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A biography of fiction writer Harriet Beecher Stowe is presented. Stowe was born on June 14, 1811 in Litchfield, Connecticut to Lyman and Roxana Beecher and died on July 1, 1896 in Hartford, Connecticut. She began to write the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in the wake of the U.S. Congress's enactment of the Fugitive Slave Act and spurred by a vision she experienced at a church service. She also wrote another slavery novel "Dred."

A biography of novelist and poet Louise Erdrich is presented. Erdrich was born on June 7, 1954 to Ralph Erdrich and Rita Gourneau Erdrich in Little Falls, Minnesota, across the Red River from Wahpeton, North Dakota. She grew up in Wahpeton as the oldest of seven children and was exposed to the cultures of both her parents. Her works include "Tracks," "The Bingo Palace," and "The Antelope Wife." Also noted are her achievements and an analysis of her works.

A biography of novelist, short-story writer, poet, and essayist Alice Walker is presented. Walker was born in Eatonton, Georgia on February 9, 1944 to Willie Lee and Minnie Lou Grant Walker. She encountered a BB gun accident in childhood which left her blind in one eye at age eight. Her partial blindness allowed her to attend Spelman College in Atlanta on a scholarship for the handicapped. Her works include "The Third Life of Grange Copeland," Meridian," and "The Color Purple."

A biography of playwright, novelist, and poet Ntozake Shange is presented. Shange was born in Trenton, New Jersey on October 18, 1948 to Paul T. Williams, a surgeon, and Eloise Williams, a psychiatric social worker and educator, and died in Bowie, Maryland on October 27, 2018. She grew up in a privileged, upper-middle-class environment. Her works include "Sassafras: A Novella," "Some Sing, Some Cry," and "The Collected Short Stories."

A biography of novelist Gloria Naylor is presented. Naylor was born in New York City on January 25, 1950 and died in Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands on September 28, 2016. She read widely in the 19th century British novelists but later came across the book that influenced her most, "The Bluest Eye" by African American novelist Tony Morrison. Her works include "The Women of Brewster Place: A Novel in Seven Stories," "Linden Hills," and "Mama Day."

A biography of novelist Toni Morrison is presented. Morrison was born in Lorain, Ohio on February 18, 1939 and died in New York City on August 5, 2019. She was married in 1958 and divorced in 1964 and she has two children. She received her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English and minored in classics. Her works include "The Bluest Eye," "Song of Solomon," and "Paradise."

A biography of novelist and short-story writer Paule Marshall is presented. Marshall was born in Brooklyn, New York City on April 9, 1929 to Samuel Burke and Ada Clement Burke and died in Richmond, Virginia on August 12, 2019. She wrote poetry as a child and listened to the talk of women. Her works include "Brown Girl, Brownstones," "The Chosen Place, the Timeless People," and "Triangular Road: A Memoir." Her achievements are also mentioned.

A biography of novelist and folklorist Zola Neale Hurston is presented. Hurston was born in Eatonville, Florida on January 7, 1891 and died in Fort Pierce, Florida on January 28, 1960. Her family lived in the all-African American Florida town of Eatonville in an eight-room house with a five-acre garden .Her works include "Jonah's Gourd Vine," "Their Eyes Were Watching God," and "Moses, Man of the Mountain."

A biography of novelist and biographer Virginia Hamilton is presented. Hamilton was born in Yellow Springs, Ohio on March 12, 1936 to Kenneth James Hamilton, a musician, and Etta Belle Perry Hamilton and died in Dayton, Ohio on February 19, 2002. She has been called one of the best writers of children's fiction in the 20th century. Her works include "W. E. B. Du Bois: A Biography," "Paul Robeson: The Life and Times of a Free Black Man," and "The House of Dies Drear."

A biography of novelist, essayist, and memoirist Roxane Gay is presented. Gay was born in Omaha, Nebraska on October 15, 1974 to immigrants from Haiti. She recalls being a very lonely child who was very socially awkward and who always had trouble making friends. She began teaching English first at Eastern Illinois University, then at Purdue University, and then at Yale University. His works include "Bad Feminist," "Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body," and "The Best American Short Stories."

A biography of novelist Percival Everett is presented. Everett was born in Augusta, Georgia on December 22, 1956 and was raised in Columbia, South Carolina. He worked as a jazz musician, as a hand on a sheep ranch, and as a high school teacher for brief periods. He was named a distinguished professor of English in March 2007 at the University of Southern California in 1998. His works include "Suder," "Walk Me to the Distance," and "The One That Got Away."

