217-567: The Bluest Eye , published in 1970, is the first novel written by Toni Morrison . The novel takes place in Lorain, Ohio (Morrison's hometown), and tells the story of a young African-American girl named Pecola who grew up following the Great Depression . Set in 1941, the story is about how she is consistently regarded as "ugly" due to her mannerisms and dark skin. As a result, she develops an inferiority complex , which fuels her desire for
434-565: A 501(c)(3) independent organization, it represents students from all colleges and schools, manages student funds on campus, and has representatives from each academic unit. The Central Student Government is separate from the University of Michigan administration. Over the years, the Central Student Government has led voter registration drives, revived Homecoming events, changed a football seating policy, and created
651-447: A Brutal Legacy", called it a "transfixing, deeply felt adaptation of Toni Morrison's novel. ... Its linchpin is of course Oprah Winfrey, who had the clout and foresight to bring 'Beloved' to the screen and has the dramatic presence to hold it together." Film critic Roger Ebert suggested that Beloved was not a genre ghost story but the supernatural was used to explore deeper issues and the non-linear structure of Morrison's story had
868-530: A Student Advisory Council for Ann Arbor city affairs. A longstanding goal of the Central Student Government has been to create a student-designated seat on the Board of Regents. In 2000 and 2002, students Nick Waun, Scott Trudeau, Matt Petering, and Susan Fawcett ran for the Board of Regents on the statewide ballot as third-party nominees, though none were successful. A 1998 poll by the State of Michigan concluded that
1085-442: A black girl: "Ethnic identity and gender dilemmas are still both anecdotally and empirically linked to a decrease in self-esteem, adaptiveness and well-being". Pecola's race and gender both work against her to create a complex form of oppression. Morrison's novel confronts self-hatred and destructive behaviors black women participate in to fit into the hegemonic image of beauty and whiteness. Critic Allen Alexander argues that religion
1302-609: A broken family, have resulted in a totally fractured personality, which drives Pecola into madness. In the article "Racism and Appearance in The Bluest Eye : A Template for an Ethical Emotive Criticism", Jerome Bump explains how the novel suggests that physical beauty is a virtue embedded in society. Bump asserts that the novel reveals the belief that the outside of people ultimately reflects their character and personality. This belief compromises people's judgement and they act upon internal bias. These biases are displayed throughout
1519-567: A child. She was a homemaker and a devout member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church . George Wofford grew up in Cartersville, Georgia . When Wofford was about 15 years old, a group of white people lynched two African-American businessmen who lived on his street. Morrison later said: "He never told us that he'd seen bodies. But he had seen them. And that was too traumatic, I think, for him." Soon after
1736-468: A combination of both love and hate. He leaves her to be discovered by Pauline, who does not believe Pecola's story and beats her. The community learns of Pecola's assault, and not long after, it is discovered that she is pregnant. Following the assault, a vignette depicts Pecola seeking the help of Soaphead Church, a cunning and deceptive man who pretends to be a spiritual healer . Pecola asks Soaphead to help her obtain blue eyes, and he tricks her into feeding
1953-642: A conference on higher education took place at the university, resulting in the establishment of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges . Under his leadership, construction boomed on campus, and enrollments increased, propelled by the prosperous economy of the Roaring Twenties . He initiated the annual honors convocation, introduced the deans' conference, and increased university income. He fell ill in 1924 and died in 1925. In this emergency, President Emeritus Hutchins
2170-658: A converted boathouse on the Hudson River in Nyack , New York. She taught English at two branches of the State University of New York (SUNY) and at Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus . In 1984, she was appointed to an Albert Schweitzer chair at the University at Albany, SUNY . Morrison's first play, Dreaming Emmett , is about the 1955 murder by white men of Black teenager Emmett Till . The play
2387-552: A diploma system, and introduced coeducation. Women were first admitted in 1870, although Alice Robinson Boise Wood was the first woman to attend classes (without matriculating) in 1866–67. In 1870, Gabriel Franklin Hargo graduated from the law school as the second African American to graduate from a law school in the United States. In 1871, Sarah Killgore became the first woman to graduate from law school and be admitted to
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#17327799188152604-495: A dog poisoned meat. When the dog dies, Pecola believes that her wish has been granted, and her mental state begins to sharply decline. Claudia and Frieda are the only two in the community who hope for Pecola's child to survive in the coming months. Consequently, they give up the money they had been saving to buy a bicycle, instead planting marigold seeds with the superstitious belief that if the flowers bloom, Pecola's baby will survive. The marigolds never bloom, and Pecola's child, who
2821-555: A final time, describes the recent phenomenon of Pecola's insanity and suggests that Cholly, who died in a warehouse following the death of Pecola's baby, may have shown Pecola the only love he could by raping her. Claudia laments her belief that the whole community, herself included, has used Pecola as a scapegoat to make themselves feel prettier and happier. When asked about her motivations for writing The Bluest Eye in an interview, Morrison stated that she wanted to remind readers "how hurtful racism is" and that people are "apologetic about
3038-447: A fixed $ 15,000 since 1869, still required additional funding. Frustrated, Haven resigned in 1869 to become president of Northwestern , a Methodist institution, a move that sectarians viewed as a setback for secular colleges. The presidency remained vacant from 1869 to 1871, with Professor Henry Simmons Frieze serving as acting president. During this period, the university raised funds for University Hall, overhauled admissions with
3255-660: A fresh look at William Shakespeare 's tragedy Othello . The trio focused on the relationship between Othello 's wife Desdemona and her African nursemaid, Barbary, who is only briefly referenced in Shakespeare. The play, a mix of words, music and song, premiered in Vienna in 2011. University of Michigan The University of Michigan ( U-M , UMich , or simply Michigan ) is a public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan , United States. Founded in 1817, it
3472-631: A friendship between two Black women, was nominated for the National Book Award . Her third novel, Song of Solomon (1977), follows the life of Macon "Milkman" Dead III, from birth to adulthood, as he discovers his heritage. This novel brought her national acclaim, being a main selection of the Book of the Month Club , the first novel by a Black writer to be so chosen since Richard Wright 's Native Son in 1940. Song of Solomon also won
3689-577: A girl from Ohio, writing about Ohio having been born in Lorain, Ohio. And actually relating as an Ohio person, to have the Ohio, what—Board of Education?—is ironic at the least". Debe Terhar, State Board of Education President and Cincinnati Republican, called the novel "pornographic", and suggested the book be removed from the state's teaching guidelines. Mark Smith, Ohio Christian University president, said, "I see an underlying socialist-communist agenda ... that
3906-399: A largely White Anglo-Saxon Protestant community. Cholly was abandoned by his parents at a young age and was raised by his aunt. His attempts to find his father led him to being spurned. Further humiliation came to him during his first sexual encounter, when two white men found him and made him continue even though he was paralyzed with fear at being discovered by the two men. He met Pauline at
4123-501: A list, as well as finding additional book titles for banning. The committee incorrectly identified Toni Morrison's prize-winning book, along with others, as violating a state statute for distributing “indecent material” that is “harmful to minors” age 16 and under. The School Board will consider recommendations from the advisory committee at a time and in a process as yet undetermined. In the meantime, The Bluest Eye and all other 56 challenged books are unavailable to students in all schools in
4340-528: A majority of voters would approve adding a student regent position if put to a vote. However, amending the composition of the Board of Regents would require a constitutional amendment in Michigan. In addition to the Central Student Government, each college and school at the University of Michigan has its own independent student governance body. Undergraduate students in the College of Literature, Science, and
4557-589: A master's degree in American Literature from Cornell University in 1955. In 1957 she returned to Howard University, was married, and had two children before divorcing in 1964. Morrison became the first black female editor for fiction at Random House in New York City in the late 1960s. She developed her own reputation as an author in the 1970s and '80s. Her novel Beloved was made into a film in 1998. Morrison's works are praised for addressing
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#17327799188154774-574: A memoir or autobiography. Though based in the Creative Writing Program at Princeton, Morrison did not regularly offer writing workshops to students after the late 1990s, a fact that earned her some criticism. Rather, she conceived and developed the Princeton Atelier, a program that brings together students with writers and performing artists. Together the students and the artists produce works of art that are presented to
4991-566: A national identity that excluded anyone who was not white, according to English professor Catherine Romagnolo. One example of this is that historically racist ideologies influence the character Soaphead Church in the novel, as University of Oxford professor Tessa Roynon, who studies African-American literature, explains: "the racial theories of Hume , Kant , Jefferson , and others, derived from innovations in classificatory systems by scientists such as Linnaeus , have been collected in useful readers such as Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze 's anthology Race and
