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Brown, Portman
Resolution Honoring the Life, Work and Legacy of Toni
Morrison Passes Senate
Morrison, a Lorain, Ohio Native,
Passed away in August
Special to The Truth
Last week, just ahead of
National Author's Day, the Senate passed a resolution U.S.
Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rob Portman (R-OH)
introduced to honor the life, work and legacy of Toni
Morrison, one of America's most formidable scholars,
educators and authors.
For more than five decades, Morrison, a Lorain, OH native,
captivated audiences, sharing stories through the
African-American lens with her command of language and
intellectual prowess. The passage of this resolution was
made possible with the support and involvement of Toni
Morrison's family and loved ones. |
Toni Morrison |
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As an African-American author, Morrison blazed the trail for
many, authoring 11 novels as well several children's books
and collections of essays. In 1988, she was awarded the
Pulitzer Prize for Beloved and the 1993 Nobel Prize
in Literature, which recognizes her as an author "who in
novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import,
gives life to an essential aspect of American reality."
Morrison was also honored with the 1996 National Book
Foundation's Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American
Letters, and in 2012, President Barack Obama presented her
with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
"Toni Morrison's body of
work changed America. She illustrated palpable narrations of
the depth and meaning of the lived experiences of the
oppressed," Brown said. "Morrison stood firm in the power of
language, and her work continues to be a source of
empowerment to this day. As eloquently stated by Morrison
herself, 'We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do
language. That may be the measure of our own lives.'"
"Toni Morrison was a
literary giant and a daughter of Lorain, Ohio, but as the
first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize in
Literature, she was also a trailblazer who left an indelible
mark on American history. I'm proud that the Senate has
passed this bipartisan resolution honoring her contributions
to America's rich literary tradition," Portman said.
"We are humbled that the
Senate has taken this tribute to honor our mother,
grandmother and aunt. While we miss her terribly, we are
awed and grateful for this truly extraordinary appreciation
for her life and work," Said Ford Morrison, son of Toni
Morrison.
"As the American author
society whose mission has been to support the study and
appreciation of Toni Morrison's life and works for the last
26 years and as one of the institutional stewards of her
remarkable literary legacy for future generations of
scholars and readers, the Toni Morrison Society
wholeheartedly endorses this Resolution. This recognition
acknowledges the profound contribution that Toni Morrison,
the 1993 Nobel Laureate in Literature, has made to the state
of Ohio, to American Letters, and to arts and culture
throughout the world," said Carolyn Denard, PhD, founder and
board chair of The Toni Morrison Society
"On behalf of the Howard
University family, I thank the Ohio delegation for
recognizing the life of our mother, sister, friend in
belles-lettres, and distinguished alumna, Toni Morrison,
with this fitting tribute. Morrison discovered her life's
mission early as an English major at Howard. The words she
penned masterfully and creatively seek the truth, explore
the African American journey, challenge our consciousness
and shatter the barriers of institutional racism. It is
fitting that Morrison was the first African American woman
to earn the Nobel Prize in literature and later became the
recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom-the country's
highest honor. Morrison's literary works are her gifts to
society today, tomorrow and for generations to come, as her
words will live on to inspire us all. She is our beloved,"
said Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D.,MBA, president of
Howard University
"Toni Morrison's brilliant
vision, inspired creativity, and unique voice reshaped
American culture and the world's literary tradition. Her
mark on our University and the nation is impossible to
measure, and Princeton would like to thank the Senate for
honoring the memory of this incredible American. Though she
is no longer with us, we are confident that her magnificent
works will continue to light a path forward for generations
of readers and authors. To us she was not only a
groundbreaking writer, but a teacher, mentor, scholar,
colleague, and neighbor, and we miss her dearly," said
Christopher L. Eisgruber, president of Princeton University
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