Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison (1931–2019) was an American novelist and essayist whose work reshaped contemporary literature through its lyrical style and unflinching engagement with Black history and experience. Born Chloe Ardelia Wofford in Lorain, Ohio, she later adopted the pen name Toni Morrison. Her novels include *Song of Solomon* (1977) and *Beloved* (1987), the latter widely regarded as a landmark of American fiction. In 1993, Morrison received the Nobel Prize in Literature. Across her writing, she explored memory, community, identity, and the enduring legacies of slavery, earning lasting influence and critical acclaim.