Hurston, Zora Neale, 1891-1960

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Zora Neale Hurston was an American author, anthropologist, and filmmaker. She portrayed racial struggles in the early-1900s American South and published research on hoodoo. The most popular of her four novels is Their Eyes Were Watching God, published in 1937. She also wrote more than 50 short stories, plays, and essays.

Hurston was born in Notasulga, Alabama, and moved with her family to Eatonville, Florida, in 1894. She later used Eatonville as the setting for many of her stories. It is now the site of the "Zora! Festival", held each year in her honor.

In her early career, Hurston conducted anthropological and ethnographic research while a student at Barnard College and Columbia University. She had an interest in African-American and Caribbean folklore, and how these contributed to the community's identity.

She also wrote fiction about contemporary issues in the black community and became a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance. Her short satires, drawing from the African-American experience and racial division, were published in anthologies such as The New Negro and Fire!! After moving back to Florida, Hurston wrote and published her literary anthology on African-American folklore in North Florida, Mules and Men (1935), and her first three novels: Jonah's Gourd Vine (1934); Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937); and Moses, Man of the Mountain (1939). Also published during this time was Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica (1938), documenting her research on rituals in Jamaica and Haiti.

Hurston's works concerned both the African-American experience and her struggles as an African-American woman. Her novels went relatively unrecognized by the literary world for decades. Interest was revived in 1975 after author Alice Walker published an article, "In Search of Zora Neale Hurston", in the March issue of Ms. magazine that year. Hurston's manuscript Every Tongue Got to Confess, a collection of folktales gathered in the 1920s, was published posthumously in 2001 after being discovered in the Smithsonian archives. Her nonfiction book Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo", about the life of Cudjoe Lewis (Kossola), was published posthumously in 2018.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Collected materials on the Zora Neale Hurston festival, 1990-2006. University of Central Florida, UCF
referencedIn Kennedy, Stetson,. Stetson Kennedy oral history interview, 1988 Dec. 31. Georgia State University
creatorOf Hurston, Zora Neale. Zora Neale Hurston Collection 1930-1972. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Hurston, Zora Neale. Papers, 1926-1960. University of Florida
creatorOf Hurston, Zora Neale. [Letter] : on board the houseboat Sun Tan [to] Dr. Carita Doggett Corse, 1946, May 29. Jacksonville University, Carl S. Swisher Library
referencedIn Tracy L'Engle Angas Papers, 1860-1986, 1892-1986 Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida
referencedIn Alice Walker papers, circa 1930-2014 Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Documents Relating to the Trial of Ruby McCollum for the Murder of Dr. LeRoy Adams, Live Oak, Florida, 1954 Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida
referencedIn Neal, Larry, 1937-1981. Larry Neal papers, 1961-1985. Campbell University, Wiggins Memorial Library
referencedIn James Weldon Johnson and Grace Nail Johnson papers, circa 1850-2005, 1900-1976 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967. Mule Bone [manuscript] : a Negro folk comedy / by Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston; 1930. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Jones, Thomas Elsa. Thomas Elsa Jones collection (1-71), 1925-1947 (bulk, 1926-1946). John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library. Special Collections & Archives
referencedIn Lewis, David L., 1936-. Voices from the Renaissance collection, 1974-1977. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Voices from the Renaissance collection, 1974-1977 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
creatorOf Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967. Mule Bone [manuscript] : a Negro folk comedy / by Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, 1930. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Zora Neale Hurston Collection Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Hurston, Zora Neale. Polk County : a musical comedy of Negro life, 1944. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Erskine, Helen Worden, 1896-1984. Helen Worden Erskine papers, 1860-1984. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Clear Pictures, Film Footage Collection, 1991-1996 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Cullen, Countee, 1903-1946. Papers. 1921-1979. Tulane University, Amistad Research Center
