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Rep. Kaptur Statement Following Death of Toni Morrison

August 6, 2019

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) released the following statement following the death of Toni Morrison:

"Toni Morrison was Ohio's first lady of literature," said Rep. Kaptur. "The pride of Lorain, she gave voice to millions of people who needed one — not just in Ohio and not just in the United States, but around the world. Her exquisite ability as a storyteller and novelist was forged in her experience as an African-American girl born in the depths of the Great Depression and almost literally in the shadows of a steel mill."

"From a modest upbringing as a daughter of the working class, Toni cleaned houses as a teenager and worked as a secretary to the librarian at Lorain Public Library. After graduating from Howard University and earning a master's in English at Cornell, she launched a teaching career and then her historic journey as a novelist. She reached the pinnacle of literary achievement –the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Nobel Prize for Literature.

"Toni Morrison knew the immense power that words hold and she courageously used her gift for storytelling to inspire countless millions and give voice to marginalized women the world over. Toni Morrison was truly a daughter of America – Lorain's gift to the world."

kaptur.house.gov