It's not difficult to see why Toni Morrison could be considered one of history's greatest "literary baddies." The American novelist, essayist, editor, teacher, and professor passed away the night of Monday, August 5, at the age of 88. Writers, artists, activists, celebrities and politicians alike, across the globe, now mourn the loss of this "Beloved" author.
1. She was the first African-American woman to win a Nobel Prize
Toni Morrison was a national treasure, as good a storyteller, as captivating, in person as she was on the page. Her… https://t.co/859oLQ94Ta— Barack Obama (@Barack Obama) 1565106043.0
Morrison won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. She's also won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and American Book Award for her novel "Beloved."
2. She published her first novel at 39
Like honestly has there ever been a baddie as bad as Toni Morrison? A woman who published her first novel at 39 aft… https://t.co/nG90hdE7UT— Jeremy O. Harris (@Jeremy O. Harris) 1565100839.0
Morrison published her first novel, "The Bluest Eye" in 1970, after waking up every morning at four to write before sending her children to school. She published seven novels afterward, including well-known works such as "Sula," "Song of Solomon" and "Beloved."
3. She edited at Random House for 19 years and has been the Robert F. Goheen humanities professor at Princeton since 1989
Toni Morrison editing at Random House.
Photo From: https://twitter.com/RussellBennetts/status/1158754849963630593?s=20
4. She wielded her words for positive change
"It has to be both: beautiful & political at the same time. I’m not interested in art that is not in the world. And… https://t.co/aNkqQUbDoV— Poets.org (@Poets.org) 1565103371.0
"It has to be both: beautiful & political at the same time. I'm not interested in art that is not in the world. And it's not just the narrative, it's not just the story; it's the language & the structure & what's going on behind it."
—Toni Morrison (1931–2019)
5. More specifically, she was a voice for African Americans
Thank you for telling our stories and defending our right to be. For amplifying our truths with your words. For pre… https://t.co/jJZZ8W5Jua— BLACK GIRLS ROCK! (@BLACK GIRLS ROCK!) 1565104652.0
Morrison was known for her exquisite, detailed narratives depicting the African American experience.
6. And never let adversity hold her back
“Being a black woman writer is not a shallow place to write from...it doesn’t limit my imagination; it expands it.”… https://t.co/IW0WxKDtOx— Well-Read Black Girl ™ (@Well-Read Black Girl ™) 1565104400.0
"Being a black woman writer is not a shallow place to write from...it doesn't limit my imagination; it expands it."
- Toni Morrison, being interviewed by Hilton Als
7. Really, nothing could weigh her down
"You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down." — Toni Morrison A lesson for each of us. A less… https://t.co/cZJ9NLFNE8— Beto O'Rourke (@Beto O'Rourke) 1565102946.0
"You wanna fly, you got to give up the sh*t that weighs you down."
— Toni Morrison
8. Her lessons are as important today as ever before
"Oppressive language does more than represent violence; it is violence; does more than represent the limits of know… https://t.co/Rsybb9NKE6— Literary Hub (@Literary Hub) 1565098537.0
"Oppressive language does more than represent violence; it is violence; does more than represent the limits of knowledge; it limits knowledge."
The world may need Morrison's teachings now more than ever.
9. She knew compassion and humility
“If you can only be tall because somebody is on their knees, then you have a serious problem.” Rest in eternal peac… https://t.co/4pg9o0Y3LN— Reagan Gomez (@Reagan Gomez) 1565107244.0
"If you can only be tall because somebody is on their knees, then you have a serious problem."
10. ...and how to live her best life
Love these images of Toni Morrison. She was out here in a silky slip dress, no bra, rocking an afro living her bes… https://t.co/IwJjREgDSH— Shelby Ivey Christie (@Shelby Ivey Christie) 1565099114.0
"She was out here in a silky slip dress, no bra, rocking an afro living her best life in a New York disco party. 1974."
— Shelby Ivey Christie
11. She enjoyed watching "Law & Order" and "The Walking Dead"
The writer Toni Morrison has died, at the age of eighty-eight. Read Hilton Als, from 2003, on Morrison’s legacy. https://t.co/0OJnSVmtbN— The New Yorker (@The New Yorker) 1565098885.0
According to this New Yorker profile from 2003, when Morrison wasn't writing or teaching, she liked watching "Law & Order" and "The Walking Dead"—"[C]rime shows that offer what she described as 'mild engagement with a satisfying structure of redemption.'"
12. She pushed others to recognize their potential
"If there is a book that you want to read but it hasn't been written yet, you must be the one to write it," Toni Mo… https://t.co/zK1YCV3cOJ— Hillary Clinton (@Hillary Clinton) 1565105003.0
"If there is a book that you want to read but it hasn't been written yet, you must be the one to write it."
13. She lived her passion, and encouraged others to do the same
“[Toni Morrison] made me understand ‘writer’ was a fine profession. I grew up wanting to be only her. Dinner with… https://t.co/DcLpirxdLd— The Cut (@The Cut) 1565104908.0
"[Toni Morrison] made me understand 'writer' was a fine profession. I grew up wanting to be only her. Dinner with her was a night I will never forget," tweeted Shonda Rhimes.
14. Her words will live on
“We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives.” Holding all t… https://t.co/Uc6gEOO9pu— Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan Omar) 1565100743.0
"We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives."
— Ilhan Omar
Rest easy, Toni Morrison. Thank you for your everlasting wisdom and inspiration. Your stories will live on with us forever.
