Toni Morrison

Lorain, OHIO

  • Photo of house on Elyria Avenue, Lorain OH
    A tired gray lady: The Wofford family once tenanted this house on Elyria Avenue, one of many they rented in Lorain. They were living here when Chloe Wofford, now known as Toni Morrison, was born. — Lorain, Ohio
  • Photo of Lake Shore Park. — Lorain, Ohio
    Lake Shore Park. — Lorain, Ohio

    “We reached Lake Shore Park, a city park laid out with rosebuds, fountains, bowling greens, picnic tables. It was empty now, but sweetly expectant of clean, white, well-behaved children and parents who would play there above the lake in summer before half-running, half-stumbling down the slope to the welcoming water. Black people were not allowed in the park. And so it filled our dreams.”
    Toni Morrison
    The Bluest Eye, 1970
  • Photo of Lorain's steel mill
    Nerve and steel: For over a century, the steel mill has loomed over Lorain’s Black River ravine and local economy. Toni Morrison’s father worked here and, in defiance of the rules, moonlighted to cover her tuition. He was almost fired for it but refused to back down. — Lorain, Ohio

Share With Your Friends

Appendix :: Literary Destinations

Toni Morrison

(1931-    )

Morrison’s Childhood Residence
2245 Elyria Avenue
Lorain, Ohio

Ghosts in the House – The New Yorker
How Toni Morrison fostered a generation of black writers.

Lake Shore Park

United States Steel Mill

Lorain Public Library
Toni Morrison Reading Room

A Journey Through Literary America

$35.00

Category:

Description

Explore the fascinating stories of 26 great American authors with images of the places that inspired them to write. It’s the perfect gift for book lovers. With over 140 photographs throughout, the images add mood and dimension to the writing – and they are often shockingly close to what the featured authors described in their own words. Lushly illustrated, and beautifully designed, the book is as much of a pleasure to look at as it is to read.

This is a volume for the literary enthusiast, the armchair traveler or the intrepid reader. It is a handsome and beautifully illustrated companion for those who seek to learn more about authors they have read and those who wish to discover new writers.

Langston Hughes
Rita Dove