Zora Neale HurstonZora Neale Hurston

Though during her life Zora Neale Hurston claimeThough during her life Zora Neale Hurston claimed her birth date as January 7, 1901 and her birth pld her birth date as January 7, 1901 and her birth place as Eatonville, Florida, she was actually born oace as Eatonville, Florida, she was actually born on that date in the year 1891 in Notasulga, Alabama.n that date in the year 1891 in Notasulga, Alabama.

Within the first year or two of her life her family Within the first year or two of her life her family moved to all-black Eatonville, and this community moved to all-black Eatonville, and this community shaped her life and her writing to a significant degshaped her life and her writing to a significant degree. John Hurston, the author's father, was a carperee. John Hurston, the author's father, was a carpenter and a preacher and was several times elected nter and a preacher and was several times elected mayor of their town. Her mother, Lucy, died in 19mayor of their town. Her mother, Lucy, died in 1904. 04.

The young Zora didn't take very well to her The young Zora didn't take very well to her new stepmother and left home to work for a new stepmother and left home to work for a traveling theatre company, then in 1917 attetraveling theatre company, then in 1917 attended Morgan Academy in Baltimore to finisnded Morgan Academy in Baltimore to finish high school. h high school.

Hurston entered Howard University in 1920 and Hurston entered Howard University in 1920 and studied there off and on for the next four years while studied there off and on for the next four years while working as a manicurist to support herself. working as a manicurist to support herself.

Her first published story appeared in Howard Her first published story appeared in Howard University's literary magazine in 1921 and she University's literary magazine in 1921 and she received recognition in 1925 when another story received recognition in 1925 when another story was accepted by the New York magazine was accepted by the New York magazine OpportunityOpportunity, edited by Charles S. Johnson. After , edited by Charles S. Johnson. After she won second place in the she won second place in the OpportunityOpportunity contest, contest, Johnson and others, including Alain Locke, Johnson and others, including Alain Locke, encouraged Hurston to move to New York.encouraged Hurston to move to New York.

In New York Hurston became part the New Negro movemIn New York Hurston became part the New Negro movement -- later referred to as the Harlem Renaissance -- attendient -- later referred to as the Harlem Renaissance -- attending parties with other notable African American writers sucng parties with other notable African American writers such as Langston Hughes, h as Langston Hughes, Jessie Jessie FausetFauset, and Arna Bontemps. , and Arna Bontemps.

Hurston apparently cut quite a figure in Harlem society, heHurston apparently cut quite a figure in Harlem society, her hat perched jauntily on her head, as she regaled groups wr hat perched jauntily on her head, as she regaled groups with her tales of Eatonville, Florida and shocked others with ith her tales of Eatonville, Florida and shocked others with her outrageous behavior which included such social excessher outrageous behavior which included such social excesses as smoking in public. es as smoking in public.

During her early years in New York Hurston worked as an During her early years in New York Hurston worked as an assistant to writer Fanny Hurst and began taking classes at assistant to writer Fanny Hurst and began taking classes at Barnard College. At Barnard she studied anthropology Barnard College. At Barnard she studied anthropology under the renowned scholar Franz Boas. Her particular under the renowned scholar Franz Boas. Her particular interest was in the area of folklore, and her background in interest was in the area of folklore, and her background in Eatonville provided her both with rich data for scholarly Eatonville provided her both with rich data for scholarly study and fine raw material for her writing. Over the next study and fine raw material for her writing. Over the next several years Hurston would travel in the south, several years Hurston would travel in the south, interviewing storytellers in Florida and Hoodoo doctors in interviewing storytellers in Florida and Hoodoo doctors in New Orleans, all of which would feed into her writing.New Orleans, all of which would feed into her writing.

Their Eyes Were Watching God Their Eyes Were Watching GodTheir Eyes Were Watching God is generall is generall

y considered to be Hurston's most powerful y considered to be Hurston's most powerful novel. Alice Walker writes of it, "There is nnovel. Alice Walker writes of it, "There is no book more important to me than this one" o book more important to me than this one" (Hemenway xiii). It is the story of Janie Cra(Hemenway xiii). It is the story of Janie Crawford, a woman who defines the parameters wford, a woman who defines the parameters of her life and loves in opposition to the smof her life and loves in opposition to the small-town mores of Eatonville. all-town mores of Eatonville.

