The skanner., February 21, 2024, SPECIAL ISSUE, Page 9, Image 9

February 21, 2024 The Skanner Portland & Seattle Page 9
Black History Month
Author Zora Neale Hurston
ston’s passion for educa-
tion led her to Howard
University, where she
immersed herself in the
vibrant cultural and in-
tellectual milieu of the
Harlem Renaissance.
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Literary Exploration
Hurston’s literary jour-
The Skanner News
Z
ora Neale Hurston, a
literary luminary of
the Harlem Renais-
sance, left an indel-
ible mark on American
literature, carving a path
as a novelist, anthropolo-
gist and folklorist.
Born Jan. 7, 1891, in No-
tasulga, Alabama, Hur-
ston’s journey unfolded
against the backdrop of
a racially charged Amer-
ica, yet she emerged as a
fearless chronicler of the
human experience.
Hurston’s
childhood
was marked by upheaval,
with her family relocat-
ing to Eatonville, Florida,
one of the first all-Black
incorporated towns in
the United States. This
unique setting would lat-
er serve as the backdrop
for much of her literary
work. Despite facing fi-
nancial challenges, Hur-
ney unfolded against a
tapestry of rich storytell-
ing traditions and cultur-
al nuances. Her immer-
sion in folklore studies,
particularly during her
time at Barnard College
under the tutelage of
Franz Boas, fueled her
fascination with Black
oral traditions. This fas-
cination bore fruit in her
groundbreaking anthro-
pological work, “Mules
and Men” (1935), a collec-
tion of folklore from the
Black communities of the
South.
Hurston’s
magnum
opus, “Their Eyes Were
Watching God” (1937),
stands as a literary
masterpiece and a cor-
nerstone of Black liter-
ature. The novel, set in
the fictional Eatonville,
See HURSTON on page 11
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