will also learn how to deposit checks from their phones, pay bills online, and gain knowledge about credit reports. This program will be in Spanish. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call 718-990-8625 and to register visit queenslibrary.org. Additional Program Dates/Locations This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.Additional Dates
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Apr 13 2:30PM --to-- 5:00PM Computers for Beginners (In Spanish)Location: Langston Hughes Registration: Registration is not yet open for this program. Please check back closer to the program date. Details: Customers are required to attend all sessions of this program. Registering for this session will reserve your spot for the entire program. Learn how to turn on your computer and write an email. Participants must attend all three classes. Preregistration is required in person at the Langston Hughes Library Reference Desk beginning Saturday, April 6 at 10 a.m. or by calling 718-651-1100.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Apr 26 4:30PM --to-- 5:30PM Queens Theatre Reads from Anne of Green Gables by L. M. MontgomeryLocation: Langston Hughes Registration: Not required Children ages 5-12 can listen as an actor from Queens Theatre reads from Anne of Greene Gables by L. M Montgomery, and then play theater games together. |
Free computer access is available at all the libraries. The Langston Hughes Community Library has:
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
| ![]() image image image image |
Special Interest/Noteworthy Collections at the Langston Hughes Community Library include:
|
Child Care / Preschools | ||
Loving Home Daycare 95-13 34th Avenue Corona NY , 11368 | Elmcore Day Care Center 100-17 32nd Avenue East Elmhurst NY , 113691 | A Child's Place 32-20 108th Street Corona NY , 11368 |
Jerome Hardeman Day Care Center 29-49 Gilmore Street East Elmhurst NY , 11369 | Malcolm X Day Care Center 111-12 Northern Boulevard Corona NY , 11368 | |
League for Better Community Life Day Care Center 33-17 102d Street Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718)335-0634 | Mt. Olivette Christian School
Primary to 1st Grade 33-27 97th St Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718) 478-0780 | Theresa Cervini Head Start 35-34 105th Street Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718)478-7786 fax: (718) 478-0735 |
Sister Clara Muhammad School 105-01 Northern Boulevard Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718)779-1060 | Amity Baptist Day Camp 164-18 108th Avenue Jamaica NY , 11433 phone: (718)526-0356 | P.S. 149 Beacon Program
K-7th Grade 94-11 34th Avenue Jackson Heights NY , 11322 phone: (718) 426-0888 |
P.S. 19
Hanac Corona Beacon Program
K-5th Grade 40-32 Roosevelt Avenue Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718) 426-0888 | Mt. Olivetti Christian School
Primary to 1st Grade 33-27 97th Street Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718)651-4656 | League for Better Community Life Day Care Center 34-10 108th Street Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718)335-0634 |
Community Board | ||
Community Board District #3 District Manager Giovanna Reid 82-11 37th Avenue Jackson Heights NY , 11372 phone: (718) 458-2707 fax: (718) 458-3316 |
Community Organizations & Services | ||
Elmcore Youth & Adult Activities Inc., 107-20 Northern Boulevard Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718)651-0096 | Dorie Miller Co-op Council 112-30 Northern Boulevard Corona NY , 11368 | Louis Armstrong House 34-56 107th Street Corona NY , 11368 |
New York Hall of Science
Flushing Meadow-Corona Park 47-01 111th Street Flushing NY , | Queens Theatre in the Park
Flushing Meadow Corona Park PO Box 520069 Flushing NY , | Queens Theatre in the Park/Studio Gallery PO Box 520069 Flushing NY , |
108th Street Block Association 32-05 108th Street East Elmhurst NY , 11369 | 99 & 100 Street Block Association 25-58 99th Street East Elmhurst NY , 11369 | Tri-Block Association - 88/89/90 33-16 90th Street Jackson Heights NY , 11372 |
96 & 97 Streets North Block 23-29 96th Street East Elmhurst NY , 11369 | East Elmhurst Block Association 32-09 108th Street East Elmhurst NY , 11369 | 3500 Block of 87th Street 35-35 87th Street Jackson Heights NY , 11372 |
96th & 97th Street Block Association 3-34 97th Street East Elmhurst NY , 11369 | 103d Street Block Association 33-44 103d Street Corona NY , 11368 | Mcintosh Street Block Association P.O. BOX 382 East Elmhurst NY , 11369 |
95th Street Block Association 31-14 95th Street East Elmhurst NY , 11369 | Ericsson Street Block Association 24-20 Ericsson Street East Elmhurst NY , 11369 | 80th Street Block Association 35-55 80th Street Jackson Heights NY , 11372 |
