Pinkie Gordon Lane facts for kids

Pinkie Gordon Lane (born January 13, 1923 – December 3, 2008) was an important African-American poet, editor, and teacher. She wrote five books of poetry and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1979. Among her many honors, Lane was named the Louisiana State Poet Laureate. This made her the first African American to hold that special job (from 1989 to 1992).

Pinkie Gordon Lane's Early Life and School

Pinkie Gordon Lane was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 13, 1923. She was the youngest child of William Alexander Gordon and Inez Addie West Gordon. Pinkie grew up during a time when there were many racial challenges.

Her parents worked very hard during the Great Depression. They made sure their daughter could go to school, even though it was difficult. After graduating from the Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1940, her father passed away. Pinkie then had to work in a sewing factory.

After five years, and after her mother also passed away, she received a scholarship. This scholarship allowed her to attend Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. While at Spelman, she met and married Ulysses “Pete” Simpson Lane.

She continued her education, earning a master's degree in English from Atlanta University in 1956. A big achievement came in 1967. Pinkie Gordon Lane became the first African-American woman to earn a PhD from Louisiana State University.

Pinkie Gordon Lane's Career as an Educator

After graduating with honors from Spelman in 1949, Lane began her career as a teacher. For the next six years, she taught high school students in Georgia and Florida.

She returned to Atlanta in 1955 to get her master's degree. The next year, she started teaching at Leland College in Baker, Louisiana. She stayed there until 1959. That year, she joined the English Department at Southern University. She would stay at Southern University for the rest of her career. She even became the head of the department.

With her husband also teaching at the university, Lane was able to focus on her writing. She first thought her main way to express herself would be through short stories.

Pinkie Gordon Lane's Poetry Journey

In 1962, while teaching at Southern University, a friend suggested she read A Street in Bronzeville (1945). This book was written by Gwendolyn Brooks. Pinkie said, "I had never read a whole book of poetry by a black woman poet." She was very impressed.

She thought, "If she can do it, I can do it." After that, she stopped writing fiction and started writing poetry. She found that poetry came to her very naturally. Brooks’s work not only made her love poetry, but it also showed Lane the rich history of black writers.

Lane published her first book of poetry, Wind Thoughts, in 1972. This was shortly after her husband passed away. The book was praised by critics. However, it was her second book, The Mystic Female (1978), that made her widely known. The next year, Gwendolyn Brooks nominated The Mystic Female for the Pulitzer Prize.

Pinkie Gordon Lane went on to publish three more poetry books: I Never Scream (1985), Girl at the Window (1991), and Elegy for Etheridge (2002).

Understanding Pinkie Gordon Lane's Style

Sometimes, Pinkie Gordon Lane's poetry was seen as different from what others expected. Some people in the Black Arts Movement and her colleagues at Southern University thought her poems should follow certain rules for black poetry.

However, Lane had her own unique voice. Her writing was often quiet and personal. Even though some people questioned her style, she continued to write important and meaningful poems. She showed that there are many ways to express yourself through poetry.