Famed writer and one-time Lawrence resident Langston Hughes, born in Joplin, Mo., is celebrated throughout the University of Kansas and the city. To help us celebrate his birthday and kick off Black History Month, we spoke to professors across campus to tell us what we should know about Hughes’ significant and broad career and the lasting impact his work had on American culture … in a nutshell.

He grew up in Lawrence, Kansas

Jayhawks love their traditions. They unite our community, connect us to our past, and capture the values that will propel us to greatness. But did you know that several of the most famous KU traditions were born out of the creativity of College faculty and alumni? From the Rock Chalk Chant to good luck charms, here's some of the reasons why the College is known as the historical heart of KU.

Rock Chalk Chant

This March, the University of Kansas will host the National Debate Tournament (NDT) for the first time. For the uninitiated, the NDT is the debate world’s equivalent of March Madness. Spread over five intense days, the top teams from across the USA compete to be crowned the nation’s best debaters. After a hugely successful fall semester, KU was ranked number one in the country in the national varsity debate rankings, and head into the tournament full of confidence. KU’s success in this prestigious event is as long-standing and impressive as that of the Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team.

Across the humanities, sciences and the arts in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, there are inspiring faculty and students busy helping us understand our world better. From dinosaur digs to social media to explaining the Black Lives Matter movement, we have compiled some of our highlights for you below.  

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences plays major part in KU’s past, present and future 

Looking back, it’s amazing to see what our students, professors and alumni have accomplished in the past year. They made ground-breaking discoveries, received national and international recognition for their work and experienced exclusive learning opportunities. Here are just a few highlights from 2015.

In a time when girls were still wearing bloomers in gym class, Anne Levinson tried out for the boys’ baseball team in junior high. Such an act, when most people expected young girls to sit still and be quiet, was not very well received. Working to open doors so that more people can have opportunities has characterized Levinson’s life and shaped her impressive career. That seemingly minor episode of trying out for a boys’ team as a kid foreshadowed the trailblazing endeavors that Levinson would undertake at the University of Kansas and beyond.