Toni Morrison was born Chloe Ardelia Wofford, the second of four children from a working-class, Black family, in Lorain, Ohio, to Ramah (née Willis) and George Wofford. Her mother … See more

While teaching at Howard University from 1957 to 1964, she met Harold Morrison, a Jamaican architect, whom she married in 1958. She took his … See more

Politics
Morrison spoke openly about American politics and race relations.
In writing about the … See more

• 1975: Ohioana Book Award for Sula
• 1977: National Book Critics Circle Award for Song of Solomon
• 1977: American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters See more

Adulthood, Howard and Cornell years, and editing career: 1949–1975
In 1949, she enrolled at Howard University in Washington, D.C., seeking the company of fellow black intellectuals. Initially a student in the drama program at Howard, she studied theatre … See more

Morrison died at Montefiore Medical Center in The Bronx, New York City, on August 5, 2019, from complications of pneumonia. She was 88 years old.
A memorial tribute was held on November 21, 2019, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine See more

Morrison was interviewed by Margaret Busby in London for a 1988 documentary film by Sindamani Bridglal, entitled Identifiable Qualities, shown on Channel 4. See more