ZORA NEALE HURSTON

"I have the strength to walk my own path, no matter how hard, in my search for reality, and not cling to the splendid wagon of desperate illusions." A writer of novels, short stories, folktales, plays, and essays, Zora Neale Hurston combined a hunger for research and a desire to penetrate the deepest of popular beliefs with a truly exquisite narrative talent. This illuminating biography of Hurston—a compelling story of a free spirit who achieved national prominence yet died in obscurity—examines the rich legacy of her writings, which include Mules and Men, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Tell My Horse, and Dust Tracks on a Road. Interviews with Lucy Anne Hurston, Zora’s niece and author of the biography Speak, So You Can Speak Again, and with Henry Louis Gates Jr., W.E.B. Du Bois Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University, are featured. The program amply demonstrates that Hurston truly had, as it said in her high school yearbook, "A heart with room for every joy." Grades 7–12. 42 minutes. Films for the Humanities. ©2005.

Chris Statuette, Columbus International Film & Video Festival

2006 Bronze Telly Award

“The film provides interesting discussions of her books and the impact of her decision to use dialect instead of formal English in her works… The production makes excellent use of photographs and recordings of Hurston singing folksongs she learned during her travels… An interesting and well-done presentation. Recommended for academic and public libraries, especially for those with a strong African American literature collection.”—Library Journal

“Includes commentary by Harvard University Professor W. E. B. DuBois, and Negro Folklore classics sung by Hurston herself. All technical aspects are of professional quality. This DVD is highly recommended.”—Educational Media Reviews Online

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