5208-506: A neologism derived from a blend of Greek and Latin roots, can be loosely translated as "School of Universal Knowledge". This corporation was modeled after the Imperial University of France , an entity established by Napoleon I a decade prior, and included an array of schools and libraries under a single administration, with the authority to establish additional schools across the territory. It wasn't until Michigan became
5425-650: A new opera, Margaret Garner . Completed in 2002, with music by Richard Danielpour, the opera was premièred on May 7, 2005, at the Detroit Opera House with Denyce Graves in the title role. Love , Morrison's first novel since Paradise , came out in 2003. In 2004, she put together a children's book called Remember to mark the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision in 1954 that declared racially segregated public schools to be unconstitutional. From 1997 to 2003, Morrison
5642-473: A notable incident involving the Jesse James Gang, an offshoot of Students for a Democratic Society , hosting an on-campus military recruiter in hostage. Hatcher controversially dismissed three professors for their refusal to cooperate with Joseph McCarthy 's House Un-American Activities Committee . Hatcher's successor, Robben Wright Fleming, an experienced negotiator, guided the university through
5859-450: A period of limited construction funding, these structures exhibited a simple design with minimal ornamentation. However, Kahn's Hill Auditorium (1913), adequately funded by Regent Arthur Hill, features extensive Sullivanesque ornamentation and excellent acoustic design, which was rare for that period. Beginning in 1920, the university received greater funding for construction projects, thanks to President Burton's fiscal persuasiveness with
6076-417: A petition to maintain the book in the curriculum, and expressed the importance of retaining the book because "Banning and censoring this tells students that ... racism, incest, rape, abuse, are taboo subjects that should not be mentioned." Numerous teachers also spoke out against the ban, stating that the book was used to analyze Morrison's writing style and that banning it could set a precedent for censorship in
6293-575: A predominantly white society. This ideology damages Pecola and her mother, Pauline, who fully accepts Christianity and spends her time caring for a white family as opposed to her own. Alexander suggests that the image of a more human God represents a traditional African view of deities, better suiting the lives of the African-American characters. In the essays "Disconnections from the Motherline: Gender Hegemonies and
6510-411: A purpose. In 1996, television talk-show host Oprah Winfrey selected Song of Solomon for her newly launched Book Club , which became a popular feature on her Oprah Winfrey Show . An average of 13 million viewers watched the show's book club segments. As a result, when Winfrey selected Morrison's earliest novel The Bluest Eye in 2000, it sold another 800,000 paperback copies. John Young wrote in
6727-578: A responsibility to engage the American public in a conversation about the First Amendment as it relates to books and literature." The Bluest Eye is one of many novels on the ALA's lists of challenged books, appearing as 15th out of 100 of the most challenged novels in the most recent decade. As time passed, more reviews and analyses were written in praise of Morrison's writing of the "colonization of
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6944-522: A self-described "Christian single dad", took notice of the book for its sexual content and formed a committee concerning the removal of the book in the English honors academics. Coley told WLOS-13 "It's astounding really that somebody thinks it's OK for kids to be reading this in school." Eric Grant, the English coordinator, defended the book by making the committee aware that the school offered an alternative assignment for those who were not comfortable with
7161-638: A sharp rise in campus activism, highlighted by the increase in political dissent linked to the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War . In 1964, a group of faculty hosted the nation's first " teach-in " against U.S. policy in Southeast Asia, attended by 2,500 students. Subsequent sit-ins by campus political groups led to administrative crackdowns, further escalating tensions and confrontational tactics among radicals, including
7378-541: A sophomore taught by two professors, Joseph Whiting and George Palmer Williams. In the first commencement of 1845, eleven graduates, including Judson Dwight Collins , were awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree. In subsequent years, the regents established branches across the state as preparatory schools for the university, starting with Pontiac and followed by Kalamazoo , Detroit , Niles , Tecumseh , White Pigeon , and Romeo . However, they struggled to enroll students and some merged with local colleges. Kalamazoo College
7595-524: A staple of the college literary curriculum, which is to say a classic. This triumph is commensurate with its ambition since it was Morrison's intention in writing it precisely to expand the range of classic American literature, to enter, as a living Black woman, the company of dead White males like Faulkner , Melville , Hawthorne and Twain ." In November 2006, Morrison visited the Louvre museum in Paris as
7812-768: A state in 1837 that the corporation focused solely on higher education. Promptly after the Territory of Michigan's formation in 1805, prominent citizens acknowledged the need for a college. In 1806, Father Gabriel Richard , who presided over several schools in the Town of Detroit , first petitioned for land to found a college. Although Governor William Hull and Woodward promulgated an act in 1809 to establish public school districts, this preliminary endeavor yielded negligible results. Woodward, aspiring to categorize knowledge (which he termed "encathol epistemia"), discussed this with Thomas Jefferson in 1814. In 1817, Woodward drafted
8029-402: A story really, but a series of painfully accurate impressions." Morrison was additionally praised for her wide coverage of emotion in the novel, extending from Pecola Breedlove's quiet descent into madness, to Cholly Breedlove's skewed mindsets. Critics picked up on Morrison's shortcomings as a first time published author. A common critique of her writing included her language in the novel, as it
8246-637: A story." In 1996, the National Endowment for the Humanities selected Morrison for the Jefferson Lecture , the U.S. federal government's highest honor for "distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities". Morrison's lecture, entitled "The Future of Time: Literature and Diminished Expectations", began with the aphorism: "Time, it seems, has no future." She cautioned against the misuse of history to diminish expectations of
8463-544: A tenant named Mr. Henry Washington, and Pecola Breedlove, a temporary foster child whose house was burned down by her unstable, alcoholic, and sexually abusive father. Pecola is a quiet, passive young girl who grows up with little money and whose parents are constantly fighting, both verbally and physically. Pecola is continually reminded of what an "ugly" girl she is by members of her neighborhood and school community. In an attempt to beautify herself, Pecola wishes for blue eyes. Additionally, most chapters' titles are extracts from
8680-548: A territorial act for the Catholepistemiad , or University of Michigania , which included thirteen professorships, or didaxiim . The act was enacted on August 26, 1817, with Father Richard appointed Vice-President and Rev. John Monteith as President. Woodward sought funding from the Zion Masonic Lodge , which contributed $ 250, leading to a total of $ 5,000 raised for the university. The cornerstone for
8897-593: A turbulent era of student protests and activism. Unlike some other universities, Michigan did not experience violent outbreaks during this period. Shortly after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, the Black Action Movement organized an eight-day campus-wide strike at the university in 1970 to protest the lack of support for minorities on campus, successfully prompting the administration to meet several of their demands. In 1971,
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9114-530: A video studio, multimedia workspaces, and a 3D virtual reality room. Other libraries located on North Campus include the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and the Bentley Historical Library . Ross Athletic Campus is the site for the university's athletic programs, including major sports facilities such as Michigan Stadium , Crisler Center , and Yost Ice Arena . The campus area is also
9331-556: A visiting professorship at the university in 1931. Stephen Timoshenko created the first U.S. bachelor's and doctoral programs in engineering mechanics when he was a faculty professor at the university. Shortly after the war, in 1947, the regents formed a War Memorial Committee to honor students who died in World War II. By 1948, they established the Phoenix Project to explore peaceful atomic energy applications, leading to
9548-549: A white-dominant society, this intergenerational oppression manifests itself into shame and self-hatred as demonstrated through Pecola's character development. In the article "Probing Racial Dilemmas in the Bluest Eye with the Spyglass of Psychology", Anna Zebialowicz and Marek Palasinski discuss the racial climate of the society set forth in the novel. Zebialowicz and Palasinski explain how Pecola struggles with her identity as
9765-459: A young age, and they quickly wed, moving from Kentucky to Lorain. They initially loved each other, but their relationship gradually deteriorated over time, resulting in Cholly feeling trapped and uninterested. Pauline has a chronic, persistent belief that true, romantic love is reserved for beautiful people, and because she considers herself ugly, she encourages Cholly's behavior. Her belief that she
9982-660: Is "so brutal and disturbing that it appears to warp time before and after into a single unwavering line of fate". Canadian writer Margaret Atwood wrote in a review for The New York Times , "Ms. Morrison's versatility and technical and emotional range appear to know no bounds. If there were any doubts about her stature as a pre-eminent American novelist, of her own or any other generation, Beloved will put them to rest." Some critics panned Beloved . African-American conservative social critic Stanley Crouch , for instance, complained in his review in The New Republic that
