Next Week: Tea time

Issue 37, 2017 Founded by Betty Debnam

Mini Quote: Hughes’ poetry Mini Page Langston Hughes’ poem “Dream “Hold fast to Variations” was published in 1926. We’re Heroes: dreams, for if sharing it here: dreams die, life is a broken- To fl ing my arms wide Langston winged In some place of the sun, bird that To whirl and to dance cannot fl y.” Till the white day is done. Hughes Then rest at cool evening Beneath a tall tree photo by , courtesy Library of Congress While night comes on gently, You never know when someone else’s Hughes joined other writers who led an Dark like me— words may change your life. That’s what African-American cultural movement centered That is my dream! happened to a young poet, Langston Hughes. in New York. That movement was called the During the Great Depression, Hughes and Renaissance, and Hughes became To fl ing my arms wide a friend went to Daytona, Florida, to meet one of its most well-known troubadours. (A In the face of the sun, the famous African-American educator Mary troubadour is a wandering artist or entertainer.) Dance! Whirl! Whirl! McLeod Bethune. (The Mini Page featured Young life Till the quick day is done. Bethune in a July issue.) Bethune suggested Langston Hughes was Rest at pale evening . . . that Hughes travel throughout the South, born in Joplin, Missouri, A tall, slim tree . . . reading his poetry to earn a living. in 1902. He started writing Night coming tenderly The idea seemed kind of crazy to him, but poetry as a teenager, . Bethune said: “People need poetry, especially when he lived with his (© 1994 The Estate of Langston Hughes) our people.” grandmother in Lawrence, Spreading his words Kansas. He was lonely Weeks later, Langston Hughes decided living there and found “the Resources to make poetry his career. A friend from his wonderful world in books.” Langston Hughes college days served as his driver and manager. Hughes studied at at Lincoln They traveled through the South, holding in University in This issue of Mini Page poetry readings at colleges attended by and then 1928. Heroes is based on a chapter from “50 African-Americans. traveled to Africa and American Heroes Every Kid Should Langston Hughes wrote Europe as a crewman on ships. Eventually Meet” by Dennis Denenberg and and read poetry that spoke of he earned a degree from Lincoln University Lorraine Roscoe. To order the book, go to the experience of being black, in Pennsylvania, then returned to New York, heroes4us.com and click on “50 American that taught of the struggles where he lived for most of the rest of his life. Heroes Book” and “Order a Book.” of being black in a segregated Hughes on writing On the web: United States and that gave a “Generally, the fi rst two or three lines come • bit.ly/MPHughes voice to a better life for black to me from something I’m thinking about, or At the library: Americans. looking at, or doing, and the rest of the poem • “Coming Home: From the Life of His audiences were mostly African- ... fl ows from those fi rst few lines. If there is a Langston Hughes” by Floyd Cooper American college students. They welcomed his chance to put the poem down then, I write it • “The Sweet and Sour Animal Book” by words, which moved them, made them angry down. If not, I try to remember it until I get to a Langston Hughes, illustrated by students and made them proud. pencil and paper; for poems are like rainbows: from the Harlem School of the Arts they escape you quickly,” Hughes wrote. The Mini Page® © 2017 Andrews McMeel Syndication

Try ’n’ Find Mini Jokes Words that remind us of Langston Hughes are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward, and some Lance: How does a poet letters are used twice. See if you can fi nd: sneeze? Lewis: “Haiku!” AFRICA, AUDIENCE, I D O S A U D I E N C E E N T BLACK, BOOKS, S E H G U H O L G Y H T P L E EUROPE, HARLEM, P L A Y S E R E A D A W O T S Eco Note HUGHES, LANGSTON, I N O T S G N A L W R N R S T LYRICS, NEW YORK, K C A L B O B H S I L B U P R “Paper or plastic?” We PLAYS, POET, PUBLISH, F R D E T A G E R G E S E S U hear this question at the READ, SEGREGATED, T R O U B A D O U R M O C K G grocery store. But the answer is: Neither. STRUGGLE, N J C L Y R I C S B A S R O G The best way to take your groceries TROUBADOUR, WORDS. P O E T M E K R O Y W E N O L home is in your own bag. You can use it S D R O W O T A F R I C A B E as many times as you like. You never have to throw it away! Learn to make your own reusable grocery bag here: climatekids. nasa.gov/tshirt-bag/ Cook’s Corner courtesy climatekids.nasa.gov Root Beer Braised Ribs You’ll need: • 1 cup root beer • cooking spray • 1/2 cup barbecue Thank You • 2 pounds pork loin back ribs or pork sauce of your choice spareribs • 2 tablespoons sun- The Mini Page thanks • salt and ground black pepper dried tomato paste Dennis Denenberg, former teacher, • water principal, superintendent and university What to do: 1. Spray bottom of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Season ribs all over with salt professor, and Lorraine Roscoe, a and pepper. Cut ribs into 2- or 3-rib portions and place them in bottom of slow champion of heroes of every kind, for cooker. Pour over 1/2 cup of water. help with this issue.

2. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, until ribs are tender. 2017 Andrews McMeel Syndication 3. Remove ribs from cooker and drain away liquid, then return ribs to cooker. Teachers: For standards-based 4. Whisk together root beer, barbecue sauce and tomato paste. Pour mixture over activities to accompany this feature, ribs. Cover and cook on low for 1 more hour. Serves 4. visit: bit.ly/MPstandards. And follow The Mini Page® © Adapted from “The Robin Takes 5 Cookbook for Busy Families” with permission from Andrews McMeel Publishing (andrewsmcmeel.com). help with this recipe. need an adult’s * You’ll The Mini Page on Facebook!

Puzzling Unscramble the words below that remind us of poetry.

mehry rewtri esvre

azsnat Answers: rhyme, writer, verse, stanza. verse, writer, rhyme, Answers: