Jamil Smith pays tribute to Toni Morrison, who, he writes, taught him to recognize the 'white gaze' — and taught him to reject it
“Our lives have no meaning, no depth without the white gaze. And I have spent my entire writing life trying to make sure that the white gaze was not the dominant one in any of my books,” Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison wrote.I write directly to you, Ms. Morrison, because I know no other way to do this. It is a selfish act, since I currently lack any faith that some divine deliverer or cosmic accident will get this message to you as easily as if I’d sent it to your Princeton mailbox.
I grew up in suburban Cleveland, less than an hour east of your hometown of Lorain, Ohio. The power that the knowledge of your provenance gave me went well beyond civic vanity. Knowing that the great Toni Morrison was from practically right up the road made me feel as though I’d been born on Krypton.
However, I had what most what regard as excellent schooling, though to my recollection virtually none of theI was assigned from first through 12th grade were written by black authors. I’d largely fallen in love with material grounded in white settings, with white perspectives.
Indonesia Berita Terbaru, Indonesia Berita utama
Similar News:Anda juga dapat membaca berita serupa dengan ini yang kami kumpulkan dari sumber berita lain.
Toni Morrison was a 'literary mother' to countless writersToni Morrison, who died this week at age 88, left behind countless writers for whom her characters were like close acquaintances. To ask a writer about how Morrison influenced their work is, in part, to ask why they became writers at all.
Baca lebih lajut »
Oprah, Barack Obama pay tribute to late author Toni MorrisonToni Morrison, the author known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel 'Beloved,' died Monday night. Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama and others paid tribute on social media.
Baca lebih lajut »
Toni Morrison was the Nobel prizewinning chronicler of African-American lifeMs Morrison had grown tired of seeing African-Americans put out books that felt like apologetic teaching tools for white people
Baca lebih lajut »
Oprah Winfrey Recalls the First Time Toni Morrison Was a Guest on Her Show“The very first time I had her on the ‘Oprah’ show, she said to me, ‘I’ve always known I was gallant.’ I was like, ‘Who the hell knows they’re gallant?'” Oprah W…
Baca lebih lajut »