“How It Feels to Be Black Me”

Zora Neal Hurston also writes about what it feels like to be Zora Neal Hurston also writes about what it feels like to be a minority. “How It Feels to Be Black Me,” however, is aba minority. “How It Feels to Be Black Me,” however, is about how great it feels to be in the skin she’s in. Hurston rarout how great it feels to be in the skin she’s in. Hurston rarely mentions why it might be hard to be black, she instead ely mentions why it might be hard to be black, she instead lists all the reasons it’s great to be just the person she is. lists all the reasons it’s great to be just the person she is.

She has a very strong sense of self and uses her confidence She has a very strong sense of self and uses her confidence to write a witty, informal commentary on what it’s like to to write a witty, informal commentary on what it’s like to be black. Her humor is very effective. She writes, “Sometibe black. Her humor is very effective. She writes, “Sometimes I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me ames I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselvngry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me.” She is of es the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me.” She is of course being facetious here, insisting she’s a great person tcourse being facetious here, insisting she’s a great person to be around and her skin has nothing to do with it. o be around and her skin has nothing to do with it.

She pokes fun at racism and often won’t even ackShe pokes fun at racism and often won’t even acknowledge race itself. She says, “At certain times I nowledge race itself. She says, “At certain times I have no race, I am me…I belong to no race or timhave no race, I am me…I belong to no race or time.” She wraps up the essay very resolutely by prope.” She wraps up the essay very resolutely by proposing that all people are made from the same buncosing that all people are made from the same bunch of little, odd items, mixed together in a bag. Somh of little, odd items, mixed together in a bag. Some bags are white, some are brown, some yellow ane bags are white, some are brown, some yellow and some pink, but we are all made from the same eld some pink, but we are all made from the same elements. Hurston eloquently ends her piece by implements. Hurston eloquently ends her piece by implying, without outright stating, we are all the same ying, without outright stating, we are all the same underneath our skin. underneath our skin.

What Hurston shows in "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" What Hurston shows in "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" is how we create, construe, project a sense of self in the is how we create, construe, project a sense of self in the social interactions we find ourselves in. Yet, at the same social interactions we find ourselves in. Yet, at the same time, we are always subject to someone else's perceptions, time, we are always subject to someone else's perceptions, constructions, and names. constructions, and names.

What identity comes to mean, then, arises out of a What identity comes to mean, then, arises out of a particular set of social circumstances at any given time, out particular set of social circumstances at any given time, out of which differences are deemed important enough to be of which differences are deemed important enough to be named by either oneself or by others. For writers like named by either oneself or by others. For writers like Hurston, the moment of being called on as different, of Hurston, the moment of being called on as different, of being named, leads to a growing self awareness of what it being named, leads to a growing self awareness of what it means to be called "colored" in a white dominated society, means to be called "colored" in a white dominated society, and of how blackness can be performed in her social and of how blackness can be performed in her social surroundings.surroundings.

Hurston has been the subject of intense critical atteHurston has been the subject of intense critical attention since her "re-discovery" in the late 'sixties. Tntion since her "re-discovery" in the late 'sixties. The most prolific African-American woman writer he most prolific African-American woman writer of her time or earlier, the power of her imagery anof her time or earlier, the power of her imagery and the richness of the culture which she brings to lifd the richness of the culture which she brings to life through her writings have found her enthusiastic e through her writings have found her enthusiastic new audiences in recent years. new audiences in recent years.

Hurston herself was unable to make a living from Hurston herself was unable to make a living from her writings and worked as a teacher, a librarian aher writings and worked as a teacher, a librarian and a domestic in order to earn her livelihood. nd a domestic in order to earn her livelihood.

She spent her later years in Florida, continuing to write artiShe spent her later years in Florida, continuing to write articles which were published in various local and national vecles which were published in various local and national venues and three additional novels which were rejected for pnues and three additional novels which were rejected for publication. Her death in 1960 in a welfare home went largeublication. Her death in 1960 in a welfare home went largely unnoticed by the world and she was buried in an unmarkly unnoticed by the world and she was buried in an unmarked grave. In 1973, during a time when Hurston's eminence ed grave. In 1973, during a time when Hurston's eminence was finally being recognized, Alice Walker placed a markewas finally being recognized, Alice Walker placed a marker in the field where Hurston lay. The gravestone reads:r in the field where Hurston lay. The gravestone reads:

Zora Neale HurstonZora Neale Hurston"A Genius of the South""A Genius of the South"1901[sic] -- 19601901[sic] -- 1960Novelist, FolkloristNovelist, FolkloristAnthropologistAnthropologist