,
DETROIT-Toni Morrison,
nationally celebr ted writer
d ac demic grand dame
cunched The Detroit African­
American Museum"s "Culture
Alive" erie, in discussion
and explanation of the written
nd spoken word.
Presented August 10. 1990.
in th cultural center's Rae -
h m uditorium, her presence
awed n audience of pee­
taters and riters.
Bill Harris, MAAH's
Curater of Living History said
"Morri on's vist reflect
African-American lives of
resource, here in all artistic
categorie will be examined'
Corm a local and national
perspective. "
Morri on expressed
"h ving n irrational Ifection
for Detroit" from the days of
her youth when she would
visit relative in the city bile
living in Lorain, Ohio
As one of our most sue­
ee fuJ noveli t Morrison i
one of tbe 75 reprc ented in
photograph and catalog in
rain Lan er s "I Dream A
� orld: Portrai ts of Black
Women bo Changed
Americ ," on tour through
The Corechan Gallery of Art
and The American Federation
of Arts in Detroit through
Au utI . 1 O.
orri on too. "delight in
Detroit African-American
u eurns ' inter. t and irn­
pre ion of the e xhib i tion '
commanding photo journal
excellence. "
•
WITH HONORS that
devote Who's Who, Morrison
has many honorary degrees
from ivy league universitie .
In 1988, she became the
rectpient of The Pulitzer Prize
for Fiction for Beloved, a s
tha t searches motherhoo ,
forebearance and the personal
dignity of one's self.
Articula te nd feminist,
silver braids embraced a face
of melloued kin as Morrison
sh red hersel f.
"Publishing houses today
realize the existence of an
audience for the writing of
women, therefore enabling
more chance for publication
fo them.
The reading of �Iack fic­
tion is becoming systematical­
ly analyzed, so we see the
emergence of theorie of
cri ticism that address the art
and it culture," she said. She
a nior edi tor t Random
c for 20 years.
orriso believe "within
the Educational Movement
data mu t equal Kno ledle
that creates isdom .. Is-otber
word , coherent a sociation
among d ta make accurate
conclu ion. Wi dom i
ta ing in political and cultural
spheres," sh explained.
-H R TITL S ...
Morrison began writing in
1961., while in an unfavorable
dome tic relationship. "I wa
dearful . of the 10 s of the
Blac experience before the
o-called Black pride era, 0
my fir 1 two novels were lean
•
•
and tight because of that
thinking. "
=Bluest Eye tells the story
of � young girl in America,
vul nerable by gender, race and
poverty.
-Sula explores sister­
hood; what it means to have
women's friend hips. "
-" A turning point came
for me while compiling Song
of Solomen. I felt more com­
fortable wi lh the intimacy of
my imagination and gave,
AUGUST 19-25,1990
o
myself permission to succeed.
By doing so, 1 allowed the text
to inform, " declared Mor­
rison.
-Tar Baby weave a tale
of e1as and gender conflicts.
-Jazz, her newest novel is
being finalized for forthcom­
ing publication.
"WRITING IS HARD
work. Its content must be hat
you would ant to re d. A
writer must be HUng to thin
1 1
ICHIGAN CfnZEN PAGE 7
th unthinkable.
If you have the talent you
must �tay with it and not give
up. Through the constant
process 0 disciptine or com­
pulsion give yourself permis­
sion for succes .
Find out who you re and
how you work by releasing
your imagination in feeling.
You have overeignty over
your p n. Remember, good
criticism comes form writing
good boo ," he remarked.