Fran Ross facts for kids

Fran Ross (born June 25, 1935 – died September 17, 1985) was an amazing African-American writer. She is most famous for her funny novel called Oreo, which came out in 1974. She even wrote comedy for the famous comedian Richard Pryor for a short time!

Fran Ross's Early Life

Fran Ross was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 25, 1935. She was the oldest daughter of Gerald Ross, who was a welder, and Bernetta Bass Ross, who worked in a store. Fran was very talented in many areas, including school, art, and sports. She graduated from Overbrook High School when she was only 15 years old! Because she was so smart, she earned a scholarship to Temple University.

Fran Ross's Career Journey

Fran Ross graduated from Temple University in 1956. She earned a special degree in Communications, Journalism, and Theatre. After college, she worked for a short time at a well-known magazine called Saturday Evening Post.

In 1960, Fran moved to New York City to continue her career. She worked as a proofreader for big publishing companies like McGraw-Hill and Simon & Schuster. A proofreader's job is to carefully check books for any mistakes before they are printed. She even helped check the first book written by Ed Koch, who later became the mayor of New York City.

Writing Her Famous Novel Oreo

Fran Ross started writing her novel Oreo because she really wanted to be a full-time writer. The book was published in 1974, which was a time when the Black Power movement was very important in the United States.

The title Oreo comes from the famous black and white cookie. In the book, this cookie is used to talk about someone who is Black on the outside but acts "white" on the inside. Fran Ross's novel uses an old Greek myth about a hero named Theseus. In her story, a young Black-Jewish girl goes on a journey to find her father and eventually gets revenge on him.

Fran Ross found it hard to support herself just by writing. She worked in media and publishing until she passed away from cancer on September 17, 1985, in New York City. She was not able to finish a second novel.

Oreo's Rediscovery

Even though Fran Ross passed away, her novel Oreo was rediscovered and became popular again. In 2000, it was republished by Northeastern University Press. A new introduction was written by a poet named Harryette Mullen.

Many people, including writer Mat Johnson, have praised Oreo. They say it's a masterpiece that was ahead of its time, meaning it was very unique and important for its era. The book was republished again in 2015 by New Directions and in England in 2018 by Picador.

See also

In Spanish: Fran Ross para niños