Zora Neale Hurston

AUTHOR. Oral and traditional stories play a pivotal role in preserving culture and heritage. Zora Neale Hurston captured and maintained many African American stories through her work as an author and anthropologist. As a creative in the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston was good friends with other key African American artists and authors.

Photo courtesy: Creative Commons See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

AUTHOR. Oral and traditional stories play a pivotal role in preserving culture and heritage. Zora Neale Hurston captured and maintained many African American stories through her work as an author and anthropologist. As a creative in the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston was good friends with other key African American artists and authors.

As a pivotal author in the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neale Hurston was not only a gifted writer, but also a strong voice in activism and civil rights. In addition, she was an anthropologist who greatly contributed to the preservation of African American oral and traditional stories. She saw the value in keeping racial heritage alive and maintained that theme throughout her many books. Her infectious and humorous personality, along with her skills, led her to become friends and contemporaries of fellow Harlem Renaissance creatives Langston Hughes and Ethel Waters. Some of her most beloved and renowned books include: “Their Eyes Were Watching God” and “Dust Tracks on a Road.” Moreover, she has also written children’s books, including “What’s the Hurry Fox?” Hurston’s instrumental views and collections of African American traditions and stories continue to be shared through her work which can be read, shared, and retold for years to come.