102nd Street Block Association 23-20 102nd Street East Elmhurst NY , 11369 | Jackson Heights Neighborhood Association P.O.BOX 444 East Elmhurst NY , 11369 | 100th Street Block Association 35-03 100th Street Corona NY , 11368 |
37th Drive Block Association 104-14 37th Drive Corona NY , 11368 | 96th Street Block Association 23-26 96th Street East Elmhurst NY , 11369 | 103rd Street Block Association 31-53 103d Street East Elmhurst NY , 11369 |
Hardeman & Associates 106-22 Northern Boulevard, 2d Floor Corona NY , 11368 | 109th Street Block Association 33-34 109th Street Corona NY , 11368 |
Fire Department | ||
Fire Department of New York City
Engine 316 27-12 Kearney St Corner of Astoria Boulevard East Elmhurst NY , 11369 |
Local Hospitals | ||
Queens Hospital Network 79-01 Broadway Elmhurst NY , 11365 |
Local Newspapers | ||
Queens Tribune/Press 174-15 Horace Harding Expressway Fresh Meadows NY , 11365 phone: (718) 357-7400 | The New York Voice 175-61 Hillside Ave, Suite 201 Jamaica NY , 11432 phone: (718) 206-9866 / (718)206-9803 |
Parks and Playgrounds | ||
Fisher Public Pool 99th Street (Northern & 32nd Avenue) NY , | East Elmhurst Play Ground at PS127 25th Avenue & 98th Street NY , | Louis Armstrong Playground 37th Avenue (112 & 113 Streets) NY , |
Police Department | ||
115th Precinct of New York City Police Department 92-15 Northern Boulevard Jackson Heights NY , 11372 phone: (718)533-2002 |
Post Office | ||
United States Post Office 3323 Junction Boulevard Jackson Heights NY , 11372 phone: (800)275-8777 / (718)-478-3365 | Post Office – East Elmhurst 9107 25th Avenue East Elmhurst NY , 11369 phone: (800)275-8777 fax: (718)321-5975 |
Private / Parochial Schools | ||
Sister Clara Muhammad School (1-12) 105-01 Northern Boulevard Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718)779-1060 | ||
Blessed Sacrament School (PreK-8) 35th Avenue & 94th Street Jackson Heights NY , 11432 phone: (718) 446-4449 |
Public Elementary Schools | ||
P.S. 127 Aerospace Science & Science Magnet School 99th Street & 25th Avenue East Elmhurst NY , 11369 phone: (718) 446-4700 | P.S. 92 Harry T. Stewart, Sr. School 100th Street & 34th Avenue Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718) 533-1013 | |
P.S. 149 Christa McAuliffe 93-11 34th Avenue Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718) 898-3630 | P.S. 69 77-02 37th Avenue Jackson Heights NY , 11372 phone: (718) 424-7700 | |
P.S. 19 Marino P. Jeantet School (K-5) 98-02 Roosevelt Avenue Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718) 424-5859 |
Public High Schools | ||
Arts & Business High School (Q 550) 105-25 Horace Harding Highway Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718) 271-8383 |
Public Intermediate / Junior High Schools | ||
Senior Centers | ||
Elmcore Seniors 9819 Astoria Boulevard East Elmhurst NY , 11369 phone: (718)457-9757 fax: 718-898-4600 | Florence E. Smith Community Center for Seniors 32nd Avenue (102 & 103 Streets) Corona NY , 11368 |
Elected Officials | |
NYC Council Hon. Francisco Moya FMoya@council.nyc.gov | |
District Office 106-01 Corona Avenue Corona NY, 11368 phone: 718-651-1917 fax: 718-565-5937 | Manhattan Office 250 Broadway, Suite 1768 New York NY, 10007 phone: (212) 788-6862 fax: (212) 442-2725 |
NYS Assembly Hon. Jeffrion L. Aubry AubryJ@nyassembly.gov | |
District Office 98-09 Northern Boulevard Corona NY , 11368 phone: (718) 457-3615 fax: (718) 457-3640 | Albany Office LOB, Room 646 Albany NY, 12248 phone: (518) 455-4561 fax: (518) 455-4565 |
Boro President Hon. Melinda Katz Info@queensbp.org | |
  |   |
Mayor Hon. Bill de Blasio | |
  |   |
US Congress Hon. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez | |
District Office | Legislative Office229 Cannon HOB Washington DC, 20515 phone: (202) 225-3965 |
NYS Senate Hon. Jessica Ramos ramos@nysenate.gov | |
District Office32-37 Junction Boulevard East Elmhurst NY, 11369 phone: 718-205-3881 fax: 718-205-4145 | Legislative OfficeLegislative Office Building, Room 946 Albany NY, 12247 phone: 518-455-2529 fax: 518-426-6909 |
A Brief History of Corona
Located in the north central part of Queens County, Corona was first settled in 1655 (long before the area had an official name) by Robert Coe from Hempstead, LI. In those early years the area was sparsely settled farmland, thick forest land towards Junction Boulevard, rolling open meadow on the eastern part, and a vast swampland along Flushing Creek. This unnamed area lay between the villages of Newtown to the west and Flushing to the east. At that time, this area of Queens was considered part of Newtown, Long Island.
