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Classic Authors: Toni Morrison

© Susan Jensen

Toni Morrison comes from a long line of storytellers and artists. Her grandmother taught her about black lore and the supernatural. Her father told her masterfully-woven tales, and her mother sang beautifully. It was only natural, then, that Toni became a writer. Like her father, she became a master of her craft, weaving bold and beautiful stories about her people and culture. Today, she is one of the most celebrated black writers in the country.

Chloe Anthony Wofford (she later changed her name to Toni, a shortened version of her middle name) was born on February 18, 1931 in Lorain, Ohio. Her parents, George and Rahmah Willis Wofford, became migrants and sharecroppers when they moved from the South to escape mounting racial tension. George also labored as a shipyard welder. As a child, Toni attended integrated public schools, where she proved herself to be a very bright young lady. She also developed a love of literature and reading. Interestingly, she did not try her hand at writing until she began working on her first book many years later.

In 1949, Toni graduated with honors from Lorain High School. She then attended Howard University, where she participated in the drama club, and continued to study classic literature. While a student at Howard, she changed her name to Toni, since Chloe was difficult to pronounce. She graduated from the university in 1953. Two years later, she received her Master's degree in English from Cornell University and began teaching English at Texas Southern University. Two years after that, she returned to Howard as an instructor in English and the Humanities.

In 1957, she married Jamaican architect Harold Morrison. Together, they had two sons. Toni said later that the "helplessness" she felt while serving as a wife, mother and careerwoman led her to writing. Shortly after the birth of her second son, Toni divorced Harold and began working as an associate editor at L.W. Singer Publishing Co., a subsidiary of Random House. A short time later, she became Senior Editor at Random House.

Toni's first book, The Bluest Eye, was published in 1970. The novel, which had grown out of a short story, centers around 9-year-old Pecola Breedlove, who longs for blue eyes. The young black girl believes that if she only had blue eyes she would no longer be the target of mockery and abuse. Critics adored the book, and began to see Toni Morrison as a writer of merit. Recently, The Bluest Eye became Oprah's pick for her popular book club.