Gloria Naylor

Gloria Naylor (1950–2016) was an American novelist and essayist whose work explored Black community life, gender, and class. Born in New York City, she studied at Brooklyn College and later earned an M.A. in African-American studies from Yale University. Naylor gained wide recognition with her debut novel, *The Women of Brewster Place* (1982), which won the American Book Award and was later adapted into a television miniseries. She followed with *Linden Hills* (1985), a satirical portrait of an affluent Black suburb. Her other novels include *Mama Day* (1988) and *Bailey’s Cafe* (1992). She died in 2016.