Several families settled on the 400 acre area from 1684 through 1910, when it was sold to a development company. The estate was then cut up into building lots. The area was first marketed as Corona Heights in 1883 when part of the property was also sold for development. The last most prominent land owner of early Corona was Charles Leverich, President of Bank of New York. His house and property were sold upon his death in 1928.
Following the construction of the Flushing Railroad in 1853, new expansion into the area took place. One of the most notable sites in early Corona was the National Race Course, commonly called the Fashion Course, which opened June 26, 1854, for racing and horse breeding. Located between 97th and 105th Streets and 34th to 37th Avenues the last races were run during the spring of 1869. The track operated until it was auctioned off on June 15, 1874 to make room for development and the double-track expansion of the railroad.
The area finally received its official name in 1870 from Thomas Waite Howard, a real estate developer, who suggested that in his eyes, Corona was “the crown of Queens County.” An affidavit for a post office was granted by Washington in June 1872. The first post office in this area was opened at 43rd Avenue and National Street. The expansion of the railroad and trolley lines through Corona to Flushing in 1896 provided greater access to the area including the recreational areas on the North Beach (East Elmhurst) and north Corona. At that time, the outskirts of Corona were still wooded and wild, especially to the north and east, with small game, geese and goats.
Beginning in 1885, Corona’s population showed greater signs of an expanding social life with the proliferation of about twenty-five saloons, card-playing and baseball clubs, political associations, fraternal orders, and ethnic clubs. The ethnic population consisted of English, Irish, German, Italian, and Scandinavian immigrants.
Another social activity was “trolley parties”. An extension of the public trolley, these elegant and luxurious parlor cars ran along Corona and Junction Avenues to the North Beach (East Elmhurst) and to Flushing, with butlers and waiters serving hot and cold refreshments for twenty-five cents. The cars were hired for private parties, joy riding, sight seeing, and card parties on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays between Corona-Flushing-North Beach and City Hall, Brooklyn.
Corona quickly grew as larger parcels of estate land and farms were sold off to developers and divided into building lots during the 1880s and 1890s. During that period it is reported that over 6,090 lots were purchased. Great growth in land development and population took place in the early 1900s with an estimated population spurt to approximately 40,000 from 2,500 in 1898. Whereas the streets were originally named after trees in the mid 1850s, in 1911, the Queens Topographical Bureau changed all the street names in Elmhurst and Corona and assigned numbers from 1-55 to all the streets along Northern Boulevard, from Long Island City to Flushing Creek. This was changed again in 1916 by the Board of Estimate, with the adaptation of the Philadelphia Numbering System, “which provided for a consecutive numbering of all streets in Queens County…”
The most famous business in Corona was the Tiffany Glass Factory, located at 97th Place and 43rd Avenue from 1893 through 1928.
The single most important event that occurred in Corona may well have been the installation of the elevated train along Roosevelt Avenue, which began in September 1913 and opened on April 21, 1917. The largest land project during that time was the filling in of the Corona Meadows, from 111th Street to Flushing Creek and Flushing Bay to the Long Island Expressway. The area eventually became known as the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and was the site of the World’s Fairs of 1939 and 1964.
The Langston Hughes Branch opened in April 1969 in the site of the former Woolworth Department Store at 102-09 Northern Boulevard between 102nd and 103rd Streets. It remained there until November 1999, when it moved to its current location, 100-01 Northern Boulevard, at the corner of 100th Street, the former site of a lumber company.
Source: The Story of Corona from Farmland to City Suburb 1650-1935, Queens Community Series, Vincent F. Seyfried, 1986.
Join the Library Action Committee:
COMMUNITY input makes Langston Hughes unique among public libraries. The Library Action Committee's Volunteer Board of Directors functions in an advisory capacity and conducts ongoing fundraising activities. This ongoing interaction means that all Corona-East Elmhurst residents have a voice in their library. Since its opening, the Committee and staff have ensured that the collections, programs and services reflect the needs and wishes of the community.
