[1] An ardent abolitionist and follower of John Brown, he also served as associate editor of the Historic Times (a black community newspaper in Lawrence, Kansas), as president of the local Colored Benevolent Society, and as grandmaster of Lawrence's Black Masonic Fraternity.

She became central to Lawrence's St. Luke's Progressive Club and was elected "Critic" by a rival society at the Warren Street Second Baptist Church.

In 1892, writing as a young, single, black woman, she refuted what she termed “the male notion” that women were content with their position in life.

Her words were aimed at Midwestern black men who maintained conservative ideas about women's place in society.

[7] She spoke publicly on women in journalism,[8] addressed African Methodist Episcopal Church conventions,[9][10] and served as deputy clerk in a district court office.

[11] Carrie Langston's first marriage was to James Hughes, a descendant of two prominent white grandfathers from Kentucky and two grandmothers of African descent.

However, James Hughes, seeking to escape racial segregation in the United States, moved to Mexico, where he spent most of the rest of his life, becoming fairly prosperous.

Carrie Langston Hughes claimed her young son could not walk that distance daily but she still met resistance; she took her case to the Topeka Board of Education and won.

[3] In March 1933, Carrie Langston's lifelong wish to be an actress of some success was fulfilled: she appeared on Broadway as Sister Susie May Hunt[15][16] in Hall Johnson's theatrical production, Run, Little Chillun.