10199-460: Is a child narrator and one is an adult narrator looking back on childhood—and one omniscient third-person narrator who connects the many tragedies of the characters. By the end of the novel, the jumbled words of the Dick and Jane primer, as well as the increasingly confusing chapters, hint at Pecola's descent into madness. Roynon suggests this breakdown in the novel's structure represents a destruction of
10416-475: Is also critical for any person who is black, or who belongs to any marginalized category, for, historically, we were seldom invited to participate in the discourse even when we were its topic." In this novel, Morrison depicts a protagonist, Pecola, a young black girl who is a victim of this perpetual racism and denial that Morrison discusses. As the Civil Rights Movement began to decline in favor of conservative ideals and white power, American culture soon fostered
10633-517: Is an important theme in The Bluest Eye , since Morrison's work possesses a "fourth face" outside of the Christian Trinity , which represents "the existence of evil, the suffering of the innocent". Alexander claims Pecola's suffering stems from her attempts to rationalize her misfortune with the notion of an omnipotent God. He further argues that much of Pecola's story suggests the insufficiency of Christian beliefs for minorities who exist in
10850-703: Is an off-campus facility, which the university has owned since the 1950s. The Inglis House is a 10,000-square-foot (930 m ) mansion used to hold various social events, including meetings of the Board of Regents, and to host visiting dignitaries. Another major off-campus facility is the Matthaei Botanical Gardens , which is located on the eastern outskirts of the City of Ann Arbor. The original Central Campus spanned 40 acres (16 ha), bordered by North University Avenue, South University Avenue, East University Avenue, and State Street. The master plan
11067-513: Is anti what this nation is about." The American Civil Liberties Union wrote a letter to Ms. Terhar, explaining the book was "a bold, unflinching look at the pain and damage that internalized racism can inflict on a young girl and her community". Despite the publicity, The Bluest Eye remained on the recommended reading list. In July, 2014, East Wake High School in North Carolina removed The Bluest Eye from their reading lists due to what
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#173277991881511284-466: Is born prematurely, dies. In the aftermath, a dialogue is presented between two sides of Pecola's deluded imagination, in which she indicates conflicting feelings about her rape by her father. In this internal conversation, Pecola speaks as though her wish for blue eyes has been granted, and believes that the changed behavior of those around her is due to her new eyes, rather than the news of her rape or her increasingly strange behavior. Claudia, as narrator
11501-476: Is conveyed through a variety of characters. For example, Pecola, the main character, wishes for blue eyes as a way to escape the oppression that results from her having dark skin. Through Pecola's characterization, Morrison seeks to demonstrate the negative impact racism can have on one's self-confidence and worth. As she concluded in her interview, she "wanted people to understand what it was like to be treated that way". Morrison commented on her motivations to write
11718-610: Is divided into four main areas: the Central Campus area, the North Campus area, the North Medical Campus area, and Ross Athletic Campus area. The campus areas include more than 500 major buildings, with a combined area of more than 37.48 million square feet (860 acres; 3.482 km ). The Central and Athletic Campus areas are contiguous, while the North Campus area is separated from them, primarily by
11935-615: Is governed by the Board of Regents , established by the Organic Act of March 18, 1837. It consists of eight members, elected at large in biennial state elections for overlapping eight-year terms. Before the Office of President was established in 1850, the University of Michigan was directly managed by the appointed regents, with a rotating group of professors responsible for carrying out day-to-day administrative duties. The Constitution of
12152-559: Is inherent in whiteness. She further asserts that white beauty standards are perpetuated by visual images in the media as well as the attitude of Pecola's family. When Pauline first arrives in Lorain, she feels pressure to conform and begins to develop a construct of femininity based on the actresses such as Jean Harlow . Pecola is also surrounded by constant images that perpetuate white beauty standards, including references to Shirley Temple and an image of Mary Jane that appears on her candy wrappers. Scott believes that Pecola attempts to seek
12369-438: Is leased space in buildings scattered throughout the city, many occupied by organizations affiliated with the University of Michigan Health System. In addition to the University of Michigan Golf Course on Ross Athletic Campus, the university operates a second golf course on Geddes Road called Radrick Farms Golf Course. The university also operates a large office building called Wolverine Tower in southern Ann Arbor. The Inglis House
12586-542: Is located south of Michigan Stadium. It was designed in the late 1920s by Alister MacKenzie , the designer of Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia , home of the Masters Tournament . The course opened to the public in 1931 and has one of "the best holes ever designed by Augusta National architect Alister MacKenzie" according to the magazine Sports Illustrated in 2006. The University of Michigan
12803-472: Is passed onto Pecola, who is at the bottom of the racial and social ladder. Toni Morrison's novel The Bluest Eye breaks the long tradition of narratives that discuss the hardships of war and depression in the 1940s, and according to University of Oxford professor Tessa Roynon, who studies African-American literature, she brings forth a unique and untold point of view in American historical fiction. Roynon argues that Morrison purposefully writes stories that defy
13020-495: Is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Michigan is one of the earliest American research universities and is a founding member of the Association of American Universities . In the fall of 2023, the university employed 8,189 faculty members and enrolled 52,065 students in its programs. The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity". It consists of nineteen colleges and offers 250 degree programs at
13237-505: Is the second-largest recipient of state appropriations for higher education in Michigan for 2022-23, trailing Michigan State University ($ 372 million). The Office of Budget and Planning reports that Michigan Medicine 's auxiliary activities are the largest funding source, contributing $ 6.05 billion to the Auxiliary Funds, which accounts for 55.1% of the total operating budget. Student tuition and fees contributed $ 1.95 billion to
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#173277991881513454-507: Is thus emasculated, Werrlein argues, because his behavior deviates from this standard for American family life. Finally, Werrlein claims that the black parents have experienced oppression throughout their lives, and that same oppression has negatively influenced their familial structure. Thus, racism is a prevalent factor in their homes. English Professor Philip Page focuses on the importance of duality in The Bluest Eye . He claims that Morrison presents an "inverted world", entirely opposite from
13671-456: Is ugly greatly parallels Pecola's inferiority complex. Pauline now works as a servant for a wealthier white family, where she claims that she feels most alive. At some point, Pecola leaves the MacTeers and returns to living with her parents. One day in the novel's present time, while Pecola is doing dishes at her home, a drunk Cholly finds her and rapes her. His motives are confusing, seemingly
13888-515: The African American Review in 2001 that Morrison's career experienced the boost of " The Oprah Effect , ... enabling Morrison to reach a broad, popular audience." Winfrey selected a total of four of Morrison's novels over six years, giving Morrison's works a bigger sales boost than they received from her Nobel Prize win in 1993. The novelist also appeared three times on Winfrey's show. Winfrey said, "For all those who asked
14105-466: The Dick and Jane paragraph in the novel's prologue, presenting a white family that may be contrasted with Pecola's. The chapter titles contain sudden repetition of words or phrases, many cut-off words, and no interword separations . The novel, through flashbacks and various vignettes , explores the younger years of both of Pecola's parents, Cholly and Pauline, and their struggles as African Americans in
14322-625: The Beloved Trilogy. Morrison said they are intended to be read together, explaining: "The conceptual connection is the search for the beloved – the part of the self that is you, and loves you, and is always there for you." The second novel in the trilogy, Jazz , came out in 1992. Told in language that imitates the rhythms of jazz music, the novel is about a love triangle during the Harlem Renaissance in New York City. According to Lyn Innes , "Morrison sought to change not just
14539-609: The Bluest Eye and Beloved ", Shubhanku Kochar, a professor of English in India, argues that the theme of violence in the Bluest Eye is not discussed enough. Kochar asserts that the powerful white characters psychologically abuse people of non-white cultures and races, which results in a dominant theme of violence in the novel. She adds that psychoanalytical study focuses on these race-based tensions that consistently cause emotional harm. The Marxist frame targets class relations, while
14756-416: The Catholepistemiad or University of Michigania through a legislative act signed by acting governor and secretary William Woodbridge , chief justice Augustus B. Woodward , and judge John Griffin . In 1821, by a new enactment, the university itself was created as a "body politic and corporate," maintaining its corporate status through various modifications to its charter. The term "Catholepistemiad,"
14973-482: The City University of New York put The Bluest Eye on its reading list for its new Black studies department, as did other colleges, which boosted sales. The book also brought Morrison to the attention of the acclaimed editor Robert Gottlieb at Knopf , an imprint of the publisher Random House. Gottlieb later edited all but one of Morrison's novels. In 1975, Morrison's second novel Sula (1973), about
15190-545: The Howell High School curriculum, including The Bluest Eye , Black Boy by Richard Wright , Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut , and The Freedom Writers Diary . The National Coalition Against Censorship published a letter in response to the criticism, claiming that the scenes which involve sex "represent small but essential parts of the novels, consistent with the kind of material that high school students frequently read." Their letter also argued that