referencedIn Stetson Kennedy Collection, 1940-2002, 1992-2002
referencedIn Julius Rosenwald Fund. Julius Rosenwald Fund records, 1917-1948. John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library. Special Collections & Archives
referencedIn Xavier University of Louisiana. Richard Wright collection, 1896-1994, bulk 1940-1944. Xavier University of Louisiana, XULA
referencedIn Prentiss Taylor papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Williams, Eric Eustace, 1911-1981. Literary and scholarly manuscripts collection, [ca. 1930-1980] Campbell University, Wiggins Memorial Library
creatorOf Jelliffe, Russell W., 1891-1980. Russell and Rowena Jelliffe papers, 1914-1991. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf Hurston, Zora Neale. Zora Neale Hurston collection, 1919-1945. Campbell University, Wiggins Memorial Library
referencedIn Paul Green Papers, 1880-1992 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
creatorOf Locke, Alain LeRoy, 1886-1954. Papers, 1841-1983 (bulk 1898-1954). Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University
referencedIn Larry Neal papers, 1961-1985 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
referencedIn Angas, Tracy L'Engle, 1892-1986. Papers, [ca. 1860]-1986, bulk 1892-1986. University of Florida
creatorOf Parks, Suzan-Lori. Their eyes were watching God : screenplay, 2004. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Langston Hughes papers, 1862-1980 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Southern Folklife Collection Artist Name File, 1940-2005 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
referencedIn Kentucky State University. Office of the President. Lyceum Committee minutes, 1933-1946. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky Guide Project Office
creatorOf Hurston, Zora Neale. The Ocoee riot. Manatee County Public Library System
referencedIn Robert E. Hemenway Personal Papers, 1906-2008 University of Kansas Kenneth Spencer Research Library University Archives
referencedIn Patterson, Louise Thompson. Louise Thompson Patterson papers, 1909-1996. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Spingarn, Arthur B. (Arthur Barnett), 1878-1971. Papers, 1914-1971. Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University
referencedIn Collected Materials on the Zora Neale Hurston Festival, 1990-2006 Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries,
referencedIn Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967. Papers of Langston Hughes [manuscript], 1925-1982. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Lawrence E. Spivak Papers, 1917-1994, (bulk 1945-1983) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Zora Neale Hurston Papers, 1919-2002, 1926-1960 Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida
referencedIn Kennedy, Stetson,. Stetson Kennedy oral history interview, 1988 Nov. 11. Georgia State University
referencedIn McCollum, Ruby,. Documents relating to the trial of Ruby McCollum for the murder of Dr. LeRoy Adams, Live Oak, Florida, 1954. University of Florida
referencedIn Gannett, Lewis, 1891-1966. Papers, 1681-1966 (bulk 1900-1960) Houghton Library
creatorOf Karamu House. Karamu House records, 1914-1979. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf Johnson, Georgia Douglas, d. 1966. Papers, ca. 1930-ca. 1960. Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University
creatorOf Hurston, Zora Neale. Plays of Zora Neale Hurston, 1925-1944. Library of Congress
referencedIn American Council of Learned Societies Committee on Native American Languages, American Philosophical Society, 1882-1958 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Richard Gaither Walser Papers, 1918-1988 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Marlon Riggs Collection, 1957-1994 Cecil H. Green Library. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn West, Dorothy, 1909-. Papers, 1914-1985 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Kennedy, Stetson,. Stetson Kennedy oral history interview, 1988 Nov. 26. Georgia State University
creatorOf Zora Neale Hurston collection, 1919-1945 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
referencedIn Langston Hughes Collection, 1925-1956 University of Virginia. Library. Special Collections Dept.
referencedIn Kennedy, Stetson. Stetson Kennedy papers, 1936-1978 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
creatorOf Hurston, Zora Neale. Zora Neale Hurston Collection 1930-1972. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Eastman, Max Forrester, 1883-1969. Eastman mss. 1892-1968 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
