Black men have souls. Not just the physical soul that everyone has, but this culture or essence that they represent. Whether it's the jazz music they create or the food they prepare, the soul of the black man is unlike any other. It is like a relentless entity that continues to move forward, no matter what it endures or the difficulties it faces. It has also existed since the beginning of the company. The Harlem Renaissance was the first movement in the United States to represent the soul that black men had and continue to have. With an emphasis on African culture, the Harlem Renaissance proved to be one of the most prolific periods for black men, especially in the arts, literature, and music. Harlem Renaissance works have this unique, soulful charisma that black people seem to perfect. In his poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", the author, Langston Hughes takes on the character of a universal black man, meaning he speaks for them all, and this is demonstrated by his use of history, political position and concept of the soul. Born in 1902, Langston Hughes had faced several problems growing up. Between his parents divorcing when he was just a young boy and his father leaving the country shortly thereafter, Hughes had a rough start in adulthood. He has never had a stable family, as he has lived with several people over the years due to his mother's move, including his grandmother. Langston Hughes' father, who resided in Mexico due to racial issues in the United States, was known to have antipathy towards his fellow man. In an effort to finance college after completing elementary school, Hughes visited his father in Mexico for financial purposes. While en route to Mexico, Hughes wrote "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," after reflecting on t...... middle of paper...... civilized black soul, to one in captivity in the United States. Langston Hughes shapes history through his contributions to black literature and his involvement in the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes speaks of generations of black men in the poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers." Works Cited “Abraham Lincoln in Indiana.” National Parks Service. National Parks Service, nd Web. 08 December 2013. Dworkin, Ira. ““Near The Congo”: Langston Hughes and the Geopolitics of Internationalist Poetry.” American Literary History 24.4 (2012): 631-657. Humanities International Complete. Web. 11 December 2013. Hughes, Langston. “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.” Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 06 December 2013. Rummel, Jack Langston Hughes New York: Chelsea House, 1988. Print. Socarides, Alexandra. " Np, 1 August 2013. Web. 07 December. 2013.