Today, the world mourns the death of the great writer, Toni Morrison. Some of you might be too young to have read her yet. That’s okay. Most people don’t usually find her until the end of high school, or when they get to college.
She was a powerhouse member of the Black community and was very explicit in interviews about why she wrote for black people. She was also one of the first black woman editors, and went on to when the Nobel Prize in literature.
She also taught, officially and through her interviews and the way she lived her life. She had no time for racists or misogynists and was sharp with ignorance, too. Her work as a creative writing teacher inspires me as much as her stories do.
When I was a junior in high school, the college guidance counselor gave me Beloved. I know I didn’t understand it fully, and I’m due for a re-read. That’s okay. That’s allowed, too.
Back in April, I picked up the audiobook of The Source of Self-Regard: Essays, Speeches, Meditations. She’s the kind of woman you learn from, no matter what format, and in April, I was looking for just that. I’m going to start listening to it soon.
Toni Morrison may not be a comfortable read for you right now, or maybe even ever, but she’s got something for you to learn, no matter how old you are.
I hope you read her one day. Let me know if you do.
Cherae Teaches 