Zora Neale Hurston
Zora Neale Hurston was a novelist, folklorist, and anthropologist. Zora plays an important role for the Harlem Renaissance. Zora Neale Hurston is considered one of the titans of twentieth-century African American literature. Despite that she would later fall into disgrace because of her firm views of civil rights, her lyrical writing which praise southern black culture has influenced generations of black American literary figures. Hurston’s work also had an impact on later black American authors such as Ralph Ellison, Alice Walker, and Toni Morrison.
The early life of Zora Neale Hurston has been covered in mystery. While the majority of biographical accounts list the year of her birth as 1901, just as many list 1903, and in a 1993 biography film they list her birth day as 1891.
Hurston's parents were Lucy Ann Potts, a schoolteacher, and John Hurston, a carpenter and Baptist preacher. Her father was a three-term mayor.
In 1904, her mother died and her father sent her to a private school in Jacksonville.
At the age of twenty-six she enrolls at the high school division of Morgan College. Although it is believe that she was twenty-six years old at the time of enrollment, she listed her age as sixteen and 1901 as her birthday. Hurston graduated from Morgan Academy, the high school division of Morgan College, in 1918. Later that year, she began her undergraduate studies at Howard University. While at Howard, Hurston became one of the earliest initiates of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and co-founded The Hilltop, the University's student newspaper. Hurston left Howard in 1924, unable to support herself.
Hurston was offered a scholarship to Barnard College where she received her Bachelor Degree in anthropology in 1927. While she was at Barnard, she conducted ethnographic research under her advisor, the noted anthropologist Franz Boas of Columbia University. She also worked with Ruth Benedict as well as fellow anthropology student Margaret Mead.
Upon reaching adulthood Zora was working as a domestic. She still manages to travel throughout the country. She met a young black poet name Herbert Sheen, who, on 19 May 1927, became her first husband. As Sheen later told Hurston's biographer, Hemenway, the marriage was doomed "to an early, amicable divorce" because Hurston's career was her first priority. Her ambition also led to tension other romance in her life. Hurston married and divorced three husbands and, at age 44, fell in love with 23-year-old Percy Punter.
1. As a writer who was also an anthropologist and a folklorist, Zora Neale Hurston studied
At 22, after two-thirds of a year at Berea College in West Virginia, he returned to the coalmines and studied Latin and Greek between trips to the mineshafts. He then went on to the University of Chicago, where he received bachelors and master's degrees, and Harvard University, where he became the second black to receive a doctorate in history.
Zora Neale Hurston and Maya Angelou are arguably the most influential writers of the mid 20th century . Their work has inspired young African Americans to have more confidence in their own abilities. Their work has also been studied and taught countless times in many schools across the U.S. But the main reason why their work is considered classics in American literature; is because their work stands as testament to the treatment, and struggles of African Americans in the mid 20th century America.
McLeod, Laura. "Zora Neale Hurston: Overview." Feminist Writers. Ed. Pamela Kester-Shelton. Detroit: St. James Press, 1996. Literature Resource Center. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
Alice Walker, through her essay "In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens", and Paule Marshall, in "Poets In The Kitchen", both write about the African-American women of the past and how these women have had an impact on their writing. Walker and Marshall write about an identity they have found with these women because of their exposure to the African culture. These women were searching for independence and freedom. Walker expresses independence as found in the creative spirit, and Marshall finds it through the spoken word. Walker and Marshall celebrate these women's lives and they see them as inspirations to become black women writers.