15407-671: The Huron River . The North Medical Campus area was developed on Plymouth Road, with several university-owned buildings for outpatient care, diagnostics, and outpatient surgery. All four campus areas are connected by bus services, the majority of which connect the North and Central campus areas. There is a shuttle service connecting the University Hospital, which lies between North and Central campus areas, with other medical facilities throughout northeastern Ann Arbor. There
15624-537: The Law School , Ross School of Business , Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy , and the School of Dentistry , are on Central Campus. Two main libraries, Hatcher Graduate Library and Shapiro Undergraduate Library , as well as the university's many museums , are also on Central Campus. The North Campus area built independently from the city on a large plot of farmland—approximately 800 acres (3.2 km )—that
15841-642: The National Book Critics Circle Award . At its 1979 commencement ceremonies, Barnard College awarded Morrison its highest honor, the Barnard Medal of Distinction . Morrison gave her next novel, Tar Baby (1981), a contemporary setting. In it, a looks-obsessed fashion model, Jadine, falls in love with Son, a penniless drifter who feels at ease with being Black. Resigning from Random House in 1983, Morrison left publishing to devote more time to writing, while living in
16058-577: The Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. The citation praised her as an author "who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality". She was the first Black woman of any nationality to win the prize. In her acceptance speech, Morrison said: "We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives." In her Nobel lecture, Morrison talked about
16275-794: The Presidential Medal of Freedom on May 29, 2012. She received the PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction in 2016. Morrison was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2020. Toni Morrison was born Chloe Ardelia Wofford, the second of four children from a working-class, Black family, in Lorain, Ohio , to Ramah (née Willis) and George Wofford. Her mother was born in Greenville, Alabama , and moved north with her family as
16492-735: The Rockefeller Church of New York . Following its completion, nearby buildings like the School of Education Building, by Malcomson and Higginbotham , and Emil Lorch's Architecture and Design Building adopted Gothic elements reflecting the style of the Law Quadrangle and Martha Cook Residence. The Central Campus is the location of the College of Literature, Science and the Arts . Most of the graduate and professional schools, including
16709-596: The School of Nursing , the School of Dentistry , the Law School , the Medical School , and the College of Pharmacy . Michigan Medicine , the university's health system, comprises the university's three hospitals, dozens of outpatient clinics, and many centers for medical care, research, and education. U.S. News & World Report rates Michigan "Most Selective" and The Princeton Review rates its admissions selectivity of 96 out of 99. Admissions are characterized as "more selective, lower transfer-in" according to
16926-492: The Spectrum Center was founded as the nation's oldest collegiate LGBT student center , preceding the establishment of Penn 's center. Meanwhile, support among students for marijuana legalization was gaining traction on campus, as highlighted by the annual Hash Bash rally that began in 1972. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, campus unrest began to affect the university's academic standing, which had been ranked among
17143-527: The blue eyes she equates with " whiteness ". The novel is told mostly from Claudia MacTeer's point of view. Claudia is the daughter of Pecola's temporary foster parents. There is also some omniscient third-person narration. The book's controversial topics of racism , incest , and child molestation have led to numerous attempts to ban the novel from schools and libraries in the United States. In 1941, in Lorain, Ohio , nine-year-old Claudia MacTeer and her ten-year-old sister Frieda live with their parents,
17360-491: The " anti heroine " as a stark contrast to the typical bildungsroman , where a male character defeats obstacles and grows from experience. Instead, in The Bluest Eye , Pecola fails to develop an individual identity in the face of an oppressive society, and her self-hatred forces her to retreat from reality completely. The points of view in the novel reveal a multi-perspectival post-1945 style. According to Roynon, Morrison combines three narrators: two revealing Claudia MacTeer—one
17577-603: The "American mainstream ideology" by focusing in on the realities of African-American life at the time. Critics like Abdellatif Khayati, professor at the Moroccan Cultural Studies Center, and librarian Sandra Hughes-Hassel argue that The Bluest Eye serves as a counter-narrative, a method of the telling the accounts of people whose stories are rarely told and deliberately hidden. In an interview, Morrison stated: "my job becomes how to rip that veil drawn over proceedings too terrible to relate. The exercise
17794-418: The "Dick and Jane" primer emphasizes the importance of raising children so as to mold the future of the United States. However, as Werrlein points out, the whiteness of the "Dick and Jane" characters represented the ideal American family. In addition, the string of letters describing Dick and Jane's perfect parents as strong and kind are used to create a contrast with Pecola's parents in the novel. Pecola's father
18011-514: The "Dick and Jane" stories at the beginning of multiple chapters. These "Dick and Jane" stories promoted the importance of the white nuclear family as a way of helping foster literacy in young children. Morrison presents a critical view of the textbook's family by contrasting the "Dick and Jane" family with the MacTeers and Breedloves. Morrison's storytelling in The Bluest Eye challenged existing attitudes that stigmatized talking about sexual violence in children's lives. The living standards presented in
18228-429: The "Dick and Jane" stories were unachievable for many poor Black children who shared backgrounds with Pecola. Debra Werrlein, professor at George Mason University , contends that the excerpts of "Dick and Jane" throughout the book project an image of an ideal family that contrasts with the family structures of the main characters. She argues that because the novel takes place in a time of World War II social sentiments,
18445-534: The 1975 autobiography of the outspoken boxing champion Muhammad Ali , The Greatest: My Own Story . In addition, she published and promoted the work of Henry Dumas , a little-known novelist and poet who in 1968 had been shot to death by a transit officer in the New York City Subway . Among other books that Morrison developed and edited is The Black Book (1974), an anthology of photographs, illustrations, essays, and documents of Black life in
18662-532: The 34th-most banned book in the United States 1990–1999, the 15th-most banned book 2000–2009, and the 10th-most banned book 2010–2019. The Bluest Eye was legally challenged on February 10, 1998, by a mother from Montgomery County, Maryland , named Christine Schwalm. She brought The Bluest Eye and four other books to the attention of the Montgomery County school board, describing The Bluest Eye and others as "lewd, adult books". Ms. Schwalm argued for
18879-587: The AP curriculum and allow students the option to choose an alternative book. The committee announced their decision explaining that removing the book "would eliminate the opportunity for deep study by our student[s] on critical themes in our society". Despite some support for the ban, many parents and students objected to it, with one student stating, "The purpose of AP literature as a class is to expand our understanding and enlarge our world, not make us more comfortable inside boxes of ignorance." Parents and students opposed to
19096-654: The African-American presence in White American literature. (In 2016, Time magazine noted that Playing in the Dark was among Morrison's most-assigned texts on U.S. college campuses, together with several of her novels and her 1993 Nobel Prize lecture.) Lyn Innes wrote in the Guardian obituary of Morrison, "Her 1990 series of Massey lectures at Harvard were published as Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and
19313-603: The Ann Arbor campus, is the official residence and office of the University President. Constructed in 1840, the three-story Italianate President's House is the oldest surviving building on the Ann Arbor campus and a University of Michigan Central Campus Historic District contributing property. The Central Student Government, housed in the Michigan Union , is the university's student government . As
19530-710: The Arts are represented by the LS&;A Student Government. Engineering Student Government manages undergraduate student government affairs for the College of Engineering. Graduate students enrolled in the Rackham Graduate School are represented by the Rackham Student Government, and law students are represented by the Law School Student Senate as is each other college with its own respective government. In addition,
19747-648: The Board of Regents and discontent with his administration, he was forced to resign in 1863. In 1863, Erastus Otis Haven took office as president, having been a professor at the time and needing to prove his right for the presidency. The campus was divided by conflicting views among students, faculty, and regents regarding Tappan's restoration, the homeopathy crisis, and the Civil War . Haven's administration faced routine administrative difficulties and struggled to garner support for increased state aid, despite achieving modest gains. The university, which had received
19964-560: The Building and Grounds Committee, leading to Albert Kahn's growing influence in the University's architectural development. Clements, impressed by Kahn's work on his industrial projects and residence in Bay City , awarded him multiple university commissions and appointed him as the university's supervising architect. The West Engineering Hall (1910), Natural Science Building (1915), and General Library (1920) were all designed by Kahn. During
20181-621: The College of Engineering, the School of Music, Theatre & Dance , the Stamps School of Art & Design , the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning , and an annex of the School of Information . The campus area is served by Duderstadt Center, which houses the Art, Architecture and Engineering Library. Duderstadt Center also contains multiple computer labs, video editing studios, electronic music studios, an audio studio,
