Incredible Facts About Zora Neale Hurston, The Genius Of The South
Zora Neale Hurston was one of the fiercest writers of her day—but few know her dark history. From personal heartbreak to public scandal and beyond, Hurston faced every curveball life threw her way.
She was a prolific and controversial author, but sadly, not even her blazing intelligence could save her from a devastating fate.
1. She Had A Sheltered Childhood
Born in Notasulga, Alabama, in 1891, Zora Neale Hurston had an unusual upbringing. When she was only three, her sizable family moved to Eatonville, Florida—the first all-Black town in the US. This allowed Hurston and the rest of her community to live as they desired, in many ways escaping the racial prejudices of the outside world.
Unfortunately, a tragedy altered the course of her life suddenly and irrevocably.
2. Her Family Fell Apart
Sadly, Hurston was only 13 when her mother passed, her father remarrying the very next year. It was all downhill from there. Her new stepmom had no time for her, and eventually, her father shipped her off to boarding school in Jacksonville.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, the next thing he did was absolutely unforgivable: He stopped paying her tuition.
With the lack of support, poor Hurston had no choice but to leave school. Alone, with only herself to depend on, the young girl went to drastic measures to keep herself afloat.
3. She Made It On Her Own
Faced with her terrifying new independence, Hurston took up any odd jobs that came her way. She worked as a waitress in a nightclub, a manicurist in a Black-owned business with a purely white clientele, as well as a maid for the lead singer in a Gilbert and Sullivan musical. But despite all of these new experiences, the true desires of her heart lay elsewhere.
4. She Told A White Lie
At 26, Hurston was too old to qualify for free admission to high school, and so, she came up with a simple solution: She shaved ten years off of her age in her application. After that, she decided to keep 1901 as her birth year.
With her high cheekbones, and “playful yet penetrating eyes,” she looked young enough to pass as a 16-year-old.
After this little deception, Hurston was all set to pursue her dreams...but would her lies come back to haunt her?