Executive Director: Andrew P. Jackson (Sekou Molefi Baako)
Anyone over 16 years of age, living in the community and interested in helping to keep Langston Hughes a vital educational and cultural force in Corona-East E1mhurst, is cordially invited to participate. There are no membership dues. Applications are available at the Library. All inquiries should be addressed to the Chairperson, Board of Directors, Library Action Committee.
For more information call the National Park Service at 212.825.6887, visit www.africanburialground.com, or e-mail nps_africanburialground@nps.gov.
LANGSTON HUGHES
The Poet Laureate of Harlem
Poet, Essayist, Novelist, Playwright, Journalist and Lyricist
(February 1, 1902 - May 22, 1967)
Born in Joplin, Missouri, James Langston Hughes was born into an abolitionist family. Mary Langston, his maternal grandmother’s first husband was with John Brown when he attacked Harper’s Ferry in 1859 and was killed there. Her second husband, Hughes' grandfather, recruited soldiers for the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Regiment for the Civil War. His great uncle, James Mercer Langston, was the first Black American to hold public office and was later a professor of law at Howard University.
One of Hughes' finest essays appeared in The Nation in 1926, entitled "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain." It spoke of Black writers and poets, "who would surrender racial pride in the name of a false integration," where a talented Black writer would prefer to be considered a poet, not a Black poet, which to Hughes meant he subconsciously wanted to write like a white poet. Hughes argued, "no great poet has ever been afraid of being himself". He wrote in this essay, "We younger Negro artists now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased we are glad. If they aren't, it doesn't matter. We know we are beautiful. And ugly too... If colored people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, their displeasure doesn't matter either. We build our temples for tomorrow, as strong as we know how and we stand on the top of the mountain, free within ourselves."
In 1923, Hughes traveled abroad on a freighter to the Senegal, Nigeria, the Cameroons, Belgian Congo, Angola, and Guinea in Africa, and later to Italy and France, Russia and Spain. One of his favorite pastimes whether abroad or in Washington, D.C. or Harlem, New York was sitting in the clubs listening to blues, jazz and writing poetry. Through these experiences a new rhythm emerged in his writing, and a series of poems such as "The Weary Blues" were penned. He returned to Harlem in 1924, the period known as the Harlem Renaissance. During this period, his work was frequently published and his writing flourished. In 1925 he moved to Washington, D.C., still spending more time in blues and jazz clubs. He said, "I tried to write poems like the songs they sang on Seventh Street...(these songs) had the pulse beat of the people who keep on going." At this same time, Hughes accepted a job with Dr. Carter G. Woodson, editor of the Journal of Negro Life and History and founder of Black History Week in 1926. He returned to his beloved Harlem later that year.
Langston Hughes received a scholarship to Lincoln University, in Pennsylvania, where he received his B.A. degree in 1929. In 1943, he was awarded an honorary Litt.D by his alma mater; a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1935 and a Rosenwald Fellowship in 1940. Based on a conversation with a man he knew in a Harlem bar, he created a character known as My Simple Minded Friend in a series of essays in the form of a dialogue. In 1950, he named this lovable character Jess B. Simple, and authored a series of books on him.
Langston Hughes was a prolific writer. In the forty-odd years between his first book in 1926 and his death in 1967, he devoted his life to writing and lecturing. He wrote sixteen books of poems, three novels, three collections of short stories, four volumes of "editorial" and "documentary" fiction, twenty plays, children's poetry, musicals and operas, two autobiographies, a dozen radio and television scripts and dozens of magazine articles. The long and distinguished list of Hughes' works includes: Not Without Laughter (1930) and his two autobiographies, The Big Sea (1940) and I Wonder As I Wander . His collections of poetry include: The Weary Blues (1926); The Negro Mother and other Dramatic Recitations (1931); The Dream Keeper (1932); Shakespeare In Harlem (1942); Fields of Wonder (1947); One Way Ticket (1947); The First Book of Jazz (1955); Tambourines To Glory (1958); and Selected Poems (1959); The Best of Simple (1961). He edited several anthologies in an attempt to popularize black authors and their works. Some of these are: An African Treasury (1960); Poems from Black Africa (1963); New Negro Poets: USA (1964) and The Best Short Stories by Negro Writers (1967).
Published posthumously were: Five Plays By Langston Hughes (1968); The Panther and The Lash: Poems of Our Times (1969) and Good Morning Revolution: Uncollected Writings of Social Protest (1973); The Sweet Flypaper of Life with Roy DeCarava (1984).