20398-565: The Deep South, which was a defining experience of her life. Morrison went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in 1955 from Cornell University in Ithaca , New York. Her master's thesis was titled " Virginia Woolf 's and William Faulkner 's treatment of the alienated". She taught English, first at Texas Southern University in Houston from 1955 to 1957, and then at Howard University for
20615-499: The Dick and Jane story that is at the beginning of the novel. The idea of breaks and splitting is common, as seen in the context of the war occurring in the time period of the story, the split nature of Pecola's family, and the watermelon that Cholly observes break open during a flashback . Page argues that breaks symbolize the challenges of African-American life, as seen in the rip in the Breedloves' couch that symbolizes poverty, or
20832-469: The Enlightenment (1997). The well-read, race-obsessed Soaphead Church in The Bluest Eye is the inevitable product of these theories." As Khayati explains, these perpetual racist beliefs shape Pecola's self destructiveness, and she is suspicious of even her own blackness, and desires the characteristics of a white person, like those in the Dick and Jane primers. Khayati says The Bluest Eye shows how
21049-625: The General Fund, accounting for 11% of the total budget. Research grants and contracts from the U.S. federal government contributed $ 1.15 billion to the Expendable Restricted Funds, accounting for 10.4% of the total budget. The university's current (FY 2022–23) operating budget has four major sources of funding: The university's financial endowment , known as the "University Endowment Fund", comprises over 12,400 individual funds. Each fund must be spent according to
21266-479: The Literary Imagination (1992), and explore the construction of a 'non-white Africanist presence and personae' in the works of Poe , Hawthorne , Melville , Cather and Hemingway , arguing that 'all of us are bereft when criticism remains too polite or too fearful to notice a disrupting darkness before its eyes'." Before the third novel of the Beloved Trilogy was published, Morrison was awarded
21483-708: The Loss of the Ancient Properties; The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon , Tar Baby " and "Maternal Interventions: Resistance and Power; The Bluest Eye, Sula , Song of Solomon, Tar Baby, Beloved , Paradise ", Andrea O'Reilly, a women's studies professor, proclaims that African-American women pass on cultural knowledge to successive generations through the process of motherline: "the ancestral memory and ancient properties of traditional black culture". O'Reilly claims that The Bluest Eye portrays how attempting to assimilate to white American ideologies effectively undermines
21700-599: The Martin Luther King, Jr. Spirit Award honoring Salma Hamamy, a pro-Palestinian student, who shared footage of Israeli drones summarily executing unarmed Palestinians. In response 65 MLK Spirit Award Recipients returned their awards. In 2024 five Shanghai Jiao Tong University students who participated in an exchange program with the University of Michigan were charged with espionage related offenses after being caught during exerscises at Camp Grayling which included Taiwanese forces. The founding of
21917-548: The Philippines, thanks to the efforts of Michigan alumni, including Dean Conant Worcester and George A. Malcolm . Among the early students in the School of Medicine was Jose Celso Barbosa , who graduated as valedictorian in 1880, becoming the first Puerto Rican to earn a university degree in the United States. Ida Gray graduated from the School of Dentistry in June 1890, becoming the first African-American woman dentist in
22134-457: The State of Michigan of 1850 restructured the university's administration. It established the Office of the President and transitioned the Board of Regents to an elected body. The state constitution granted the Board of Regents the power to appoint a non-voting presiding president to lead their meetings, effectively elevating the board to the level of a constitutional corporation independent of
22351-548: The U.S. Attorney confirmed that no laws, state or federal, had been broken by including the selected books in the curriculum. Since the case, the books have been included in 11th grade advanced English curriculum. In 2013, a group of parents challenged The Bluest Eye ' s inclusion in Legacy High School 's AP English curriculum due to the book's sexual content and "subject matter" of a girl getting raped by her father. In their petition launched through Change.org ,
22568-546: The United States from the time of slavery to the 1920s. Random House had been uncertain about the project but its publication met with a good reception. Alvin Beam reviewed the anthology for the Cleveland Plain Dealer , writing: "Editors, like novelists, have brain children – books they think up and bring to life without putting their own names on the title page. Mrs. Morrison has one of these in
22785-574: The United States. In the early 20th century, the university emerged as a preferred option for Jewish students pursuing secular education due to quotas on Jewish admissions at denominational colleges, and it has since become a haven for the Jewish-American academic community. Angell retired in 1909, and seven years later, he died in the President's House , which had been his home for forty-five years. His successor, Harry Burns Hutchins , who
23002-684: The University of Michigan in the 19th century was influenced by the transatlantic Republic of Letters , an intellectual community that spanned Europe and the Americas. Key figures, such as Henry Philip Tappan , were instrumental in aligning the university with the ideals championed by the intellectual community, including liberty, reason, and scientific inquiry. Alumni and faculty from Michigan, like Andrew Dixon White , carried these ideals forward as they shaped other institutions. Notably, Cornell alumni David Starr Jordan and John Casper Branner later introduced these concepts to Stanford University in
23219-519: The Well (1997) were written for Jessye Norman with music by Richard Danielpour , and, alongside Maya Angelou and Clarissa Pinkola Estés , Morrison provided the text for composer Judith Weir 's woman.life.song commissioned by Carnegie Hall for Jessye Norman, which premiered in April 2000. Morrison returned to Margaret Garner's life story, the basis of her novel Beloved , to write the libretto for
23436-566: The addition of many extracurricular activities, such as the intercollegiate football team and the marching band . Though a reformer, Angell was not authoritarian; he encouraged open debate and aimed for near-unanimous agreement before implementing changes, rather than pushing through with only a narrow majority. In 1871-72, Charles Kendall Adams first introduced the German seminar method of study, marking its first use in America. In 1875,
23653-556: The appointive regents to oversee university operations directly alongside professors, without the need for a president. The regents met in Ann Arbor and accepted the town's proposal for the university to relocate, based on a 40 acres (16 ha) grant from the Treaty of Fort Meigs . Alexander Jackson Davis devised the original campus plan in Gothic Revival style , and the regents unanimously approved his proposal; however,
23870-519: The arts. The university's 15th and current president, Santa Ono , was elected in 2022. In April 2024, Michigan students joined other campuses across the United States in protests and setting up encampments against the Israel–Hamas war and genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. The protestors called for the University to divest from Israel . In May 2024, the University of Michigan revoked
24087-522: The authority to either terminate the president's tenure or extend it for an additional term. The university's current president is Santa Ono , formerly the president of the University of British Columbia in Canada. After an extensive presidential search conducted by the executive search firm Isaacson, Miller, the board announced its selection of Santa Ono as the university's 15th President on July 13, 2022. Ono assumed office on October 14, 2022, succeeding
24304-536: The ban were also supported by national organizations including the National Council of Teachers of English, NCAC , and ALA. After voting, the board ultimately sided with the evaluation of the committee and retained the book in the AP curriculum. In September 2017, The Bluest Eye was challenged at North Buncombe High School in Buncombe County, North Carolina , by a parent, Tim Coley. Tim Coley,
24521-490: The bar of any state in the United States. A promoter of music education, Frieze oversaw the formation of the University Musical Society . Student discipline remained problematic, with frequent class rushes and hazing. Past efforts to curb these disorders had proven ineffective, which Frieze blamed on decentralized faculty control. James Burrill Angell became president in 1871 and would remain in
24738-570: The book at Stevens High School, they were glad that action was taken, as they viewed The Bluest Eye to be an "adult book". In August 2005 in Littleton, Colorado , the Littleton school board voted to ban The Bluest Eye from reading lists, where it was listed as optional, and remove it from the libraries of the Heritage and Arapahoe high schools, despite the recommendation of a committee that
24955-402: The book be restricted to juniors and seniors. The ban was enacted in response to a complaint received by a parent of a ninth-grader student who was on the board and who took issue with the novel's sexual content, specifically the scene of Pecola's rape. Students protested the ban by reading passages from the book in their school libraries. In response to the ban, Camille Okoren, a student attending
25172-525: The book would succeed was an extremely positive review in The New York Times in November 1970. Morrison was also positively reviewed for her break from the status quo of usual novels from the time period, writing to a wider audience and focusing on black subculture in the 1940s, rather than the military culture of the time. African-American critic Ruby Dee wrote, "Toni Morrison has not written
25389-506: The book, I had a student who said that she is the product of incest. And I've had a student who said that she was molested by her uncle. Books allow us to help them heal in ways that we as educators couldn't help them heal on our own." In an interview, American Library Association (ALA) editor Robert P. Doyle also recognized the potential of novels like The Bluest Eye to effect positive change within schools, stating that, "The book community realized that [they] have not only an opportunity, but
