Twenty-six poems by Langston Hughes are paired with colourful paintings by Benny Andrews, to create a rich and evocative exploration of black history and identity. The poems reveal Langston Hughes' preoccupation with oral and musical traditions, urban experience, his preference for 'ordinary' language, his commitment to social justice and expressions of pride in his heritage. A preface gives an account of Hughes' career, and each poem is introduced with notes on its composition.