My People (by Langston Hughes)

In the late 1920s, Langston Hughes wrote this simple short poem to celebrate African American people. The photographs in this book translate his words into pictures and add to the celebration. Most are head shots showing smiles, eyes, and hopeful, happy faces.  At the end, a message from the photographer explains just how he made the choices he did when choosing photographs to illustrate the poet's words. 

The poem is simple and short, and the photographs are expressive. Taken together, they create a wonderful reminder of just how special and unique people are.  While these photos are all of African American people, since that is whom Langston Hughes celebrates in his poem, the message applies to us all.

Sepia-toned photographs against a black background create a warm and happy tone for this poem of celebration. The artist hoped to show that "like any group of people, black people come in all shapes, sizes, shades, and ages, and that each of us is unique." The poem has been broken into short phrases that dance boldly across the black background in over-sized white or sepia letters.

Author: Langston Hughes
Illustrator: Charles R. Smith Jr.
Publisher: Atheneum
Publication date: January 6, 2009
Number of pages: 40
Hardcover price: $17.99
Read Aloud: 4
Read Alone: 6