Morrison, Toni

Toni Morrison (1931-2019, age 88). An American novelist, essayist, book editor, and college professor.

Her first novel, The Bluest Eye, was published in 1970. The critically acclaimed Song of Solomon (1977) brought her national attention and won the National Book Critics Circle Award. In 1988, Toni Morrison won the Pulitzer Prize for Beloved (1987); she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993.

Born and raised in Lorain, Ohio, Toni Morrison graduated from Howard University in 1953 with a B.A. in English. She earned a master’s degree in American Literature from Cornell University in 1955.

She later taught English at Texas Southern University, Howard University, and the State University of New York before becoming a senior editor at Random House in New York City. As an editor, Toni Morrison played a vital role in bringing Black literature into the mainstream.

Toni Morrison’s works are praised for their epic themes, vivid dialogue, and richly detailed characters. Her novels are known for their focus on the Black American experience, particularly the experiences of Black women in an unjust society.

Toni Morrison’s writing explores themes of race, gender, class, and the supernatural, often employing non-linear narratives and a lyrical, poetic prose style. Her work has been instrumental in shaping American literature and has had a profound impact on discussions of identity and history in the United States.

Throughout her career, Toni Morrison held several prestigious academic positions, including the Robert F. Goheen Professor in the Humanities at Princeton University from 1989 until her retirement in 2006. In 2012, President Barack Obama presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Toni Morrison died in 2019, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most celebrated and influential authors in American history.

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