Nobel Prize-Winning Author, Ohio-Native Toni Morrison Dies

LORAIN, OH — Ohio has lost one of its greatest writers. Toni Morrison, the trailblazing, Nobel Prize-winning author of classics like "Beloved," passed away Monday at age 88.

A longtime native of Lorain, Ohio, Morrison died in New York City after a short illness, the publishing house Alfred A. Knopf confirmed. Throughout a distinguished career, Morrison wrote 11 novels, many focused on the realities of being black in America. She also published award-winning poetry, essays and song lyrics.

"Toni Morrison’s working life was spent in the service of literature: writing books, reading books, editing books, teaching books. I can think of few writers in American letters who wrote with more humanity or with more love for language than Toni," said Sonny Mehta, editor-in-chief for Alfred A Knopf.

Morrison rose to prominence in the 1970s. Her first novel was "The Bluest Eye" which was published in 1970 by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. She then published "Sula" with the same imprint. Her next nine novels, many award-winning, were published by Alfred A. Knopf. She would eventually become the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature.

While trailblazing a literary path, Morrison also shattered barriers for editors. From 1967 to 1983 she served as the first female African-American editor in Random House history. She oversaw the publication of works by Gayl Jones, Toni Cade Bambara, Henry Dumas, Huey P. Newton, Muhammad Ali and Angela Davis. Like her writing, she showed a unique propensity for highlighting the work of people of color.

Her heartfelt, impassioned novels earned a multitude of accolades, comparable to any author in American history. The list of Morrison's awards is staggering: the Pulitzer Prize (for "Beloved"), the Nobel Prize in Literature (in 1993), the National Book Foundation's Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American Letters (in 1996) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (in 2012).

She spoke frequently about her desire to be a regional writer with universal appeal, a la William Faulkner. She quipped that she never asked Russian author Leo Tolstoy to write for her, "a little colored girl in Lorain, Ohio." Instead, she wanted her words to speak to her experience.

In the end, her literature transcended place and became part of the fabric of American letters. Her voice will be remembered for its strength and conviction and its ability to illuminate the human condition.

“She was a great woman and a great writer, and I don’t know which I will miss more," her longtime editor Robert Gottlieb said in a statement.

Morrison was also a beloved mother and grandmother. Her family mourned her passing in a statement shared through Random House.

“It is with profound sadness we share that, following a short illness, our adored mother and grandmother, Toni Morrison, passed away peacefully last night surrounded by family and friends. She was an extremely devoted mother, grandmother, and aunt who reveled in being with her family and friends. The consummate writer who treasured the written word, whether her own, her students or others, she read voraciously and was most at home when writing. Although her passing represents a tremendous loss, we are grateful she had a long, well lived life.

“While we would like to thank everyone who knew and loved her, personally or through her work, for their support at this difficult time, we ask for privacy as we mourn this loss to our family. We will share information in the near future about how we will celebrate Toni’s incredible life.”