A leader in the Harlem Renaissance Zora Neale Hurston was a revolutionary in helping to protect the rights of African Americans. She was known during the Harlem Renaissance for her wit, irreverence, and folk writing style. Hurston broke literary norms by focusing her work on the experience of a black woman. Zora’s work was not widely known during her life, in death she ranks among the best writers of the 20th century. Her work continues to influences writers throughout the world.

Zora spoke up on being discriminated against. She said that it did not make her angry and that it only astonished her because who in their right mind could deny themselves the pleasure of her company.

Hurston died of heart disease on January 28, 1960. Her remains were placed in an unmarked grave. Twelve years later in 1972, author Alice Walker located her grave and created a marker. My biggest takeaway from the final moments of her story is that even after being discriminated in death she was still given her flowers.