Jameatris Rimkus, a reference archivist at the University of Illinois uncovered a 1957 recording of Langston Hughes, when he visited the campus and gave a poetry reading at Gregory Hall. WILL recorded the event, where it seems Hughes was presenting to students. He’d previously visited U of I in 1945. He shared poetry about being out of work, a child’s perspective of Jim Crow laws, and civil rights.
This recording, and thousands of others WILL made, are found on 16 inch disc and held in the archives.
Read more about Hughes’ visit to campus, and hear the audio, at Illinois Newsroom.
Top photo from Wikipedia.