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Museum object · Books and Published Materials

The Weary Blues

1926; published 1929

Smithsonian NMAAHC collection

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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A hardback, fifth edition printing of The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes, inscribed to William H. Johnson. The volume has a paper dustjacket featuring artwork by Miguel Covarrubias of a silhouette illustration of a man playing a piano in black against a red and yellow background. At the top is printed [THE WEARY / BLUES] in black text. At bottom is printed [By / LANGSTON HUGHES] in yellow text. The front endpage has a handwritten inscription in black ink to William H. Johnson from Langston Hughes reading [To William H. Johnson - / creator of beauty - / my poems, / Sincerely, / Langston Hughes / New York, April 25, 1930]. The volume includes an introduction written by Carl Van Vechten titled [Introducing Langston Hughes to the Reader] and includes the poems "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," "Dream Variation," "Mother to Son," and "Weary Blues," among others. There are 109 pages.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2012.10ab

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