Zora Neale Hurston was born in Eatonville, Florida, January 7,
1903 and died on January 28, 1960 in Fort Pierce. When Hurston
lived there, Eatonville was one of the rare all-black towns -
and is still 89% African American. Forced to leave school at the
age of thirteen to take care of siblings, she was still able to
get an associates degree from Howard University and to receive a
B.A. degree in anthropology from Barnard. She did graduate work
at Columbia University. Her careers included employment as an
actress, maid, librarian, and college professor. However, she is
best known for her work as a writer and folklorist. She was one
of the most important authors of the Harlem Renaissance
Movement, a major Black literary and cultural movement in New
York's Harlem during the 1920's. The Harlem Renaissance movement
stimulated pride and confidence in Black life and culture. Among
the talented writers, musicians, playwrights, etc, congregated
in Harlem at this time were Langston Hughes, Josephine Baker,
Eubie Blake, a