A biography of novelist and journalist Jessie Redmon Fauset is presented. Fauset was born in Snow Hill, New Jersey on April 27, 1882 and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 30, 1961. She was one of the most prolific novelists of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s Her works include "There Is Confusion," "Plum Bun: A Novel Without a Moral," and "The Chinaberry Tree: A Novel of American Life."

A biography of poet and novelist Lucille Clifton is presented. Clifton was born in Depew, New York on June 27, 1936 to Samuel L. and Thelma Moore Sayles. She became the only poet ever to have two books chosen as finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in the same year in 1988. She worked as an actress and began her writing career after transferring to Fredonia State Teachers College in 1955. Her poems include "Good Times," "Blessing the Boats," and "Mercy."

A biography of novelist, poet and artist Barbara Chase-Riboud is presented. Chase-Riboud was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 26, 1939. She became a popular writer almost overnight, with the publication of "Sally Hemings" which won the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for best novel by an American woman in 1979. Her other works include " "Valide: A Novel of the Harem," From Memphis and Peking," and "Echo of Lions."

A biography of novelist Octavia E. Butler is presented. Butler was born in Pasadena, California on June 22, 1947 and died in Seattle, Washington on February 24, 2006. She began writing when she was about ten years old and began to experiment with science fiction one day at the age of 12 years old. She attended Pasadena City College and then California State College at Los Angeles, where she was unable to major in creative writing. Her works include "Kindred," Survivor," and "Patternmaster."

A biography of novelist and journalist Laura Ingalls Wilder is presented. Wilder was born on February 7, 1967 in Pepin, Wisconsin and died on February 10, 1957 in Mansfield, Missouri to Charles Philip Ingalls and his wife Caroline Quiner Ingalls. Her writing career began when she was in her 40s. Her achievements are mentioned. Her works include "Farmer Boy," "Little House on the Prairie," and "On the Banks of Plum Creek."

A biography of novelist, journalist, and scriptwriter Luisa Valenzuela is presented. Valenzuela was born on November 26, 1938 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is one of Argentina's most significant authors to emerge since the boom in the 1960s of Latin American literature. Her work is described as a conventional extension of the magical realism that characterized Latin American writers. Her novels include "Libro que no muerde," "Cola de lagartija," and "Novela Negra con Argentinos."

A biography of playwright, novelist and poet Ntozake Shange is presented. Shange was born on October 18, 1948 in Trenton, New Jersey to Paul T. Williams, a surgeon, and Eloise Williams, a psychiatric social worker and educator, and died on October 27, 2018 in Bowie, Maryland. She taught humanities, women's studies, and African American studies at Sonoma State College. Her works include "Three Pieces," "Plays: One," and "Betsey Brown."

A biography of novelist and poet May Sarton is presented. Sarton was born on May 3, 1912 in Wondelgem, Belgium to Belgian science historian George Sarton and English artist and designer Mabel Eléanor Elwes and died on July 16, 1995 in York, Maine. She received her primary education at Shady Hill School in Cambridge and was naturalized as an American citizen in 1924. Her works include "The Single Hound," "The Bridge of Years," and "Shadow of a Man."

A biography of poet and novelist Marge Piercy is presented. Piercy was born on March 31, 1936 in Detroit, Michigan to Robert Piercy and Bert Bunnin. She supported herself as well as she could with odd jobs that left for writing after completing her education. Her first six novels were rejected by every publisher to whom she sent them, mostly due to the strident note of feminism. Her first collection of poems, "Breaking Up," was published in 1968. Her novel "Going Down Fast" is also mentioned.

A biography of novelist and memoirist Madeleine L'Engle is presented. L'Engle was born on November 29, 1918 in New York City to journalist and playwright John Wadsworth Camp and pianist Madeleine Camp and died on September 6, 2007 in Litchfield, Connecticut. She became known as one of the most popular children's authors in 20th century America. Her works include "Camilla Dickinson," "A Live Coal in the Sea," and "Meet the Austins."

A biography of essayist and novelist Anne Lamott is presented. Lamott was born on April 10, 1954 in San Francisco, California to writer Kenneth Lamott and Dorothy Lamott, who worked as a lawyer. She developed a love of reading at an early age from her parents. She started writing at an early age and first received attention for her talent in grade school. Her achievements are mentioned. Her works include "Hard Laughter," "Rosie," and "All New People."

