Toni Morrison impacted Black literature and the world. Through her captivating books and her work as an editor at Random House, her literary prowess and commitment to Black stories were forces to be reckoned with.
She left a trail of words that stir our emotions, stimulate our minds, and feed our souls.
I read Beloved, my first Morrison book, at 13. I remember bawling tears for almost an hour while reading just the beginning. I had been an avid reader since early childhood, but the stories of the characters in Beloved touched me beyond anything I’d read before. Maybe it was also because of my age.
At thirteen, I was forming my identity. Getting a sense of who I was, where I came from, and my view of the world.
I’m a child of slaves also. My parents are Caribbean, and I find stories of slavery trigger thoughts of my ancestors. I imagine their 
lives and wonder if they lived through torment and familial complexities similar to Sethe, Denver, and the other characters of Beloved. I’ll never know because I don’t have access to those stories.
And perhaps it’s the ‘not knowing’ that fuels my hunger for narratives such as Beloved.
In the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Morrison connected with readers deeply because she never shied away from revealing the raw, unfiltered core of her characters, their environment, and the wounds they suffered. She delved deep into it all. Everything was laid bare and exposed in such a way that we could slip into the character’s space, if even for a moment. This was how she wrote. Not just Beloved, but every book.
She had a talent for penning the most granular of relevant details that draw you into each story and hold you there. Beloved, for example, isn’t a story of slavery told from a wide camera angle. It’s more of a needlepoint view of one or two people’s lives in full color. But Morrison didn’t only write about slavery.
Beloved is just one of her 11 novels, along with numerous nonfiction books, children’s books and plays. I have read 7 of Morrison’s books so far and aim to read the rest. I keep rereading my favorites and can’t seem to get to the others on the list.
This quick post is more about her life than her books (although it’s hard to separate the two). I’m sharing 7 interesting facts about Toni Morrison that you may not know.
Fascinating fact about Toni Morrison #1
Toni Morrison attended the HBCU Howard University, where she was homecoming queen, an actress, and pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
Fascinating fact about Toni Morrison #2
While working as an editor at Random House, Morrison edited Angela Davis’ 1974 biography. Morrison’s work at Random House allowed her to help cultivate some of the greatest Black writers of that time.
#3
Morrison grew up in a storytelling family. In an interview with IDEA, she explained storytelling was a familial pastime and was encouraged and nurtured.
#4
She co-wrote several children’s books with her son, Slade Morrison including Peeny Butter Fudge, Please, and The Little Wind.
#5
Her first novel, The Bluest Eye, is one of the most frequently banned books, according to the Americal Library Association because of its depiction of violence.
#6
When Morrison was 2 years old, her family’s landlord set their house on fire while the family were inside. Her parents had fallen behind on the rent and this was the landlord’s sick attempt at getting them of the property (or maybe their thoughts were even more morbid)
#7
She was 39 when she published her first book, The Bluest Eye.
Toni Morrison’s work and life are a testament to the power of words on the page. Her legacy includes the massive impact she’s had on the lives of Black women like myself.
If I could share just two words with Toni Morrison (with tears in my eyes even as I write this), my two words would be Thank You.
Alicia
P.S Our Words Matter