creatorOf Zora Neale Hurston Collection, 1930-1972 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Angoff, Charles, 1902-1979. Charles Angoff collection, 1927-1978. Boston University. School of Medicine
creatorOf Hurston, Zora Neale. Polk County : a musical comedy of Negro life, 1944. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Hurston, Zora Neale. Turpentining. Jacksonville University, Carl S. Swisher Library
referencedIn Billops, Camille. Camille Billops and James V. Hatch archives at Emory University. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
creatorOf Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967. Mule bone : a comedy of Negro life in three acts: typescript, 1991. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Meyer, Annie Nathan, 1867-1951. Annie Nathan Meyer papers, 1858-1950 (bulk 1885-1948). The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives
creatorOf Huie, William Bradford, 1910-1986. Papers, [ca. 1920]-1989. Ohio State University Libraries
referencedIn Horton, Myles, 1905-1990,. Myles Horton oral history interview, 1989 Dec. 15. Georgia State University
referencedIn Hemenway, Robert E., 1941-. [Robert E. Hemenway personal papers] University of Kansas Archives / MSS / Rare Books, Kenneth Spencer Research Library
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn The 100 Greatest Women of All Time.
referencedIn Herstory
Relation Name
associatedWith American Council of Learned Societies. Committee on Native American Languages. corporateBody
associatedWith Angas, Tracy L'Engle, 1892-1986. person
correspondedWith Angoff, Charles, 1902-1979. person
associatedWith Boas, Franz, 1858-1942 person
associatedWith Chlotilde (Ship) corporateBody
associatedWith Clifford, William. person
associatedWith Cullen, Countee, 1903-1946. person
associatedWith Eastman, Max, 1883-1969 person
associatedWith Erskine, Helen Worden, 1896-1984. person
associatedWith Federal Writers' Project of the Work Projects Administration for the State of Florida. corporateBody
correspondedWith Gannett, Lewis, 1891-1966 person
associatedWith Green, Paul, 1894-1981 person
associatedWith Guggenheim, Charles person
associatedWith Hemenway, Robert E., 1941- person
associatedWith Horton, Myles, 1905-1990, person
associatedWith Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967. person
associatedWith Huie, William Bradford, 1910-1986. person
associatedWith Jelliffe, Russell W., 1891-1980. person
associatedWith Johnson, Georgia Douglas, d. 1966. person
associatedWith Johnson, James Weldon, 1871-1938. person
associatedWith Jones, Thomas Elsa. person
associatedWith Jordan, Lawrence person
associatedWith Jordan, Lawrence. person
associatedWith Julius Rosenwald Fund. corporateBody
associatedWith Karamu House. corporateBody
associatedWith Kelen-d'Oxylion, Stephen. person
associatedWith Kennedy, Stetson, person
associatedWith Kentucky State University. Office of the President. corporateBody
associatedWith Lewis, David L., 1936- person
associatedWith Locke, Alain LeRoy, 1886-1954. person
associatedWith McCollum, Ruby, person
associatedWith Meyer, Annie Nathan, 1867-1951. person
associatedWith Neal, Larry, 1937-1981. person
associatedWith Parks, Suzan-Lori. person
associatedWith Patterson, Louise Thompson. person
associatedWith Riggs, Marlon. person
associatedWith Spingarn, Arthur B. (Arthur Barnett), 1878-1971. person
associatedWith Spivak, Lawrence E. (Lawrence Edmund), 1900-1994. person
associatedWith Taylor, Prentiss, 1907-1991. person
associatedWith These papers were collected by University of Central Florida Special Collections and University Archives corporateBody
associatedWith Walker, Alice, 1944- person
associatedWith Walser, Richard Gaither, 1908- person
associatedWith Waring, Dorothy, 1900- person
associatedWith Waring, Dorothy, 1900. person
associatedWith West, Dorothy, 1909- person
associatedWith Writers' Program (Fla.) corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Eatonville FL US
Fort Pierce FL US
Westfield NJ US
Alabama AL US
Subject
American literature
American literature
African American authors
African American authors
African American authors
African Americans
African Americans
African Americans
African Americans
African American women
Authors, American
American fiction
Novelists, American
Slaves
True crime stories
Voodooism
Occupation
African American authors
African American women authors
Afro
Afro
Anthropologist
Authors
Filmmaker
Folklorists
Activity

Person

Birth 1891-01-07

Death 1960-01-28

Female

Americans,

African Americans

English

Information

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Ark ID: w63599q1

SNAC ID: 85415038