25606-662: The book. He also mentioned that the book was in the syllabus that was handed out at the beginning of the year. The committee was given time to read the book and determine if there was academic value offered from the book. In January 2022, the Wentzville, Missouri , school board voted 4–3 to ban The Bluest Eye , going against the review committee's 8–1 vote to retain the book in the district's libraries. The ban included three other books, as well: George M. Johnson 's All Boys Aren't Blue , Alison Bechdel 's Fun Home , and Kiese Laymon 's Heavy . In September, 2023, The Bluest Eye
25823-572: The books in question "are widely recognized as works of significant literary and artistic merit", and "are widely taught in high schools and colleges around the country". Despite controversy, the curriculum was in fact approved in a 5-to-2 decision by the Howell School Board. In response to the legal concerns raised by LOVE, Livingston Prosecutor David Morse, the Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox , and
26040-543: The break in Pauline's tooth that ruins her marriage and family. He goes on to identify how each of the characters are broken personally, since Cholly's former and present lives are described as chaotic and jumbled, and Pauline is responsible for both her biological family and the white family she works for. The epitome of this, Page argues, is seen in Pecola at the end of the novel. The events of her life, having broken parents in
26257-487: The campus's physical growth and fundraising efforts. Duderstadt's successor, Lee Bollinger , conducted several major construction projects like the School of Social Work building and the Tisch Hall, named in honor of alumnus Preston Robert Tisch . In 2003, two lawsuits involving the university's affirmative action admissions policy reached the U.S. Supreme Court: Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger . In 2002,
26474-513: The characters of the novel) and Euro-American critics (who often only focused on the actual writing of the novel). Within classrooms across the country, educators also disagreed over whether or not the novel was appropriate for children. One African-American educator, founder of the IFE Academy of Teaching & Technology Shekema Silveri, has stated: "Teaching novels like The Bluest Eye helps us break down barriers with students. After reading
26691-437: The content and audience for her fiction; her desire was to create stories which could be lingered over and relished, not 'consumed and gobbled as fast food', and at the same time to ensure that these stories and their characters had a strong historical and cultural base." In 1992, Morrison also published her first book of literary criticism, Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination (1992), an examination of
26908-536: The control of a board of trustees. Rev. Monteith, no longer President, joined the board, and Father Richard served on the board until his death in 1832. The trustees continued to manage the schools and classical academy, but established no new schools. By 1827, all schools had closed, and the Detroit schoolhouse was leased to private teachers. In 1837, following Michigan admission to the Union, its constitution enabled
27125-406: The cover of Time magazine, making her only the second female writer of fiction and second Black writer of fiction to appear on what was perhaps the most significant U.S. magazine cover of the era. Also in 1998, the movie adaptation of Beloved was released, directed by Jonathan Demme and co-produced by Oprah Winfrey , who had spent ten years bringing it to the screen. Winfrey also stars as
27342-854: The cradle of our present problems and strains, the natal curse put on us back then by the Indian tribes, Africans, Dutch, Portuguese, and English competing to get their footing in the New World against a hostile landscape and the essentially tragic nature of human experience." From 1989 until her retirement in 2006, Morrison held the Robert F. Goheen Chair in the Humanities at Princeton University . She said she did not think much of modern fiction writers who reference their own lives instead of inventing new material, and she used to tell her creative writing students, "I don't want to hear about your little life, OK?" Similarly, she chose not to write about her own life in
27559-473: The creation of the Michigan Glee Club , the oldest student organization at the university, and the publication of the first student newspaper, The Peninsular Phoenix and Gazetteer , in 1857. Despite these accomplishments, Tappan's 11-year presidency was marked by considerable tension. His impartial stance on religion faced backlash during a time of heightened religious fervor. Due to changes in
27776-581: The dean of the law school at his alma mater, where he introduced the case method of instruction. Hutchins was acting president when Angell was absent. During his presidency, Hutchins established the Graduate School , doubled enrollment, and increased the faculty. He secured more state aid and alumni support to fund the university's capital needs, including the gothic Law Quadrangle, Martha Cook Building , Hill Auditorium , and Michigan Union , which became campus landmarks. Hutchins enhanced
27993-465: The district. An adaptation of The Bluest Eye by Lydia R. Diamond was first performed in Chicago, Illinois in 2005, before seeing further adaptations around the United States. Toni Morrison Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison (née Chloe Ardelia Wofford ; February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019), known as Toni Morrison , was an American novelist and editor. Her first novel, The Bluest Eye ,
28210-622: The district. Ultimately, the Adams County School Board voted to retain the Superintendent's original ruling of the 2010 challenge, which not only restricted the book to AP curriculum but also required teachers to notify parents before their child read the book. In September, 2013, The Bluest Eye was challenged by the Ohio Board of Education President Debe Terhar . This book was listed as recommended reading in
28427-422: The donor's specifications. Approximately 28% of the total endowment is allocated to support academic programs, while 22% is designated for student scholarships and fellowships. Approximately 19% of the endowment was allocated to Michigan Medicine and can only be used to support research, patient care, or other purposes specified by donors. As of 2023 , the university's endowment, valued at $ 17.9 billion, ranks as
28644-534: The early 2000s, the university faced declining state funding, prompting suggestions for privatization. Despite being a state institution de jure, it adopted private funding models. A 2008 legislative panel further recommended converting it to a private institution due to its minimal ties to the state. Mark Schlissel succeeded Coleman in 2014. Before his firing in 2022, Schlissel expanded financial aid offerings, enhanced international engagement, and raised student diversity. He also led initiatives in biosciences and
28861-555: The face of acts of such "monumental crudeness". Morrison's parents instilled in her a sense of heritage and language through telling traditional African-American folktales, ghost stories, and singing songs. She read frequently as a child; among her favorite authors were Jane Austen and Leo Tolstoy . Morrison became a Catholic at the age of 12 and took the baptismal name Anthony (after Anthony of Padua ), which led to her nickname, Toni. Attending Lorain High School , she
29078-483: The fact that their skin [is] so dark". Reminiscing about her own experience, she recalled: "When I was a kid, we called each other names but we didn't think it was serious, that you could take it in." Expanding on this point of self-esteem, Morrison elaborated that she "wanted to speak on behalf of those who didn't catch that [they were beautiful] right away. [She] was deeply concerned about the feelings of ugliness." As seen throughout The Bluest Eye , this idea of "ugliness"
29295-756: The faculty. Goudsmit mentored famous students at the university, including Robert Bacher and Wu Ta-You , the Father of Chinese Physics, who in turn taught Zhu Guangya and two Nobel laureates, Chen Ning Yang and Tsung-Dao Lee . From 1928 to 1941, the Summer Symposium in Theoretical Physics featured renowned physicists like Niels Bohr , Werner Heisenberg , Paul Dirac , and Erwin Schrödinger , with at least fifteen attendees being Nobel laureates or future laureates. Wolfgang Pauli held
29512-655: The feminist lens centers on violence perpetrated against women. Kochar argues that to comprehend the complex violence inflicted on Pecola, one must analyze the novel through the Marxist and Feminist lens in addition to the psychoanalytical lens. J. Brooks Bouson, an English professor at Loyola University Chicago , claims that The Bluest Eye is a "shame drama and trauma narrative", that uses Pecola and its other characters to examine how people respond to shame. Bouson argues that some characters, like Claudia, show how people can respond violently to shame: Claudia does this by rejecting
29729-623: The fiction department. In that capacity, Morrison played a vital role in bringing Black literature into the mainstream. One of the first books she worked on was the groundbreaking Contemporary African Literature (1972), a collection that included work by Nigerian writers Wole Soyinka , Chinua Achebe , and South African playwright Athol Fugard . She fostered a new generation of Afro-American writers, including poet and novelist Toni Cade Bambara , radical activist Angela Davis , Black Panther Huey Newton and novelist Gayl Jones , whose writing Morrison discovered. She also brought to publication
29946-677: The first National Convention of the College Republicans in Newberry Hall in 1892 With his presidency, Angell focused the university on preparing a new generation of secular leaders in public service. Angell himself was frequently called upon by the White House for diplomatic missions. In 1880, President Rutherford Hayes appointed him as Minister to China, where he successfully negotiated an immigration treaty that increased Chinese student enrollment. Later, in 1887, 1896, and 1897, President Grover Cleveland appointed him to fisheries and waterways commissions. That same year, President William McKinley named him Envoy Extraordinary to Turkey. By
30163-400: The first schoolhouse, situated near the intersection of Bates Street and Congress Street in Detroit, was laid on September 24, 1817, and by the following year, a Lancasterian school , taught by Lemuel Shattuck , and a classical academy were operational. Additional schools were established in Monroe and Mackinaw by the end of September 1817. In 1821, a new act placed the corporation under
