The Langston Hughes House in Harlem has maintained the legacy of Hughes’ widespread influence on American culture. Born on February 1, 1901, the visionary author, poet, and playwright was a co-owner and resident of the three-story brownstone at 20 East 127th Street from 1947 until his death in 1969.

Often called the “poet laureate of Harlem,” Hughes loved the neighborhood filling his work with the joys and resilience of Black life and community. Hughes portrayed this experience in all its diversity, and extolled a form of Black pride and awareness that recognized social justice as a priority—championing working-class lives in a way that made him both part of and ahead of his time.

Hughes’ time at the property is inseparable from the two people that became his adopted family: William Emerson and Ethel “Toy” Dudley Brown Harper, whom he affectionately called “Aunt” Toy. His mother’s close friend, Toy Harper worked as a seamstress and costume designer. Hughes co-purchased 20 East 127th Street with the Harpers for $12,500. While living there, he produced many of the works for which he is still recognized, including Montage of a Dream Deferred and I Wonder as I Wander, writing from his private study on the third floor.

The site’s history extends beyond the building itself into the sense of place, setting, and feeling that was the inspiration for Hughes’ powerful work. He spoke to the lives, thoughts, and ambitions of Black America and penned timeless critiques of American life and politics.

Stewarding an Iconic Home

Upon Hughes’ death in 1967, the house stayed with the Harpers. In 1980, Emerson Harper transferred the property to his son, James Emerson Harper, who saw the home designated a New York City Landmark in 1980 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. In 1985, he sold the house to its current owner, Dr. Beverly Prince, who is a practicing physician and a public historian.

Today, the home remains Hughes’ tangible legacy, stewarded by Dr. Prince and her husband Les Rolfe, for current and future generations to experience and be inspired by.

Exterior Restoration Project

In 2024, the Action Fund engaged AYON Studio Architecture and Preservation, P.C. and Excellent General Contracting Corp, which also specializes in historic brownstone restoration, to lead documentation, administration, and construction for the next phase of stabilization and exterior work on the home. The immediate focus is on ensuring the long-term integrity of this nationally significant landmark.

This phase, starting in early 2026, will include the full resurfacing of the brownstone facade, protection of significant architectural features, masonry restoration, sheet metal repairs, and roofing work. This restoration will secure the building's envelope, ensuring it remains resilient against weather and temperature changes, and lay the groundwork for a dynamic future to come as a center of Harlem's cultural legacy and community.

To learn more about the long-term plans for the Langston Hughes House in Harlem and its history, download the Action Fund’s stewardship plan. The Action Fund and the National Trust are grateful to Dr. Prince and Les Rolfe for their ongoing partnership and devotion as stewards of this remarkable asset and history.