Zora Neale Hurston
Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) was an author, playwright, and anthropologist who focused her studies and work on Black culture. For her anthropological studies, Hurston travelled through the United States to learn about Black folklore, and to Haiti and Jamaica to study the African Diaspora.[1] She is considered to be part of the Harlem Renaissance, and she often collaborated with other famous writers of the renaissance, such as Langston Hughes. Some of her most popular books include Their Eyes Were Watching God, a novel about a woman living in the South, Mules and Men, a collection of African American folklore, and Dust Tracks on a Road, her autobiography. Despite the success of her books, she was underpaid for them, which left her penniless.
When Hurston died a year after having a stroke, she was buried in an unmarked grave. Author Alice Walker searched for and located Hurston's grave in 1973, and marked it with a simple grave marker. Walker published an article entitled “In Search of Zora Neale Hurston,” which led to a revival of Hurston's popularity.[2]