30380-403: The future. Morrison was also honored with the 1996 National Book Foundation's Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American Letters , which is awarded to a writer "who has enriched our literary heritage over a life of service, or a corpus of work". The third novel of her Beloved Trilogy, Paradise , about citizens of an all-Black town, came out in 1997. The following year, Morrison was on
30597-458: The harmful ideologies which Morrison's stories seeks to reject. The novel received minimal critical attention when first published; however, it was placed on many university reading lists in black-studies departments, which promoted further recognition. Morrison was praised for her handling of difficult themes: critic Haskel Frankel said, "Given a scene that demands a writer's best, Morrison responds with control and talent." The first major sign that
30814-440: The harsh consequences of racism in the United States and the Black American experience. The National Endowment for the Humanities selected Morrison for the Jefferson Lecture , the U.S. federal government's highest honor for achievement in the humanities, in 1996. She was honored with the National Book Foundation 's Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American Letters the same year. President Barack Obama presented her with
31031-436: The historic white narrative creates an "epistemic violence of the Other [which] operates through the internalization of the self-as-other. Pecola exists only in the image reflected by the Other." Romagnolo argues that just as Pecola's rape is concealed throughout the story, the novel exposes a history of failed pursuits of hiding the racist and sexist establishments that directly provoke each character's hardships. While Morrison
31248-432: The late 19th century, the university had gained an international reputation, partly due to Angell's diplomatic efforts. During this period, over 80 subjects of the Emperor of Japan were sent to Ann Arbor to study law as part of the opening of that empire to external influence. The university was also involved in building the Philippine education, legal, and public health systems during the era of American colonization of
31465-399: The late 19th century. Early university leaders, such as James Burrill Angell , played a significant role in establishing other state universities by sharing their insights and experiences. Consequently, Clark Kerr , the first chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley , referred to Michigan as the "mother of state universities." The University of Michigan's campus in Ann Arbor
31682-403: The legislature, propelled by a prosperous economy. This allowed campus buildings to be constructed in a grand manner. Kahn's Italian Renaissance Clements Library (1923), Classical Greek Angell Hall (1924), and Art Deco Burton Memorial Tower (1936) all feature unusual and costly materials and are considered some of his most elegant university buildings. The last of Kahn's university commissions
31899-461: The library and museum collections, established the law school, and supervised the construction of the Detroit Observatory . In 1855, Michigan became the second university in the country (after Harvard) to issue Bachelor of Science degrees. The following year, the country's first chemical laboratory was built on campus, specifically designed for chemistry education, providing additional space for classes and laboratories. Tappan's tenure also saw
32116-407: The lynching, George Wofford moved to the racially integrated town of Lorain, Ohio, in the hope of escaping racism and securing gainful employment in Ohio's burgeoning industrial economy. He worked odd jobs and as a welder for U.S. Steel . In a 2015 interview Morrison said that her father, traumatized by his experiences of racism, hated whites so much he would not let them in the house. When Morrison
32333-482: The main campus in Ann Arbor. The president retains authority over the branch campuses in Dearborn and Flint but is not directly involved in their day-to-day management. Instead, two separate chancellors are appointed by the president to serve as chief executive officers overseeing each branch campus. All presidents are appointed by the Board of Regents to serve five-year terms, at the board's discretion, and there are no term limits for university presidents. The board has
32550-432: The main character, Sethe, alongside Danny Glover as Sethe's lover, Paul D, and Thandiwe Newton as Beloved. The movie flopped at the box office. A review in The Economist opined that "most audiences are not eager to endure nearly three hours of a cerebral film with an original storyline featuring supernatural themes, murder, rape, and slavery". Film critic Janet Maslin , in her New York Times review "No Peace from
32767-409: The mind", her critique of white versus black beauty standards, and even began to analyze her use of simplistic language, calling it a stylistic choice rather than a pitfall of the novel. Despite initial controversies surrounding the subject matter of The Bluest Eye , Morrison was eventually recognized for her contributions to literature when she received the Nobel Prize in 1993 , over 20 years following
32984-426: The motherline process for African-American women. Jane Kuenz shows that Pecola conforms to what white society expects of her, as her affinity for Shirley Temple and other manifestations of whiteness illustrates the influence of the power of mass media. Kuenz insists that The Bluest Eye demonstrates the impact of mass-produced images in a hegemonic society. In the article "Treatment of Violence: A Study of Morrison's
33201-445: The nation's first academic program in nuclear science and engineering, funded by over 25,000 contributors, including the Ford Motor Company . In 1951, Harlan Hatcher succeeded Ruthven and served as president until 1968, overseeing the construction of North Campus, the founding of Flint Senior College , and the establishment of the Dearborn Center . The tenures of Hatcher and his successor, Robben Wright Fleming , were marked by
33418-551: The next seven years. While teaching at Howard, she met Harold Morrison, a Jamaican architect, whom she married in 1958. Their first son was born in 1961 and she was pregnant with their second son when she and Harold divorced in 1964. After her divorce and the birth of her son Slade in 1965, Morrison began working as an editor for L. W. Singer, a textbook division of publisher Random House , in Syracuse , New York. Two years later, she transferred to Random House in New York City, where she became their first black woman senior editor in
33635-409: The novel "reads largely like a melodrama lashed to the structural conceits of the miniseries", and that Morrison "perpetually interrupts her narrative with maudlin ideological commercials". Despite overall high acclaim, Beloved failed to win the prestigious National Book Award or the National Book Critics Circle Award . Forty-eight Black critics and writers, among them Maya Angelou , protested
33852-476: The novel emphasizes that living in a world defined by Euro-centric beauty standards creates a longing for whiteness, such as Pecola's desire for blue eyes, which attacks young black girls' confidence and perceived beauty. References to Shirley Temple and Dick and Jane serve similarly. The "Dick and Jane" textbooks (called Elson Basic Readers) were popular primers in the mid-20th century, and Morrison refers to them in The Bluest Eye by including her own versions of
34069-432: The novel, especially through the mistreatment of Pecola by family, friends and community. Literary critic Lynn Scott argues that the constant images of whiteness in The Bluest Eye serve to represent society's perception of beauty, which ultimately proves to have destructive consequences for many of the characters in the novel. Scott explains that in the novel, superiority, power, and virtue are associated with beauty, which
34286-413: The novel, saying, "I felt compelled to write this mostly because in the 1960s, black male authors published powerful, aggressive, revolutionary fiction or nonfiction, and they had positive racially uplifting rhetoric with them that were stimulating and I thought they would skip over something and thought no one would remember that it wasn't always beautiful." Morrison's writing of the book began because she
34503-404: The oldest building on campus. The Chemical Laboratory, built by Albert Jordan in 1856 and operational until 1980, was notable for housing the nation's first instructional chemistry lab. After the completion of the Old Medical Building (1850–1914) and the Law Building (1863–1950), an open space known as The Diag began to take shape. Among the prominent structures on the original Central Campus
34720-470: The omission in a statement that The New York Times published on January 24, 1988. "Despite the international stature of Toni Morrison, she has yet to receive the national recognition that her five major works of fiction entirely deserve", they wrote. Two months later, Beloved won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction . It also won an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award . Beloved is the first of three novels about love and African-American history, sometimes called
34937-464: The original publication of the novel. The Bluest Eye has frequently landed on American Library Association 's (ALA) list of most challenged books because it contains offensive language, sexually explicit material, and controversial issues, as well as depicting child sexual abuse and being unsuited for the age group. The ALA placed it on the Top Ten Most Challenged Books Lists for 2006 (5), 2014 (4), 2013 (2), 2020 (9), and 2022 (3). Ultimately, it became
35154-463: The outgoing president Mark Schlissel . Ono is the first Asian American president of the university, as well as the second to have been born in Canada, since the 10th president, Harold Tafler Shapiro . Laurie McCauley has been serving as the 17th and current provost of the university since May 2022, and she was recommended by the president to serve a full term through June 30, 2027. The President's House , located at 815 South University Avenue on
35371-439: The parents argued that they "did not want developmentally inappropriate and graphic books used for classroom instruction". In a formal petition submitted to the superintendent, parent Janela Karlson claimed the introduction of sexually graphic material including rape and incest could be developmentally harmful to minors as supported by scientific research. In response to the challenge, Legacy High School student Bailey Cross created