Self- Acceptance is an important characteristic to have. Self- Acceptance is defined as being realistic about oneself and at the same time comfortable with that personal assessment. (Farlex Dictionary) Zora Neale Hurston wrote several works promoting self- acceptance. A few of many works written by Hurston are How It Feels to be Colored Me, The Glided Six Bits, Jonah’s Gourd Vine, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and Color Struck. She chose characters throughout her works that were not perfect:
Zora Neale Hurston was born in Alabama on January 7, 1891. "In 1937, she published her masterwork of fiction, Their Eyes Were Watching God (A&E Television Networks 2). Zora was a very energetic woman, she was so eager to learn even though she did not finish high school, but she prepared for college and got accepted to Howard University. She published her book Their Eyes Were Watching God, the story of a young girl named Janie looking for love and happiness in the south. "The book was criticized at the time, especially by black male writers, who condemned Hurston for not taking a political stand and demonstrating the ill effects of racism" (History 3). Zora was a very talented woman, she was given the scholarship to study anthropology at Barnard College, and she became the school's first known African American graduate in 1928. "Anthropologist and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston was the most prolific Black woman writer in the USA between 1920 and 1950; the foremother of a
Hurston writes about how she moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and it wasn’t until then that she realized she wasn’t just Zora—she was also colored. She says, “I was not Zora of Orange County any more, I was now a little colored girl” (941). It was after she was thrown against the backdrop of a white community that others made her feel colored. But even though she was made aware of her differences she did not feel any anger about slavery or the discrimination she was faced with. She states, “…I am not tragically colored. There is no great sorrow dammed up in my soul, n...
Going through hard racial times,Lawrence made his kids get a precious education. Browne attended LeMoyne High School a private school that was for black students. Browne next came up with a way to attend Howard University located in Washington, D.C. Browne graduated Cum Laude in 1935. After college she moved to New Orleans, where she got a teaching job at Gilbert Academy. Browne left her job after only 1 year and moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she earned a master's degree and eventually her doctorate from the University of Michigan.
When he grew older, he struggled to get into Bates College in Maine. In 1920, he completed his B.A. and decided to attend the University of Chicago. 5 years later, he graduated school with an M.A. and a Ph.D. in the School of Religion in 1935. All through his school years, he also taught as a teacher at Morehouse College, and at a school in South Carolina. However, Morehouse was what impacted him the most. Reason
He was admitted to Crozer Theologist Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania in September of the same year, to receive his divinity degree. He graduated from Crozer with the honors of being the first African American to be elected president of the student body and the highest GPA in his class. He then went on to graduate school at Boston University where he formed a great devo...
Zora Hurston had many education diplomas, and her back ground information was very tiring considering she has a lot of brothers and sisters. Plus she has had a very interesting life with a lot of ups and downs, no one said that being a writer was easy. She was born Jan.7,1891 Notasulga, Alabama. died Jan.28 1960 (age 69) Fort Pierce,Florida. Zora was fifth of eight children by John Hurston and Lucy Ann Hurston. Her father was a Baptist, preacher, tenant farmer, and carpenter. Her mother was a school teacher. She traveled a lot and lived in Notasulga,Alabama. Eatonville, Florida. Jacksonville, Florida. Eau Galile,Florida. Westfield, New Jersey. Daytona, Florida.
Imagine how big a woman’s life changed after she went through three marriages. In most cases, she would learn many valuable lessons from each marriage. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston succeeded in creating the heroine as well as the protagonist in Janie Crawford. When Janie was married to three different men who each has distinct perspectives, she realized that she gradually became more mature. Janie Crawford truly broke typical gender boundaries, and some of her words and her actions proved to society that she was a strong woman.
Harriet Stowe was born on June 14, 1811 in a town called Litchfield Connecticut. She was a part of a growing family of ten until her mother Roxanna Foote Beecher passed away from tuberculosis when Harriet was at the age of four. One year later her father Lyman Beecher remarried producing three more children into the family. With her mother gone Harriet looked up to her older sister Catherine who took over the responsibilities
"I have the nerve to walk my own way, however hard, in my search for reality, rather than climb upon the rattling wagon of wishful illusions,” (Boyd). This quote was written by well-known author and short-story writer, Zora Neale Hurston in a letter to Countee Cullen. By these words, she claims to have the right to live her life in fullest potential and be true to herself and beliefs. Hurston is a notorious writer, novelist and playwright who is known for her four novels, 50 short stories, plays and essays (Zora Neale Hurston). Author Hurston also plays an important role for the Harlem Renaissance. She is considered a significant individual of twentieth-century African American literature. Hurston derived from poverty to prominence and was influential towards many. Despite Zora Neale Hurston’s unsettled life, she managed to overcome every obstacle to become one of the most profound authors of her time. Despite that she would later descend into stigma because of her resistant views on civil rights, her passionate writing which eulogize southern black culture has impacted generations of African American literary physiques. Hurston’s work also had an influence on later black American authors such as Toni Morrison, Ralph Ellison and Alice Walker. Zora Neale