Zora Neale Hurston
- Born:
- January 7, 1891 (disputed; later claimed 1901), Notasulga, Alabama, USA
- Died:
- January 28, 1960, Fort Pierce, Florida, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist, Anthropologist, Filmmaker
Early Life and Education
- Grew up in Eatonville, Florida, one of the first all-Black towns incorporated in the United States.
- Attended Howard University, where she began publishing short stories.
- Studied at Barnard College under Franz Boas, a pioneer of modern anthropology.
Career and Major Achievements
- Documented African American folklore and culture in the South through extensive fieldwork.
- Associated with the Harlem Renaissance literary movement.
- Wrote essays, plays, and novels exploring the complexities of Black life.
- Received a Guggenheim Fellowship to conduct research in Jamaica and Haiti.
Notable Works
- Novels:
- Jonah's Gourd Vine (1934)
- Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937)
- Moses, Man of the Mountain (1939)
- Seraph on the Suwanee (1948)
- Non-Fiction:
- Mules and Men (1935)
- Tell My Horse (1938)
- Dust Tracks on a Road (1942) (autobiography)
- Short Stories:
- "Sweat" (1926)
- "Spunk" (1925)
Legacy and Impact
The significance of Zora Neale Hurston's work was largely unappreciated during her lifetime, and the biography of Zora Neale Hurston showcases a resurgence in popularity post-mortem. She is now recognized as a major figure in American literature, anthropology, and Black cultural studies. Her writing continues to inspire generations of writers and scholars.