Margaret Walker

Date of Birth: July 7, 1915

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Date of Death: November 30, 1998

Biography

Margaret Walker was a renowned American poet and novelist, best known for her acclaimed novel “Jubilee” and her poetry collection “For My People.” Born on July 7, 1915, in Birmingham, Alabama, Walker was a pivotal figure in the African American literary tradition. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University in 1935 and later completed her master’s degree at the University of Iowa, becoming one of the first African American women to receive a Ph.D. in English. Walker’s literary work is characterized by its deep engagement with African American history and culture, and she was a prominent figure in the Chicago Black Renaissance. Her novel “Jubilee,” published in 1966, is a historical narrative based on her great-grandmother’s life as a slave and later as a free woman during the Reconstruction era. The book has been celebrated for its rich historical detail and emotional depth. Throughout her career, Walker was also a dedicated educator and served as a professor at Jackson State University in Mississippi, where she founded the Institute for the Study of the History, Life, and Culture of Black People. She was a tireless advocate for civil rights and used her writing to address issues of racial and social justice.

5 Interesting Facts about Margaret Walker

1. Margaret Walker won the Yale Series of Younger Poets Award in 1942 for her poetry collection “For My People.”

2. She was a friend and contemporary of other notable writers such as Richard Wright and Langston Hughes.

3. Walker’s “Jubilee” took over 30 years to research and write, combining historical fact with family lore.

4. She was awarded a Fulbright fellowship to study in Ethiopia in 1971.

5. Walker was inducted into the African American Literary Hall of Fame in 1988.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Margaret Walker

1. “My grandmothers are full of memories / Smelling of soap and onions and wet clay / With veins rolling roughly over quick hands / They have many clean words to say.”

2. “I want my careless song to strike no minor key; no fiend to stand between my body’s southern song—the fusion of the South, the magic of a strong man’s will, the tender beating of a mother’s heart.”

3. “I am a black woman who dared to dream, who dared to believe, who dared to write.”

4. “Poetry is for the people; it’s like a song that’s in your heart and soul.”

5. “The word is my weapon; I use it to fight for justice and equality.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Margaret Walker’s highest net worth is not well-documented, as she was primarily known for her literary contributions rather than financial wealth. However, her contributions to literature and culture are invaluable.

Children

Margaret Walker had four children: Marion Elizabeth, Melvin James, Sigismund Walker, and Margaret Alexander Walker. She was deeply connected to her family and often drew inspiration from her heritage and personal experiences in her writing.