Margaret Walker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Walker
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| Born | July 7, 1915 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | November 30, 1998 (aged 83) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Poet, novelist |
| Nationality | American |
| Notable works | For My People (1942) Jubilee (1966) |
| Spouse | Firnist Alexander |
| Children | 4 |
Margaret Walker (born Margaret Abigail Walker) was an American poet and writer. She was born on July 7, 1915, and passed away on November 30, 1998. Margaret Walker was an important part of the African-American writing scene in Chicago. This time was known as the Chicago Black Renaissance.
Her most famous works include a poetry book called For My People (1942). This book won a special award called the Yale Series of Younger Poets Competition. She also wrote a novel titled Jubilee (1966). This story takes place in the Southern United States during the American Civil War.
Contents
A Young Writer's Journey
Margaret Walker was born in Birmingham, Alabama. Her father, Sigismund C. Walker, was a minister. Her mother, Marion Walker, taught her about philosophy and poetry when she was a child. Her family later moved to New Orleans.
When Margaret was just 15, she showed some of her poems to the famous writer Langston Hughes. He was visiting New Orleans and saw her amazing talent. She went to college in New Orleans before moving north to Chicago.
In 1935, Margaret earned her first college degree from Northwestern University. In 1936, she started working for the Federal Writers' Project. This was a government program created during the Great Depression to help writers find jobs. It was part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's plan to help the country. She worked with other young writers like Gwendolyn Brooks.
Margaret continued her education, earning a master's degree in writing from the University of Iowa in 1942. Later, in 1965, she went back to the same school to get her Ph.D.
In 1943, Margaret married Firnist Alexander. They moved to Mississippi and had four children. They made their home in Jackson.
Teaching and Leading
Margaret Walker became a literature professor at Jackson State University. This is a special college that was created for black students a long time ago. She taught there for many years, from 1949 to 1979.
In 1968, Margaret started a center called the Institute for the Study of History, Life, and Culture of Black People. Today, it's known as the Margaret Walker Center. Her own writings and papers are kept there. In 1976, she became the director of this important institute.
Her Amazing Books
In 1942, Margaret Walker's book of poems, For My People, won the Yale Series of Younger Poets Competition. This made her the first black woman to win such a big national writing award. Many people thought For My People was a very important poetry collection from the Chicago Black Renaissance time.
One writer, Richard Barksdale, said that the main poem in the book was written when there was a lot of sadness and trouble in the world. He felt that the poem showed a strong message of hope and strength. He believed this message was not just for black people, but for everyone.
Margaret Walker's second published book was her only novel, Jubilee (1966). This book tells the story of a family who were slaves during and after the American Civil War. The story is based on the real life of her own great-grandmother. It took Margaret thirty years to write this special book.
Jubilee is considered a very important book in African-American literature. Margaret Walker was one of the first women writers of her time to publish many novels in the 1970s.
In 1975, Margaret Walker also released three albums of her poetry. These albums featured her reading her own poems and poems by other famous writers like Langston Hughes.
In 1989, Margaret Walker received a special honor called the Candace Award. This award is given by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.
Later Life and Honors
Margaret Walker passed away in Chicago, Illinois, in 1998. She was 83 years old.
In 2014, Margaret Walker was recognized by The Chicago Literary Hall of Fame. This means her writing is celebrated as an important part of Chicago's history. She was also honored with a historical marker on the Mississippi Writers Trail.
Works
- For My People (1942)
- Jubilee (1966)
- Prophets for a New Day (1970)
- How I Wrote Jubilee (1972)
- October Journey (1973)
- A Poetic Equation: Conversations Between Nikki Giovanni and Margaret Walker (1974)
- Richard Wright : Daemonic Genius (1988)
- This Is My Century: New and Collected Poems (1989)
- On Being Female, Black, and Free: Essays by Margaret Walker (1997)
Poetry and Music
Margaret Walker's powerful poems have inspired new music. For example, Randy Klein created a song cycle called For My People — The Margaret Walker Song Cycle in 2011. Also, Edward W. Hardy created a song cycle called BORN FREE in 2022. These musical pieces bring her words to life in a new way.
