“Women are the real architects of society.”

Born Chloe Ardelia Wofford on February 18, 1931, in Lorain, Ohio, Toni Morrison grew up in a diverse, working-class community where storytelling, music, and folklore were integral to her upbringing. Her parents instilled in her a love for literature and Black cultural traditions, which would later shape her literary voice.

Morrison’s career spanned decades as an editor, educator, and writer. She was the first Black female editor at Random House, where she championed other Black voices. As a professor, she taught at Howard, Princeton, and other institutions. Her groundbreaking novels redefined American literature, earning her the Pulitzer Prize, the Nobel Prize in Literature, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Her most acclaimed works include The Bluest Eye (1970), Sula (1973), Song of Solomon (1977), and Beloved (1987), which won the Pulitzer Prize. Jazz (1992) and Paradise (1998) completed her Beloved trilogy. Morrison also wrote children’s books and essays, further expanding her literary impact.

Toni Morrison passed away on August 5, 2019, at the age of 88. Her passing was mourned by literary giants, activists, and world leaders, with tributes from figures like Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama. Morrison’s legacy endures through her groundbreaking novels, which continue to shape discussions on race, identity, and history. Her influence remains vital, inspiring generations of writers to tell their own stories with honesty and depth.

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• The Bluest Eye (1970)
• Sula (1973)
• Song of Solomon (1977)
• Tar Baby (1981)
• Beloved (1987)
• Jazz (1992)
• Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination (1992)
• Paradise (1998)
• The Big Box (w/ Slade Morrison & illustrator Giselle Potter 1998)
• The Book of Mean People (w/ Slade Morrison & illustrator Pascal Lemaître 2002)
• Who’s Got Game? The Lion or the Mouse? (w/ Slade Morrison & illustrator Pascal Lemaître 2003)
• Love (2003)
• Remember: The Journey to School Integration (2004)
• Who’s Got Game? Poppy or the Snake? (w/ Slade Morrison & illustrator Pascal Lemaître 2004)
• Who’s Got Game? The Ant or the Grasshopper? (w/ Slade Morrison & illustrator Pascal Lemaître 2007)
• A Mercy (2008)
• Peeny Butter Fudge (w/ Slade Morrison & illustrator Joe Cepeda 2009)
• The Tortoise or the Hare (w/ Slade Morrison & illustrator Joe Cepeda 2010)
• Little Cloud and Lady Wind (w/ Slade Morrison & illustrator Sean Qualls 2010)
• Home (2012)
• Please, Louise (w/ Slade Morrison & illustrator Shadra Strickland 2014)
• God Help the Child (2015)