Almost a century on, Langston is the guiding light we all need today. In the words of Loften Mitchell - “Langston set a tone, a standard of brotherhood and friendship and cooperation, for all of us to follow. You never got from him, 'I am the Negro writer,' but only 'I am a Negro writer.' He never stopped thinking about the rest of us.”

An icon of tropical oceans, frigate birds circled our boat most days when we were sailing in the Galapagos.

Dreams by J.M. Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.