Zora Neale HurstonZora Neale Hurston

By: Rachel Porter and Cambrie Maxwell

Author’s LifeAuthor’s Life Born in 1891 in Notasugla, No one Born in 1891 in Notasugla, No one

knows exact date knows exact date Fifth of eight childrenFifth of eight children

Her father, John Hurston, was a Her father, John Hurston, was a Baptist preacher, tenant farmer Baptist preacher, tenant farmer AlabamaAlabama and carpenterand carpenter Not a family manNot a family man Made life difficult for his family and childrenMade life difficult for his family and children Preferred Zora’s sister Sarah over ZoraPreferred Zora’s sister Sarah over Zora

Her mother, Lucy Hurston was the Her mother, Lucy Hurston was the “driving force and strong support for all “driving force and strong support for all her children”her children” Passed away when Zora was only a Passed away when Zora was only a

preteen preteen

Author’s Life Con’t…Author’s Life Con’t… When she was three her family moved When she was three her family moved

to Eatonville, Florida, an all black town to Eatonville, Florida, an all black town The first incorporated black community in The first incorporated black community in

AmericaAmerica For this reason her childhood was protected For this reason her childhood was protected

from racism from racism Her father later became mayor of this townHer father later became mayor of this town

To Zora, Eatonville would become a To Zora, Eatonville would become a utopia, glorified in her stories as a place utopia, glorified in her stories as a place black Americans could live as they black Americans could live as they desire, independent of white society and desire, independent of white society and all its ways. all its ways.

After the death of her mother she After the death of her mother she "passed around the family like a bad "passed around the family like a bad penny" by her father for the next several penny" by her father for the next several years until she was old enough to years until she was old enough to support herself.support herself.

Author’s Life Con’t…Author’s Life Con’t…

Upon reaching adulthood Zora was working as a Upon reaching adulthood Zora was working as a domestic, still leading an traveling life, with little domestic, still leading an traveling life, with little schooling.schooling.

She was in Baltimore in 1917, when through the aid of She was in Baltimore in 1917, when through the aid of her employer she entered in Morgan Academy (the her employer she entered in Morgan Academy (the high school division of Morgan College)high school division of Morgan College) She was actually twenty-six at the time but wrote her age as She was actually twenty-six at the time but wrote her age as

sixteen and her birth date as 1901 sixteen and her birth date as 1901 She graduated in 1918She graduated in 1918 When saved up enough money she went to college at When saved up enough money she went to college at

Howard University in Washington DCHoward University in Washington DC Was inspired to write while hereWas inspired to write while here

Author’s Life Con’t…Author’s Life Con’t…

Later moved to Harlem and perused at writing Later moved to Harlem and perused at writing careercareer

She became a recognized member of the She became a recognized member of the Harlem RenaissanceHarlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance was a period during which The Harlem Renaissance was a period during which

black artists broke with the traditional dialectal works black artists broke with the traditional dialectal works and imitating white writers to explore black culture and imitating white writers to explore black culture and express pride in their race. and express pride in their race.

Zora and her stories about Eatonville became a Zora and her stories about Eatonville became a major force in shaping these ideals. major force in shaping these ideals.

Author’s Life Con’t…Author’s Life Con’t… Her biographer Robert Hemenway said “Zora Her biographer Robert Hemenway said “Zora

Hurston was an extraordinarily witty woman Hurston was an extraordinarily witty woman and she acquired an instant reputation in New and she acquired an instant reputation in New York for her high spirits and side-splitting takes York for her high spirits and side-splitting takes of Eatonville life. She could walk into a room of of Eatonville life. She could walk into a room of strangers…and almost immediately gather strangers…and almost immediately gather people charm, amuse and empress them.”people charm, amuse and empress them.”

During this time she worked as secretary for During this time she worked as secretary for Fannie Hurst and entered Bernard CollegeFannie Hurst and entered Bernard College

Her career took her into two directions- at Her career took her into two directions- at Bernard she developed an interest in black Bernard she developed an interest in black Folk tradition by studying with the famous Folk tradition by studying with the famous anthropologist Franz Boas, and in Harlem she anthropologist Franz Boas, and in Harlem she became well known as a story teller became well known as a story teller

Graduated in 1927 from BernardGraduated in 1927 from Bernard

Author’s Life Con’t…Author’s Life Con’t… After her graduation, she received a After her graduation, she received a

fellowship to return to Florida to study the fellowship to return to Florida to study the oral traditions of Eatonville.oral traditions of Eatonville.

When the fellowship money ran out, Zora When the fellowship money ran out, Zora was supported by Mrs. R. Osgood Mason an was supported by Mrs. R. Osgood Mason an elderly white patron of the arts.elderly white patron of the arts. Under Mrs. Mason’s support, Zora experienced Under Mrs. Mason’s support, Zora experienced

the difficulty of censoring her work because well the difficulty of censoring her work because well off white people were the sponsors of, and often off white people were the sponsors of, and often the chief audience for, her work.the chief audience for, her work.

