on may 22, 1967, hughes died in new york city at the age of 65 after having surgery for prostate cancer. his ashes are buried under the floor of the "langston hughes auditorium" in the "arthur schomburg center for research in black culture" in harlem. over his ashes is a circle with an african design called "rivers." at the centre of the design are words from a poem by hughes: ""my soul has grown deep like the rivers."