A biography of novelist Mary Johnston is presented. Johnston was born on November 21, 1870 in Buchanan, Virginia to Major John W. Johnston and Elizabeth Alexander and died on March 9, 1936 in Warm Springs, Virginia. She lived at home until she was 19 and became an avid reader, particularly of history. Her achievements are mentioned. Her works include "To Have and to Hold," "Audrey," and "Sir Mortimer."

A biography of novelist and poet Louise Erdrich is presented. Erdrich was born on June 7, 1954 in Little Falls, Minnesota to Ralph Erdrich and Rita Gourneau Erdrich. She entered Dartmouth College in New Hampshire in 1972 and majored in creative writing. She worked a variety of odd jobs after her graduation from college in 1976. Her achievements are mentioned. Her works include "Love Medicine," "The Beet Queen," and "Tracks."

A biography of journalist, novelist, essayist, and screenwriter Joan Didion is presented. Didion was born on December 5, 1934 in Sacramento, California to Frank Reese and Eduene Jerret Didion. She merged as a prominent voice in post-World War II American letters. She began writing feature pieces in 1961 for "Vogue" and other magazines. Her achievements are mentioned. Her works include "Run River," "A Book of Common Prayer," and "Democracy."

A biography of poet and novelist Lucille Clifton is presented. Clifton was born on June 27, 1936 in Depew in New York and died on February 13, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. She was considered one of the most prolific writers of her time and her subjects focused on the family, the female body, and honesty. Her achievements are mentioned. Her works include "Good Times," "Good News About the Earth," and "An Ordinary Woman."

A biography of novelist, poet, essayist, and activist Kelly Cherry is presented. Cherry was born on December 21, 1940 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She married a visiting art historian and decided to abandon her writing ambitions in her last year of study at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her achievements are mentioned. Her works include "Sick and Full of Burning," "Augusta Played," and "In the Wink of an Eye."

A biography of novelist, fiction writer and poet Ana Castillo is presented. Castillo was born on June 15, 1953 in Chicago, Illinois to working-class parents, Ramon and Raquel Rocha Castillo. She has produced poems, short stories, novels, and critical essays that focus on the multiple challenges faced by contemporary Latinas. Her achievements are mentioned. Her works include "Sapogonia," "So Far from God," and "Peel My Love Like an Onion."

A biography of novelist and playwright Djuna Barnes is presented. Barnes was born on June 12, 1892 to an eccentric, bohemian family in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York and died on June 18, 1982 in New York City. She did not receive formal education but she was educated at home in Cornwall-on-Hudson. Her achievements are mentioned. Her works include "Ladies Alamanack," "Ryder," and "Nightwood."

A biography of novelist, poet and historian Marguerite Young is presented. Young was born on August 26, 1908 in Indianapolis, Indiana and died on November 17, 1995 also in Indianapolis. She believed she was destined to be a writer from early childhood. Her career was devoted to writing, as author, teacher, and editor. Her achievements are mentioned. Her works include "Miss MacIntosh, My Darling," "Prismatic Ground," and "Moderate Fable."

A biography of poet and novelist Elinor Wylie is presented. Wylie was born on September 7, 1885 in Somerville, New Jersey and died on December 6, 1928 in New York City. She emerged as one of the new traditionalists of American literature in the 1920s. She wrote four books of poems and four novels in a span of eight years in which her tragic vision of life is portrayed in fantasy and satire. Her works include "The Venetian Glass Nephew," "The Orphan Angel," and "Mr. Hodge & Mr. Hazard.

A biography of novelist Jane Yolen is presented. Yolen was born on February 11, 1939 in New York City to Isabel and Will. She married David W. Stemple in 1962 and had three children, a daughter and two sons. She was already a serious writer while in college, having written a book of poetry that included poems published in small presses. Her works include "Dragon's Blood," "Sister Light, Sister Dark," and "White Jenna."

A biography of novelist and poet Sherley Anne Williams is presented. Williams was born on August 25, 1944 in Bakersfield, California to Lena and Jessee Winston Williams and died on July 6, 1999 in San Diego, California. She was one of the talented African-American writers who emerged on the post-Civil Rights movement literary scene. Her first story was published by the "Massachusetts Review" in 1967. Her works include "Dessa Rose," "The Peacock Poems," and "Some One Sweet Angel Chile."

A biography of young adult novelist Cynthia Voigt is presented. Voigt was born on February 25, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts to Frederick C. and Elise (Keeney) Irving. She attended Dana Hill boarding school in Massachusetts, where she developed self-reliance. She graduated from Smith College in 1963 and started working for an advertising agency in New York City. Her works include "Homecoming," "Dicey's Song," and "Tell Me if the Lovers Are Losers."

