Dr. Randal Maurice Jelks: My America - Langston Hughes on Democracy

Part of the Africana Arts & Humanities Festival 2026: "We, Too, Sing America: 250 Years of Black Life and Culture"

Join us for an enlightening conversation with Dr. Randal Maurice Jelks as he explores Langston Hughes' enduring vision of democracy through his groundbreaking book, "My America: Langston Hughes on Democracy."

In this compelling presentation, Dr. Jelks delivers a revelatory portrait of Hughes, tracing his journey from a child captivated by the wonder of Kansas City to a cosmopolitan witness in Paris, New York, Mexico City, and Madrid. We encounter Hughes as a young man discovering the pulse of modern life in a world on the verge of exploding metaphorically and literally—a formative time for his work and his thinking on art, democracy, and activism.

Dr. Randal Maurice Jelks, PhD, is a professor, documentary producer, and the author of four books, including the award-winning "Benjamin Elijah Mays: Schoolmaster of the Movement" and, most recently, "Letters to Martin: Meditations on Democracy in Black America." His writings have appeared in The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Review, and The Los Angeles Review of Books. He is coeditor of the academic journal American Studies.

Born in New Orleans, Jelks is a descendant of the Georgetown 272—enslaved persons sold to pay off Georgetown University's debts. His Louisiana lineage traces back to the 1830s and 1840s through enslaved ancestors from Maryland and Virginia.

This free event is open to the public. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

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