The little-known friendship between Nina Simone and Langston Hughes
A new book charts how a 1949 meeting between the renowned poet and the legendary musician, then a 16-year-old girl, sparked enduring ties and fruitful collaboration
TL;DR
- Langston Hughes met a 16-year-old Eunice Waymon (Nina Simone) in 1949, forming a friendship and collaborative bond.
- Their collaboration produced songs like "Backlash Blues," which influenced the Black Power movement.
- Author W Jason Miller's book, "Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood: Nina Simone, Langston Hughes, and the Birth of Black Power," explores their previously underacknowledged relationship.
- Hughes, active until his death in 1967, and Simone created music that served as the soundtrack to the civil rights movement.
- Simone, who aimed to be a classical pianist, incorporated classical music elements into her popular songs, exposing audiences to the genre.
- Their Southern upbringing and experiences with condemnation for leftist politics informed their use of art for political messages.
- Simone learned from Hughes to "sample" old music and update it with new meanings, a strategy she applied to songs like "Sinner Man."
- Hughes was known for mentoring many artists, and his support for Simone was crucial in her musical and political development.
- After Hughes's death, Simone composed "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" in 1969, reflecting his influence and commemorating figures of the civil rights era.