Langston Hughes: Voice of a Time and a People In 20th century America, the oppression facing African-Americans is possibly the most controversial and historical ever. The constant battle they have fought is voiced clearly in the works produced by African-American authors, poets, artists and musicians during and prior to the Civil Rights Movement, particularly in a period known as the Harlem Renaissance. The voice that perhaps rang the truest among all people is that of Langston Hughes. His work so sincerely expressed the needs, wants, and ....