Msjackie852

A Change We Can Believe In

"I'M ASKING YOU TO BELIEVE.

Not just in my ability to bring about

real change in Washington I'm asking

you to believe in yours"

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YES We Can

The Time Is Now

I was born by the river in a little tent

Oh and just like the river I've been running ever since

It's been a long, a long time coming

But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die

Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky

It's been a long, a long time coming

But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

I go to the movie and I go downtown somebody

keep telling me don't hang around

It's been a long, a long time coming

But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

Then I go to my brother

And I say brother help me please

But he winds up knockin' me

Back down on my knees

Ohhhhhhhhh.....

There been times that I thought I couldn't last for long

But now I think I'm able to carry on

It's been a long, a long time coming

But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

Zora Neale Hurston

Eatonville, Florida 1935

Zora Neale Hurston was the first Black African American to write and publish African-American and Afro-Caribbean folklore. Her creative writings included short stories, articles, novels, plays, autobiographies, and anthropological folklore.

Although born in the state of Notasulga, Alabama January 7, 1891, Zora moved to Eatonville, Florida with her family at the age of 1 or 2. Her parents John Hurston, a carpenter by trade, Baptist minister and served several terms as mayor of Eatonville. Zora's mother Lucy Potts Hurston, before raising eight children served as a schoolteacher.

On August 15, 1887, 27 registered voters met in the Town Hall building and voted unanimously to incorporate the city of Eatonville. Eatonville, Florida was the first small black town to be incorporated by a group of ex-slaves in America. It's located 5.3 miles outside Orlando. Eatonville contributes self-determination and a great magnitude of African-American history and culture. Still standing and one of the more than 100 black towns founded from 1865 - 1900 to this day less than twelve still remain. To this very day Eatonville is the oldest and still thriving.

The rebirth of Eatonville's cultural importance was brought to life by the creative stories of its native daughter, Zora Neale Hurston. Capturing the cultural images of this black historical community, and painting a vision of typical hard working people living in a black owned city still thriving after all these years. Today Eatonville continues to embrace its connection with Zora Neale Hurston by producing and creating the annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival. Zora once wrote, "I've got the map of Florida on my tongue."

After the death of her mother in 1904, Zora's father removed her from school and sent her to live with her brother. At the age of sixteen Zora joined a traveling theater troupe and later did domestic work for a white household. It was in this home that Zora attended high school.

After high school graduation, she attended Morgan Academy in Baltimore and Howard University in Washington, D.C. Zora also studied anthropology at Howard, Barnard, and Columbia Universities.

After returning to the South in the 1920s, Zora began collecting materials for her novels. One of the greatest African American folklore novels ever written was " Mules and Men." In 1925, Zora moved to New York City and became part of the Harlem Renaissance. Zora entertained many writers and fans with her stories of Eatonville. Her creative writing was the first time southern black folk were represented as down to earth normal people without racism and prejudice.

Zora spent years traveling through the South collecting material from storytellers in Florida and Voodoo doctors in New Orleans. In 1937 winning great recognition for her famous novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God" was one of her most powerful novels. Oprah Winfrey later produced this novel as a movie starring Halle Berry, which is about a young black woman's coming of age in rural Florida.

Zora was married and divorced three times, however at the age of 44, she fell in love with 23-year-old Percy Punter. The relationship ended when she refused to forsake her career and marry him. She still had expressions that needed to come out in her work. So she incorporated the passion for Tea Cake through the heart of Janie Crawford leaping from the pages of "There Eyes Were Watching God"

Throughout the 1940s Hurston struggled with financial security. During the depression royalties for her published books only earned about $943.75. Remaining dedicated to her work Zora continued to finance her living from stories, essay sales, book advances and two Federal Writers' Projects.

After the publishing of "There Eyes Were Watching God" on September 18, 1937, Richard Wright the author of "Native Son and Black Boy" condemned the novel by stating it has "no theme, no message, no thought her novel is not addressed to the Negro, but to a white audience whose chauvinistic tastes she knows how to satisfy." The novel had no anger but a "minstrel technique that makes the white folks laugh."

Most critics felt that her writings undermined their attempts to combat racism. She was so wounded that she regretted that she wrote the novel. This criticism cost her financially until her death in 1960.

In 1948 Zora returned to Florida and faded into the shadows. After suffering a stroke she was forced to live at the St. Lucie County Welfare Home. On January 28, 1960 Zora Neale Hurston died penniless at the age of 69, living in poverty and her books were all out of print. Zora's loving and dedicated friends raised over $600 for her funeral. The service was held at Peek Funeral Chapel in Fort Pierce, Florida on February 7, 1960 and was buried in an unmarked grave.

Many years later Alice Walker the author of "The Color Purple" was researching material for voodoo when she came upon Hurtson's "Mules and Men' which also lead her to the novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God."

Now determine to go on a mission Alice went on a quest to visit the town of Eatonville and find the grave of Zora Neale Hurston. After many inquiries Alice discovered Zora's unmarked grave in the Garden of Heavenly Rest Cemetery on 17th Street in Ft. Pierce, Florida. Enduring snakes and high weeds she finally located the grave of Zora Neale Hurston. Alice placed a tombstone at her gravesite in 1973. This event revived the novels and respectively marked the grave of "A Genius of the South."

The tombstone read:

Zora Neale Hurston

A Genius of the South

1901 -- -- -- 1960

Novelist Folklorist Anthropologist

Walker published an article titled "In Search of Zora Neale Hurston." In 1979, and proscribed 14 works on the anthology of Zora Neale Hurston. Zora's work was rediscovered in the 1970s. To this day her novels are a part of the curriculum for many college courses. This contribution is known as the finest American novels of the first half of the 20th century.

http://www.st-lucie.lib.fl.us/zora/marker8.htm http://www.literarytraveler.com/authors/zora_neale_hurston.aspx http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zora_Neale_Hurston http://columba11.blogspot.com/2007/09/wonderful-zora-neale-hurston-great-lady.html

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