Langston Hughes faced numerous challenges during his early life, such as racial inequality and economic hardship. Growing up in a segregated America, he confronted the harsh realities of discrimination and poverty. His tumultuous family background, including his parents' divorce, also contributed to his feelings of instability. These experiences informed his literary voice, motivating him to write about the struggles and triumphs of the Black experience in America through poetry and prose. Hughes's resilience amidst adversity laid the foundation for his impactful contributions to the Harlem Renaissance and American literature.