Toni Morrison Fast Facts | CNN

<a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/14/us/toni-morrison-fast-facts/" target="_blank">Toni Morrison</a>; the writer, editor and professor, has always moved people with her words, whether she's making a speech or writing a novel. <br /><br />To celebrate her wit and wisdom, <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/specials/business/leading-women" target="_blank">Leading Women</a> have collated some of her most powerful quotes on topics from love to literature.<br /><br />By Phoebe Parke, for CNN.

Toni Morrison; the writer, editor and professor, has always moved people with her words, whether she's making a speech or writing a novel.

To celebrate her wit and wisdom, Leading Women have collated some of her most powerful quotes on topics from love to literature.

By Phoebe Parke, for CNN.

Courtesy Kris Connor/Getty Images

Morrison was born on February 18, 1931 in Ohio, and studied English first at <a href="http://www2.howard.edu/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Howard University</a> for her bachelors degree, then the same subject at <a href="http://www.cornell.edu/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Cornell University</a> at masters level, graduating in 1955.

Morrison was born on February 18, 1931 in Ohio, and studied English first at Howard University for her bachelors degree, then the same subject at Cornell University at masters level, graduating in 1955.

Courtesy Frank Polich/Getty Images

She started teaching at <a href="http://www.tsu.edu/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Texas Southern University</a> in 1955 and then became an editor at <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Random House</a> in 1963. She edited the work of authors such as Toni Cade Bambara and Gayl Jones.

She started teaching at Texas Southern University in 1955 and then became an editor at Random House in 1963. She edited the work of authors such as Toni Cade Bambara and Gayl Jones.

Courtesy FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images

Toni married Harold Morrison on 1958 and had two children with him; Harold Ford in 1961 and Slade Kevin in 1964, before their divorce in that same year. She wrote children's literature with her youngest son Slade who died in 2010. She dedicated her novel Home to him.

Courtesy Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Now a single mother of two, Morrison has written plays, children's literature, non-fiction and 10 novels, the first was <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Bluest-Eye-Toni-Morrison/dp/0099759918" target="_blank" target="_blank">The Bluest Eye</a>, published in 1970. The novel is set in Lorain, Ohio and tells the story of a young black girl who is insecure about her skin color and has an abusive relationship with her father.

Now a single mother of two, Morrison has written plays, children's literature, non-fiction and 10 novels, the first was The Bluest Eye, published in 1970. The novel is set in Lorain, Ohio and tells the story of a young black girl who is insecure about her skin color and has an abusive relationship with her father.

Courtesy Francois Durand/Getty Images

Between 1984 and 1989 she served as the Albert Schweitzer Professor of the Humanities at the <a href="http://www.suny.edu/" target="_blank" target="_blank">State University of New York</a> in Albany. <br />Morrison published her fifth novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Toni-Morrison/dp/1400033411" target="_blank" target="_blank">Beloved</a> in 1987 which received a <a href="http://www.pulitzer.org/awards/1988" target="_blank" target="_blank">Pulitzer Prize in 1988</a> and was made into a<a href="http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9810/20/review.beloved/" target="_blank"> film starring Oprah Winfrey</a> and Danny Glover in 1998.

Between 1984 and 1989 she served as the Albert Schweitzer Professor of the Humanities at the State University of New York in Albany.
Morrison published her fifth novel, Beloved in 1987 which received a Pulitzer Prize in 1988 and was made into a film starring Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover in 1998.

Courtesy Jemal Countess/Getty Images

She continued her work in education in 1989 when she became the Robert F. Goheen Chair in the Council of the Humanities at <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/main/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Princeton University</a> until 2006.

She continued her work in education in 1989 when she became the Robert F. Goheen Chair in the Council of the Humanities at Princeton University until 2006.

Courtesy NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images

Morrison became the first African-American woman to win a Nobel prize in 1993. She was awarded the <a href="http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1993/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Nobel Prize in Literature</a>, along with the statement: Toni Morrison, "who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality."

Morrison became the first African-American woman to win a Nobel prize in 1993. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, along with the statement: Toni Morrison, "who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality."

Courtesy Evan Agostini/Getty Images

In May 2012 she was awarded the <a href="https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/two_column_table/Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom_Recipients.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank">Presidential Medal of Freedom</a> by President Barack Obama which recognizes people who have made a contribution to national interests, world peace or cultural endeavors. <br /><br />Morrison's 11th novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Help-Child-A-novel/dp/0307594173" target="_blank" target="_blank">God Help the Child</a>, is due to be published in April 2015.

In May 2012 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama which recognizes people who have made a contribution to national interests, world peace or cultural endeavors.

Morrison's 11th novel, God Help the Child, is due to be published in April 2015.

Courtesy PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/GettyImages

The wit and wisdom of Toni Morrison

CNN —

Here’s a look at the life of Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winning author Toni Morrison.

Personal

Birth date: February 18, 1931

Death date: August 5, 2019

Birth place: Lorain, Ohio

Birth name: Chloe Anthony Wofford

Father: George Wofford

Mother: Ella Ramah (Willis) Wofford

Marriage: Harold Morrison (1958-1964, divorced)

Children: Slade and Harold Ford

Education: Howard University, B.A., 1953; Cornell University, M.A., 1955

Other Facts

Is the first African-American woman to win a Nobel Prize.

Wrote the libretto for the opera “Margaret Garner,” which premiered in 2005.

Timeline

1955-1957 - Teaches at Texas Southern University.

1957-1964 - Teaches at Howard University.

1963-1983 - Works as an editor at Random House.

1970 - “The Bluest Eye” is published.

1973 - “Sula” is published.

1977 - “Song of Solomon” is published.

1981 - “Tar Baby” is published.

1984 -1989 - Serves as the Albert Schweitzer Professor of the Humanities at the State University of New York in Albany.

1987 - “Beloved” is published.

1988 - Is awarded the Pulitzer Prize for “Beloved.”

1989-2006 - Serves as the Robert F. Goheen Chair in the Council of the Humanities at Princeton University.

1993 - Is awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature.

1998 - The film version of “Beloved,” starring Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover, is released.

2000 - Is awarded the National Humanities Medal.

2001 - Is given the Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts.

2001 - Is given the Enoch Pratt Free Library Lifetime Literary Achievement Award.

2004 - “Remember: The Journey to School Integration” is published.

2004 - Is awarded the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work-Fiction for “Love.”

2005 - Is given the Coretta Scott King Award for “Remember: The Journey to School Integration.”

2010 - Morrison’s son Slade dies from pancreatic cancer.

May 2012 - Is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

2013 - Wins the NYC Literary Honors for Fiction.

April 2015 - Morrison is announced as the 2016 Charles Eliot Norton Professor of Poetry at Harvard University.

2017 - “The Origin of Others” is published.

2018 - Oprah Winfrey presents Morrison with The Center for Fiction’s “Lifetime of Excellence in Fiction” honor.

2019 - The documentary “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am” premieres at the Sundance Film Festival.

August 5, 2019 - Morrison dies at Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

February 1, 2022 - “Recitatif,” a rare short story by the late author, is released as a book.