King and Hughes The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement in America which spanned from the 1920’s to the 1930’s. The movement brought many to the north and inspired the works of poets, artists, and musicians. Langston Hughes was an extremely influential poet that emerged during the time of the Harlem Renaissance. A little-known fact is that Hughes was an influence to the motivational civil rights leader, Martin Luther King. King played a key role being an activist during the Civil Rights Movement in America. Martin Luther King’s speeches and sermons were influenced by Langston Hughes poetry which was often writing about the true oppression of Black Americans during the Harlem Renaissance era. During the Harlem Renaissance, Langston