University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives celebrates influential poet, playwright and author Langston Hughes on his birthday. Known for his engagement with the world of jazz and the influence it had on his writing, the International Jazz Collection Leonard Feather Collection includes photographs of Mr. Hughes as well as books personally inscribed to Mr. Feather. Below, Mr. Hughes is seen reciting from his book The Weary Blues for an album of the same name which featured his readings of his work over jazz music composed by Leonard Feather and Charles Mingus.

Among the books personally inscribed in the Leonard Feather Collection are copies of Montage of a Dream Deferred and Ask Your Mama 12 Months for Jazz.

The Leonard Feather Collection also includes other books from Mr. Hughes as well as additional recordings of his work and his participation in Mr. Feather’s program The Subject is Jazz. (L.F. IV 036, additional information from poets.org)