in 1926 hughes began studying at lincoln university, pennsylvania. he had help from patrons, amy spingarn, who gave him $300 and "godmother" charlotte osgood mason. hughes graduated with a bachelor of arts in 1929 and became a doctor of letters in 1943. he was also given an honorary doctorate by howard university. for the rest of his life, except when he travelled to the caribbean or west indies, hughes lived in harlem, new york.