There Was a Party for Langston

The eponymous event of a party for Langston, attended by his “word-children” and people who admire him, showcases the influence of groundbreaking artists and intellectuals, especially how they pave the way for and inspire those who follow in their footsteps.

When discussing the transformative nature of Langston’s words, the narrator invokes Langston’s poem “Mother to Son.” This poem deals with cross-generational struggle and support, as a Black mother tells her son about the challenges that she has faced in life and how she has persevered, which she compares to a splintery and broken stairway and encourages him to keep climbing. This is much the same role that Langston himself plays, as his art and character inspire people across generations. Langston’s “ABCs” can thump “like a heart the size of the whole wide world” (10). This means that Langston’s words can influence and inspire anyone who reads them. In particular, Langston’s words give voice to the Black experience in the United States. The book demonstrates how he inspired Black artists, authors, and everyday people in subsequent generations. It also shows that Langston’s words can inspire anyone who reads them today.

One of the ways he did this was by paying homage to Harlem, a center for Black life, arts, and culture in the United States, especially the Harlem Renaissance, the period when Langston was writing.