Mrs. Mason required permission before Mrs. Mason required permission before publishing any of the work that she had publishing any of the work that she had subsidized subsidized

Author’s Life Con’t…Author’s Life Con’t…

Her work wasn’t entirely popular with the male Her work wasn’t entirely popular with the male intellectuals of the Harlem community because many intellectuals of the Harlem community because many thought her to be either naive or egotisticalthought her to be either naive or egotistical

She quarreled with Langston Hughes because she She quarreled with Langston Hughes because she rejected the idea that a black writer’s chief concern rejected the idea that a black writer’s chief concern should be how blacks are portrayed to the white should be how blacks are portrayed to the white reader.reader.

Great Depression caused her to turn fully to writingGreat Depression caused her to turn fully to writing For the last decade of her life she lived in Florida For the last decade of her life she lived in Florida

working from time to time as a maidworking from time to time as a maid She died in 1960She died in 1960

Popular Literary WorksPopular Literary Works Her most important and first novel, Her most important and first novel,

Jonah’s Gourd VineJonah’s Gourd Vine was was published mid 1930’s, but there published mid 1930’s, but there was little interest in it or African was little interest in it or African American writing in generalAmerican writing in general

Mules and MenMules and Men was her best was her best selling book published in 1935selling book published in 1935

Most popular and critical favorite Most popular and critical favorite was her novel was her novel Their Eyes Were Their Eyes Were Watching GodWatching God published in 1937 published in 1937

She published a few other works She published a few other works and then her autobiography, and then her autobiography, Dust Dust Tracks on a Road,Tracks on a Road, in 1942, but at in 1942, but at this point she had no audience this point she had no audience

Hurston's present reputation and Hurston's present reputation and popularity are evidenced by the popularity are evidenced by the reprinting of several of her works reprinting of several of her works in the late 1980s, including in the late 1980s, including Their Their Eyes Were Watching GodEyes Were Watching God

Literature From Our TextsLiterature From Our Texts The Eatonville Anthology:The Eatonville Anthology: Here she Here she

brings together many of the stories brings together many of the stories about Eatonville’s residents that she about Eatonville’s residents that she told at parties in Harlem. The stories told at parties in Harlem. The stories are cast in the forms of traditional are cast in the forms of traditional African American tales. It is African American tales. It is comprised of fourteen short comprised of fourteen short sketches which offer humorous sketches which offer humorous commentary on lives of the commentary on lives of the characters of Eatonville. characters of Eatonville.

How It Feels to Be Colored Me:How It Feels to Be Colored Me: Here Hurston shows us how proud Here Hurston shows us how proud she is about being a woman of color she is about being a woman of color in a world full of discrimination in a world full of discrimination against black people. In this story against black people. In this story she explains how she was not she explains how she was not always colored and how she always colored and how she became colored. She also explains became colored. She also explains that she only feels colored when that she only feels colored when she is with white people. She is not she is with white people. She is not bitter about slavery because she bitter about slavery because she feels that being bitter about it will feels that being bitter about it will only hold her back.only hold her back.

The Gilded Six-Bits:The Gilded Six-Bits: is a story of is a story of love, betrayal, and forgiveness. It love, betrayal, and forgiveness. It portrays the happy domestic life of portrays the happy domestic life of two young newly weds, Joe and two young newly weds, Joe and Missie May and shows the havoc Missie May and shows the havoc that is wreaked when a slick and that is wreaked when a slick and sophisticated outsider comes into sophisticated outsider comes into their community and into their home. their community and into their home.

Writing StyleWriting Style Zora wrote in a narrative recreation of southern Zora wrote in a narrative recreation of southern

black rural dialect black rural dialect Her fiction, which depicts relationships among Her fiction, which depicts relationships among

black residents in her native southern Florida, black residents in her native southern Florida, was largely unconcerned with racial injustices. was largely unconcerned with racial injustices.

Zora did not write to “uplift her race” because in Zora did not write to “uplift her race” because in her view it was already upliftedher view it was already uplifted

She was not embarrassed to present her She was not embarrassed to present her characters as a mixture of good and bad, strong characters as a mixture of good and bad, strong and weak.and weak.

Critics have argued that she was a feminist writer Critics have argued that she was a feminist writer because she didn’t need a man to lean onbecause she didn’t need a man to lean on

Hurston's novel has become a staple in women's Hurston's novel has become a staple in women's studies programs and has inspired many female studies programs and has inspired many female authors to create non-stereotypical black female authors to create non-stereotypical black female characters. characters.