Alice Walker Biography

The Author and Her Time: (revised) Alice Walker is an African American novelist, poet, lecturer, essayist, and activist, most famous for her novel, The Color Purple. Walker was born in Eatonton, Georgia, February 9, 1944, to sharecroppers. She was one of eight children, but definitely stood out . Financially, her family suffered hardships trying to keep every mouth fed, and a roof over their head. As a child, Walker suffered an accident, leaving a visible scar in her eye. The incident shaped the already timid girl to be incredibly self-conscious and reclusive. During these times, Walker discovered a newfound love for reading and writing. Walker attended segregated schools, and graduated valedictorian of her class. Initially Alice attended Spelman College in Atlanta, but later transferred to
After college, Walker became involved in helping people through: social work, teaching, lecturing, and activism. Seeing how the South was in an uproar over current mistreatments and unequal rights to blacks, Walker became captivated with fighting for the equality of all African Americans. With fighting and writing on her mind, Walker still managed to publish short stories, which earned her recognition. Many of her works dealt around controversial, debatable, and heart wrenching subjects. When Alice finally published her third novel, The Color Purple, her career skyrocketed. Segregation definitely set the scene for The Color Purple, along with her strong feelings towards violence, racism, and sexism. Her work enraptured and captured the hearts of many, earning her the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction in 1983. Walker continued receiving great praise for her works, and continued publishing. Walker is still alive, well, and writing. Alice Walker is an extraordinary woman, who has worked hard