A biography of novelist, essayist and critic Margaret Walker is presented. Walker was born on July 7, 1915 in Birmingham, Alabama to Sigismund Walker and Marian Dozier Walker and died on November 30, 1998 in Chicago, Illinois. She began publishing poetry in the 1930s in magazines such as "Poetry," "Opportunity," and "Crisis" but is perhaps best known for her novel "Jubilee." Her works include "The Ballad of the Free," "Prophets for a New Day," and "October Journey."

A biography of novelist Anne Tyler is presented. Tyler was born on October 25, 1941 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Lloyd Parry and Phyllis (Mahon) Tyler. She graduated from Duke University in 1961 and had enrolled at the age of 16 and was finished before she was 20 years old. She has set more of her novels in various parts of Baltimore, Maryland. Her works, including "If Morning Ever Comes," "The Tin Can Tree," and "A Slipping-Down Life."

A biography of novelist Mildred D. Taylor is presented. Taylor was born on September 13, 1943 to parents who did not want to raise their children under racism. She has distinguished herself to thousands of readers, young and old, through her unique depiction of the African American experience. She settled in Los Angeles, California where she began to pursue the art of writing seriously. Her works include "Song of the Trees," "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry," and "Let the Circle Be Unbroken."

A biography of novelist, poet and playwright Joyce Carol Thomas is presented. Thomas was born Joyce Carol Haynes on May 25, 1938 in Ponca City, Oklahoma and died on August 13, 2016 in Stanford, California. She attended several colleges in California before obtaining her bachelor's degree in Spanish from San Jose State College in 1966. Her achievements are mentioned. Her works include "Marked by Fire," "Bright Shadow," and "Water Girl."

A biography of young adult fiction writer Elsie Singmaster is presented. Singmaster was born on August 29, 1879 in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania and died on September 30, 1958 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Her father was the Reverend John Alden Singmaster and her mother was a Quaker of English descent. She married Harold Lewars, a musician, in 1912. Her works include "When Sarah Saved the Day," "Katy Gaumer," and "Emmeline."

A biography of novelist Betty Smith is presented. Smith was born on December 15, 1896 in Brooklyn, New York City to a family of German immigrants and died on January 17, 1972 in Shelton, Connecticut. She married George Smith and they later moved to Michigan. She more than 70 one-act plays during the 1930s and early 1940s. Her works include "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," "Tomorrow Will Be Better," and "Maggie-Now."

A biography of novelist and journalist Margaret Mitchell is presented. Mitchell was born on November 8, 1900 in Atlanta, Georgia to Maybelle (Stephens) and Eugene Muse Mitchell and died on August 16, 1949 also in Atlanta. She completed her elementary education in the Atlantic public school system, then attended Washington Seminary in Atlanta. She started a career in journalism in 1922 on the "Atlanta Journal" as Peggy Mitchell. Her works include "Gone with the Wind" and "Lost Laysen."

A biography of novelist and poet Erica Jong is presented. Jong was born on March 26, 1942 in New York City to second-generation Jewish parents of Polish and Russian origin with a family tradition of the arts. She became well-known in the early 1970s as a writer of sexual fiction from a woman's perspective and she is said to be an important novelist and poet of the 20th century. Her works include "Fear of Flying," "How to Save Your Own Life," and "Parachutes and Kisses."

A biography of novelist and poet Gayl Jones is presented. Jones was born on November 23, 1949 in Lexington, Kentucky. She is considered a significant African American author whose works brilliantly experiment with the psychology of language while addressing powerful issues of race, class, and gender. Her achievements are mentioned. Her works include "Corregidora," "Eva's Man," and "White Rat: Short Stories."

A biography of novelist and playwright Kristin Hunter is presented. Hunter was born on September 12, 1931 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to African American educators George and Mabel Eggleston and died on November 14, 2008 in Magnolia, New Jersey. She began her writing career at the age of 14 as a journalist for the "Pittsburgh Courier." Her works include "God Bless the Child," "The Landlord," and "The Survivors."

A biography of novelist Pauline Hopkins is presented. Hopkins was born in 1859 in Portland, Maine and died on August 13, 1930 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She published her first novel, "Contending Forces: A Romance Illustrative of Negro Life North and South" in 1900. Her book "Of One Blood" concludes with an archaeological expedition to a mystical, subterranean Ethiopian kingdom. Her novel "Hagar's Daughter" is also mentioned.