Few writers achieve the unusual distinction of receiving commercial success along with the most distinguished acclaim and awards available in arts and letters. Such eminence was indeed the case for Toni Morrison: Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize from the Susan B. Anthony Institute at Rochester University (1977); National Book Critics Circle Award (1978 and 2015); American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters Award (1978 and 2019); Pulitzer Prize in Fiction (1988); American Book Award (1988); Anisfield Wolf Book Award in Race Relations (1988); Nobel Prize for Literature (1993: first African American recipient); Coretta Scott King Book Award (2005); National Book Award of the National Book Foundation (1975 and 1987 nominations); Modern Language Association of America Commonwealth Award in…

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Citation: Jimoh, A Yemisi. "Toni Morrison". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 25 October 2002; last revised 23 March 2020. [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=3214, accessed 29 March 2024.]

3214 Toni Morrison 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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