Alice Walker

Alice Walker signing autographs at the Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities- Eatonville, Florida

Ms. magazine Cover - Fall 2009(1)

Alice Walker is an American novelist, short story writer, poet, and social activist. She was born on February 9, 1944, in Eatonton, Georgia, USA. Walker is best known for her 1982 novel The Color Purple, which won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, making her the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Her work is known for its thematic depth, focusing on the lives of African-American women, with an emphasis on their struggles, resilience, and identity in a racially and sexually oppressive society.

Early Life

Alice Walker was the youngest of eight children, born to Willie Lee Walker and Minnie Tallulah Grant, who were sharecroppers in the racially segregated state of Georgia. Her early life in the rural South, amidst poverty and racism, significantly influenced her writing and activism. A childhood accident left her with a permanent injury to her eye, which also contributed to her becoming introspective and an avid reader.

Career

Walker's literary career began in the late 1960s, after she graduated from Sarah Lawrence College. Her first book of poetry, Once, was published in 1968. Walker's early works were influenced by the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Arts Movement, reflecting her active participation in these causes.

Her first novel, The Third Life of Grange Copeland (1970), explores themes of violence, oppression, and redemption in the lives of a rural African-American family. Walker continued to explore these themes in her subsequent works, including Meridian (1976), a novel that draws on her experiences in the Civil Rights Movement, and The Color Purple (1982), which is considered her masterpiece.

The Color Purple is a series of letters written by Celie, an African-American woman in the early 20th century South, to God and her sister Nettie. The novel explores themes of racism, sexism, sisterhood, and the healing power of love and community. It was adapted into a film directed by Steven Spielberg in 1985 and later into a successful Broadway musical.

Walker has also published several volumes of essays and non-fiction, including In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens (1983), where she coined the term "womanist" to describe a black feminist or feminist of color.

Activism

Beyond her literary contributions, Walker is a vocal advocate for human rights, environmentalism, and social justice. She has been involved in various causes, including the Civil Rights Movement, anti-apartheid efforts in South Africa, and the Palestinian solidarity movement.

Legacy

Alice Walker's work has had a significant impact on American literature and culture. Her exploration of African-American women's lives, her lyrical prose, and her political activism have inspired generations of writers and activists. Walker's contributions to literature and society have been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award.

Selected Works

• The Third Life of Grange Copeland (1970)
• Meridian (1976)
• The Color Purple (1982)
• In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens (1983)

See Also

• African-American literature
• Feminism in literature
• Civil Rights Movement