On June 1923 he quit his job and went back to the city, to search for a ship that was going to Africa. The ship visited thirty-two ports on the West African Coats. The ship was called "The West Hesseltine." (Rummel 36- 41) Before returning to New York in May 1925, Hughes lived in Paris, Venice, and Genova. It was not until 1926 that Langston Hughes was officially discovered as a poet, by the white poet Vachel Lindsay while working in a hotel as a busboy. While working, Hughes left three of his poems beside the plate of Vachel Lindsey who liked Hughes" poetry and helped him publicize his writings. (Rummel 44) At that point Hughes established himself as a bright young star of the "New Negro Renaissance." (Haskins 55) As a poet, Hughes was the first person to combine the traditional poetry with black artistic forms, especially blues and jazz. As a leader in the Harlem Renaissance of the twenties and thirties, Hughes became the movement best-known poet. (Rummel 50) He was well known as "Langston Hughes the poet." (Haskins 48) Hughes had and still has a great influence on poetry. Hughes" poetry was a reflection of the African-American culture and Harlem. He lived most of his adult life in Harlem. He wrote many poems, and continued to write even after the Harlem Renaissance. He loved Harlem. He felt like the owner of Harlem. He felt protection, because his people "The Negroes" surrounded him as he pointed out in his works.
Unfortunately, he watched Harlem decline with the beginning of the Great Depression. (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2000) He saw Harlem turn into a place to be feared by many. The Great Depression marked the end of the Harlem Renaissance. Thousands of people were out of their jobs; it was a sad and dangerous place to live, after the depression. The impact of the "Great Depression" upon African-Americans was devastating. People could not support themselves; the majority of the black people were out of their jobs.
