Notable components include:
• Readings and discussions of her writing
• Talks with authors and important figures who Morrison influenced
• Writing contests
• School activities
• Film screenings
• Performances inspired by her work
Credit: Michel Euler
Credit: Michel Euler
“Through her incredible storytelling, Toni Morrison became a powerful advocate for the power of literature and art to promote democracy worldwide,” said Ohio Humanities Executive Director Rebecca Asmo, in a press statement. “Though she is no longer with us, her work — and her words — remain alive and more relevant than ever.”
Morrison wrote 11 novels through the lens of the Black experience from “A Mercy” set in the 1680s to “God Help the Child” set in the 2000s.
She also enjoyed setting her novels in Ohio. Her debut, “The Bluest Eye,” is about Lorain. “Sula” takes place in a fictional town called Medallion, Ohio. And her most acclaimed work, “Beloved,” — made into a film in 1998 — is set in Cincinnati and won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Morrison was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. She was not only the first Black woman to win a Nobel Prize, but she was also the first Black American and Ohioan to win a Nobel Prize.
She died Aug. 5, 2019 at age 88.
The Morrison initiative is a joint effort spearheaded and supported by several organizations, including Ohio Humanities, Literary Cleveland, Ohioana Library, the Ohio Center for the Book, Toni Morrison Society and others around the state. Organizers hope the celebration challenges and inspires the public.
“Our ambition is for every person in Ohio — young and old — to engage with Toni Morrison’s life, literature, and legacy over the next year,” said Literary Cleveland Executive Director Matt Weinkam in a press statement. “This is our opportunity to celebrate the greatest artist in our state’s history. Her writing challenges and inspires us as much today as when it was first published, and we can’t wait to bring it to life this year all across Ohio.”
An interactive website will feature program information, reading and discussion guides, podcasts and a calendar of statewide events. Visit ohiocelebratestonimorrison.org for more information.
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