Books that have been written about Langston Hughes include: Langston Hughes a biography by Milton Meltzer (1968); Langston Hughes and Gwendolyn Brooks: A Reference Guide (1979) by R. Baxter Miller; Langston Hughes, American Poet by Alice Walker (1974); Langston Hughes in the Hispanic World and Haiti by Edward J. Mullen (1977); The World of Langston Hughes Music: A Bibliography of Musical Settings of Langston Hughes' Works with Recordings and Other Listings by Kenneth Neilson (1982); Langston Hughes' Block (1978); Langston Hughes: Before and Beyond Harlem by Faith Berry (1983); Langston Hughes and the Blues by Steven C. Tracy (1988); Langston Hughes: Black Genius, A Critical Evaluation edited by Therman B. O'Daniel (1971); The Life of Langston Hughes: Vol. I 1902-1941; I,Too,Sing America and Vol. II 1941-1967 I Dream A World by Arnold Rampersad (1986, 1988).
Langston Hughes died of cancer on May 22, 1967. His residence at 20 East 127th Street in Harlem, New York has been given landmark status by the New York City Preservation Commission. His block of East 127th Street was renamed "Langston Hughes Place".
In 1969, the Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center (Queens Borough Public Library) opened. The first public institution named after the Poet Laureate, it houses the largest circulating Black Heritage reading collection in New York City. Included in this collection are volumes of his published works, theses and dissertations of critical and literary analyses of the works of Hughes and other Black literary authors. The Adele Cohen Music Collection features the Langston Hughes Music Collection, featuring the musical settings of Hughes. In 1990, the library's block of Northern Boulevard was renamed, "Langston Hughes Walk" by the New York City Council.
By: Andrew P. Jackson (Sekou Molefi Baako)
Edited: August 2004
About the Library
The Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center of the Queens Borough Public Library , conceived and designed by the residents of the Corona-East Elmhurst community, opened for public service on April 26, 1969 as a federally funded special project of the Queens Library. It was staffed and operated by the Library Action Committee of Corona-East Elmhurst, Inc. until it became an official branch of the Queens Library in October 1987. Today, the Board of Directors, L.A.C., serves in an advisory capacity, promoting the programs and services of the Library Center and conducts fundraising campaigns.
History of the Center
April 1969:
The Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center was opened . It was the realization of long-range planning by a committee of Corona-East Elmhurst residents which then presented a formal proposal to the Queens Borough Public Library. Working together, the committee and the Library obtained the necessary funds, and the present site was secured and the building readied for opening.
The Center is located on Northern Boulevard in the heart of the predominantly low- and middle-income community of Corona-East Elmhurst. It initially provided black heritage reading materials and informational services to local residents. It was originally operated with federal funds granted to the Library under the Library Services and Construction Act, Title I. The money, channeled through the State Library in Albany, was allocated specifically for a demonstration library project, offering a specialized reading collection related to the "black experience" of the African-American community. Today, Langston Hughes houses the largest circulating Black Heritage collection in New York City, and is the home of Queens County's Black Heritage Reference Center, serving readers and scholars alike.
Since 1979 :
The Reference Center has received grants from the New York State Education Department to maintain the circulating and reference collections. It has also received support for its annual literature, film, music and art exhibition programs from the New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and other agencies and corporations.
For eighteen years, the Center operated under the supervision of the Board of Directors, Library Action Committee of Corona-East Elmhurst, Inc.
1973 and 1981 :
When disabling federal budget cuts threatened to close the Center, the City appropriated funds to ensure its survival.
1987 :
In a formal letter of agreement between the Library and the Library Action Committee of Corona- East Elmhurst, Langston Hughes became the 60th branch of QBPL, operating entirely on city funds. Today, the Committee's primary responsibilities are fundraising and promoting the Center's activities and events. The Black Heritage collection, however, is supported by an annually renewed special grant from the State Legislature.
Langston Hughes (old address)
102-09 Northern Boulevard
Corona, NY 11368
1999 :
New Address for Langston Hughes Branch
100-01 Northern Boulevard
Corona, NY 11368
The Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center
Designed by: Joint venture, Davis, Brody, Bond and Associates and Garrison McNeil and Associates, New York City. Size: 24,000 sq. ft. Corner plot. Cost: $6,675,000 design, construction and furnishing. Ground Breaking: May 1997 Construction Began: October 1997 Grand Opening: November 9, 1999
Features:
Other Features:
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately one of two American men and one of three American women will have some type of cancer at some point during their lifetime. Queens Library HealthLink seeks to increase access to cancer screening and cancer treatment among medically underserved communities in Queens. Queens Library HealthLink is a partnership between Queens Library, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Queens Cancer Center of Queens Hospital and the American Cancer Society.
Additionally, Langston Hughes has The Library Action Committee a not-for-profit that sponsors a Homework Assistance program and various cultural programs, and is a vital funding source for the Library’s cultural arts and educational programs.