Overview
This lecture covers the life, literary career, and cultural impact of Zora Neale Hurston, emphasizing her role in the Harlem Renaissance and her lasting legacy in African American literature and anthropology.
Early Life and Education
- Zora Neale Hurston was born on January 7, 1891, in Notasulga, Alabama, to former slaves.
- Her family moved to Eatonville, Florida, the first incorporated all-Black city in America.
- Hurston experienced a rare early life free from minority status and racial indignities.
- Her mother encouraged academic ambition; her father was often critical.
- After her mother died in 1904, Hurston faced family conflict and was sent to boarding school but had to leave due to unpaid tuition.
- She attended the high school division of Morgan State University by altering her age to qualify for free education and graduated in 1918.
Entry into Writing and the Harlem Renaissance
- Hurston attended Howard University (1919), co-founded the student newspaper, and published her first story in 1921.
- She became involved with leading Black intellectuals like Alain Locke and joined his literary club, which helped shape the Harlem Renaissance.
- Moving to Harlem in 1925, she earned awards for fiction and drama and became part of Harlem's vibrant literary scene.
Academic and Anthropological Work
- Admitted to Barnard College (Columbia University) in 1925 as its only Black student, she studied under Franz Boas and conducted significant ethnographic research.
- Supported by a patron, Hurston collected African American folklore in the South, leading to important publications.
Major Works and Achievements
- Her fieldwork resulted in the novel "Jonah’s Gourd Vine" (1934) and the folklore study "Mules and Men" (1935).
- She documented the narrative of Cudjo Lewis, the last survivor of the Middle Passage, in a manuscript published posthumously as "Barracoon."
- Published "Their Eyes Were Watching God" (1937), focusing on a Black woman’s experience, receiving mixed criticism from Black literary peers.
- Continued publishing novels, essays, and plays, despite financial struggles and mixed critical reception.
Later Life and Legacy
- Faced personal and professional setbacks, including false allegations, poverty, and obscurity in her later years.
- Died in 1960 in poverty; her grave was unmarked until Alice Walker honored her in 1973.
- Her legacy was revived through later biographies and adaptations, and her work is celebrated today.
- The annual Zora! Festival in Eatonville honors her impact on literature and culture.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Harlem Renaissance — A cultural, social, and artistic movement of Black artists and writers in 1920s Harlem.
- Folklorist — A person who studies and records traditional customs, tales, and beliefs of a community.
- Anthropology — The study of human societies, cultures, and their development.
- Middle Passage — The transatlantic journey enslaved Africans endured to reach the Americas.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Hurston's major works: "Their Eyes Were Watching God," "Mules and Men," and "Barracoon."
- Research the Harlem Renaissance and its leading figures for broader context.