"Definitions belong to the definers," Toni Morrison wrote in her novel, Beloved. In our nation, definers were White and the definitions of Blacks were usually negative. Zora Neale Hurston--essayist, novelist, short story writer, and cultural anthropologist--claimed the right to define herself. During her time it was unusual to be a black female defining her own limitations, but Hurston was an unusual person in nature. In her writings, she made being black and female a normal thing to be. Hurston refused to allow any tradition or precedence to define her limitations in life.
With her unique approach to life, she proved to be a worthy candidate for the Harlem Renaissance. Her interests in anthropology led to her studies of Black folk culture and to record their fascinating oral culture of stories and songs. Hurston also investigated the Zombie beliefs in Haiti and published her findings in her novel, Tell My Horse (1937). She created some of the most vivid portrayals of Black Life we have today. These portrayals were featured in her novels Jonah's Gourd Vine (1934), Mules and Men (1935), Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937)--considered the finest piece of literary work out of the Harlem Renaissance--and Seraph on the Suwanee (1948)--her only novel that dealt with Whites.
About writing she wrote:
www-hsc.usc.edu/~gallaher/hurston/hurston.html
www.unc.edu/courses/eng81br1/zora.html
Curator: Cassandra Jackson