24 moments

1. Birth in Lorain

   1931-02-18 · Lorain, Ohio, United States

   

   Morrison was born Chloe Ardelia Wofford in Lorain, Ohio, the city in which she was raised.

2. Howard University student

   1949-01-01 · Howard University, Washington, D.C., United States

   

   Morrison enrolled at Howard University, beginning her undergraduate education in Washington, D.C.

3. Cornell master's degree

   1955-01-01 · Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States

   

   Morrison completed her Master of Arts degree in American literature at Cornell University.

4. Texas Southern University teaching

   1955-01-01 · Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas, United States

   

   After Cornell, Morrison taught English at Texas Southern University in Houston from 1955 to 1957. The card date marks the beginning of a documented 1955–1957 teaching appointment.

5. Return to Howard as instructor

   1957-01-01 · Howard University, Washington, D.C., United States

   

   Morrison returned to Howard University, where she taught English for the next seven years. The card date marks the beginning of a documented seven-year appointment.

6. L. W. Singer editor

   1965-01-01 · Syracuse, New York, United States

   

   Following her divorce and the birth of her son Slade, Morrison began editorial work for L. W. Singer in Syracuse. Coordinates represent Syracuse because the specific L. W. Singer office site is not stated.

7. Random House transfer

   1967-01-01 · Random House, New York City, New York, United States

   

   Morrison transferred to Random House in New York City and became its first Black woman senior editor in fiction. Coordinates represent Random House's historic Midtown Manhattan headquarters area.

8. Nyack boathouse residence

   1983-01-01 · Nyack, New York, United States

   

   After leaving Random House, Morrison lived in a converted boathouse on the Hudson River at Nyack while devoting more time to writing. Coordinates represent Nyack; the exact boathouse location is not supplied.

9. Albert Schweitzer Chair

   1984-01-01 · University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, New York, United States

   

   Morrison was appointed to the Albert Schweitzer chair at the University at Albany, SUNY. Appointment evidence supports an academic presence; the date is year precision only.

10. Bard College visiting professor

    1986-01-01 · Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, United States

    

    Morrison held a visiting professorship at Bard College from 1986 to 1988. The card date marks the beginning of a documented 1986–1988 appointment.

11. London documentary interview

    1988-01-01 · London, England, United Kingdom

    

    Morrison was interviewed by Margaret Busby in London for the Channel 4 documentary Identifiable Qualities. The source gives London but not the interview venue.

12. Turner Lecture on American literature

    1988-10-07 · University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

    

    Morrison delivered her lecture "Unspeakable Things Unspoken: The Afro-American Presence in American Literature" at the University of Michigan.

13. Princeton faculty appointment

    1989-01-01 · Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States

    

    Morrison joined Princeton University as the Robert F. Goheen Professor in the Humanities, beginning a 17-year Princeton teaching career.

14. Massey lectures at Harvard

    1990-01-01 · Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

    

    Morrison delivered the 1990 Massey lecture series at Harvard; the lectures became Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination. The source identifies Harvard but does not specify a lecture hall.

15. Howard Charter Day address

    1995-01-01 · Howard University, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    Morrison received an honorary Doctor of Letters from Howard and delivered "The First Solution" during its Charter Day celebration.

16. Wellesley commencement address

    2004-01-01 · Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States

    

    Morrison gave the commencement address to Wellesley's Class of 2004.

17. Louvre Grand Invité

    2006-11-01 · Louvre Museum, Paris, France

    

    Morrison visited the Louvre as its second Grand Invité and guest-curated a month-long arts program on "The Foreigner's Home."

18. Princeton seminar

    2008-01-01 · Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States

    

    Following her Louvre curatorship, Morrison returned to Princeton to lead a seminar titled "The Foreigner's Home." The source supports fall 2008 but not a more precise date.

19. Rutgers commencement address

    2011-05-15 · Rutgers Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States

    

    Morrison spoke at Rutgers University's 245th commencement, held at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway.

20. Presidential Medal of Freedom

    2012-05-29 · White House, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    President Barack Obama honored Morrison with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House.

21. Reading from Home

    2012-10-02 · Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States

    

    Morrison returned to Princeton as the Belknap Visitor in the Humanities, read from Home, and answered questions in Richardson Auditorium.

22. Norton Lecture at Harvard

    2016-03-02 · Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

    

    Morrison gave the first of her Charles Eliot Norton Lectures, "Romancing Slavery," at Sanders Theatre. The Harvard report was published March 3, 2016 and identifies the lecture as Morrison's first Norton Lecture; Harvard scheduled that first lecture for March 2, 2016.

23. Princeton & Slavery keynote

    2017-11-17 · Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States

    

    Morrison delivered the keynote address, "Race, Imagination, and the Birthpains of Justice," for the Princeton & Slavery Project symposium. The event notice identifies November 17, 2017, Richardson Auditorium, and Morrison as keynote speaker; a contemporaneous Princeton report confirms that she gave the address.

24. Death at Montefiore

    2019-08-05 · Montefiore Medical Center, The Bronx, New York City, New York, United States

    Morrison died at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx from complications of pneumonia.