35588-548: The plan was abandoned due to financial constraints resulting from the Panic of 1837 . In 1841, Mason Hall, the first campus building, was completed, followed by the construction of South College, an identical building to the south, in 1849, leaving a gap for a future grand centerpiece. Asa Gray was appointed the first professor following the university's move to Ann Arbor in 1837, alongside early faculty members Douglass Houghton and Andrew Ten Brook . The first classes in Ann Arbor were held in 1841, with six freshmen and
35805-403: The post for nearly four decades. Shortly after his arrival, University Hall was completed and dedicated. During his presidency, he broadened the curriculum, founded various professional schools, resolved the long-standing homeopathy problem, restored campus discipline, raised entrance and graduation requirements, and persuaded the legislature to increase state aid. Angell's tenure saw
36022-401: The power associated with whiteness, and in her attempt to conform, she develops a destructive desire for blue eyes. Harihar Kulkarni, an author of a book on African-American feminist fiction literature, recognizes that these Euro-centric ideals of family and beauty present in The Bluest Eye are shown to be transferred generationally, often between female relationships. In addition to living in
36239-416: The power of storytelling. To make her point, she told a story. She spoke about a blind, old, Black woman who is approached by a group of young people. They demand of her, "Is there no context for our lives? No song, no literature, no poem full of vitamins, no history connected to experience that you can pass along to help us start strong? ... Think of our lives and tell us your particularized world. Make up
36456-629: The public after a semester of collaboration. Inspired by her curatorship at the Louvre Museum, Morrison returned to Princeton in the fall 2008 to lead a small seminar, also entitled "The Foreigner's Home". On November 17, 2017, Princeton University dedicated Morrison Hall (a building previously called West College) in her honor. In May 2010, Morrison appeared at PEN World Voices for a conversation with Marlene van Niekerk and Kwame Anthony Appiah about South African literature and specifically van Niekerk's 2004 novel Agaat . Morrison wrote books for children with her younger son, Slade Morrison, who
36673-624: The question 'Toni Morrison again?'... I say with certainty there would have been no Oprah's Book Club if this woman had not chosen to share her love of words with the world." Morrison called the book club a "reading revolution". Morrison continued to explore different art forms, such as providing texts for original scores of classical music. She collaborated with André Previn on the song cycle Honey and Rue , which premiered with Kathleen Battle in January 1992, and on Four Songs , premiered at Carnegie Hall with Sylvia McNair in November 1994. Both Sweet Talk: Four Songs on Text and Spirits In
36890-491: The racist system she lives in and destroying the white dolls she is given. However, most characters in the novel pass on their shame to someone below them on the social and racial ladder. For example, Soaphead Church comes from a family obsessed with lightening their skin tone, and passes on the shame of his African-American heritage by molesting young girls. Bouson suggests that all of the African-American characters in The Bluest Eye exhibit shame, and eventually much of this shame
37107-478: The removal of the book from the syllabus because she deemed them to be "at odds with the character education programme" promoted within the schools. In court, Ms Schwalm read a passage specifically from The Bluest Eye in order to demonstrate the inappropriate nature of the content within the novel. The passage in question featured Soaphead Church and presented pedophelia and child molestation, leading to Schwalm's objections to its presence in schools. The book, however,
37324-413: The school decided to remove the book from freshmen and sophomore reading lists, and deemed that the novel was only "suitable" for juniors and seniors. In addition, the school also ruled that teachers must send reading lists to parents early on in the year to get their approval as to which books their children could read and discuss in class. While some parents would have preferred heavier restrictions against
37541-540: The second in its "Grand Invité" program to guest-curate a month-long series of events across the arts on the theme of "The Foreigner's Home", about which The New York Times said: "In tapping her own African-American culture, Ms. Morrison is eager to credit 'foreigners' with enriching the countries where they settle." Morrison's novel A Mercy , released in 2008, is set in the Virginia colonies of 1682. Diane Johnson , in her review in Vanity Fair , called A Mercy "a poetic, visionary, mesmerizing tale that captures, in
37758-458: The sit-in acknowledged "students hear about rape and incest in the news media. It's better to learn about those subjects from a Nobel Prize winner ... and to discuss it with a teacher in class." Ultimately, the book was reinstated after English teacher Judy Vlasin filed an application to the board explaining why it should not be banned. In February 2007, a group called LOVE (the Livingston Organization for Values in Education) challenged four books in
37975-413: The site of the Buhr library storage facility, Revelli Hall, home of the Michigan Marching Band , the Institute for Continuing Legal Education, and the Student Theatre Arts Complex, which provides shop and rehearsal space for student theatre groups. The university's departments of public safety and transportation services offices are located on Ross Athletic Campus. The University of Michigan Golf Course
38192-548: The spring 2006, The New York Times Book Review named Beloved the best work of American fiction published in the previous 25 years, as chosen by a selection of prominent writers, literary critics, and editors. In his essay about the choice, "In Search of the Best", critic A. O. Scott said: "Any other outcome would have been startling since Morrison's novel has inserted itself into the American canon more completely than any of its potential rivals. With remarkable speed, 'Beloved' has, less than 20 years after its publication, become
38409-412: The state administration and making the University of Michigan the first public institution of higher education in the country so organized. As of 2021–22, the Board of Regents is chaired by Jordan B. Acker (B.A. '06). The Board of Regents delegates its power to the university president who serves as the chief executive officer responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the university, that is,
38626-483: The state's Common Core standards, but was challenged at the state's Board of Education, with teachers pushing to ban it from the classroom due to its explicit content. Terhar took particular issue when it came to the scene regarding Pecola being raped by her father. Although not seen commenting on previous challenges to her books, Morrison specifically commented on this particular incident: "I mean if it's Texas or North Carolina as it has been in all sorts of states. But to be
38843-533: The stores now, and magazines and newsletters in the publishing trade are ecstatic, saying it will go like hotcakes." Morrison had begun writing fiction as part of an informal group of poets and writers at Howard University who met to discuss their work. She attended one meeting with a short story about a Black girl who longed to have blue eyes . Morrison later developed the story as her first novel, The Bluest Eye , getting up every morning at 4 am to write, while raising two children on her own. The Bluest Eye
39060-410: The students who live in the residence halls are represented by the University of Michigan Residence Halls Association , which contains the third most constituents after Central Student Government and LS&A Student Government. In the fiscal year 2022–23, the State of Michigan spent $ 333 million on the university, which represents 3.03% of its total operating revenues of $ 11 billion. The university
39277-400: The tenth largest among all universities in the country. The university ranks 86th in endowment per student. The law school 's endowment, totaling over $ 500 million, has a significantly higher per-student value compared to that of its parent university. It ranks as the eighth wealthiest law school in the nation in 2022. There are thirteen undergraduate schools and colleges. By enrollment,
39494-449: The three largest undergraduate units are the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts , the College of Engineering , and the Ross School of Business . At the graduate level, the Rackham School of Graduate Studies serves as the central administrative unit of graduate education at the university. There are 18 graduate schools and colleges. Professional degrees are conferred by the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning ,
39711-413: The top five in the nation. This standing started to decline during Fleming's tenure. Campus unrest persisted during Harold Tafler Shapiro 's presidency, which began in 1980, fueled by controversies surrounding the anti-missile Strategic Defense Initiative and investments in South Africa . President James Duderstadt would succeed Shapiro and remain president until 1996. He facilitated achievements in
39928-476: The turn of the 19th century, the university was the second largest in the United States after Harvard. "Stand up for America; devote your life to its cause; love your homes, and prove as worthy of our cherished free institutions as they are worthy of your allegiance and service. Let not the high standard of National Honor, raised by the fathers, be lowered by their sons. Let learning, liberty and law be exalted and enthroned." William McKinley , speaking to
40145-513: The undergraduate and graduate levels. The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission . In 2021, it ranked third among American universities in research expenditures according to the National Science Foundation . The University of Michigan's athletic teams are collectively known as the Wolverines . They compete in NCAA Division I ( FBS ) as members of the Big Ten Conference . The university currently fields varsity teams across 29 NCAA-sanctioned sports. As of 2022, athletes from
40362-435: The university bought in 1952. Architect Eero Saarinen devised the early master plan for the North Campus area and designed several of its buildings in the 1950s, including the Earl V. Moore School of Music Building . The North Campus Diag features a bell tower called Lurie Tower , which contains a grand carillon. The university's largest residence hall, Bursley Hall , is in the North Campus area. The North Campus houses
40579-421: The university elected its first female president, Mary Sue Coleman , by unanimous vote. Throughout her presidency, Michigan's endowment saw continued growth, accompanied by a major fundraising drive known as "The Michigan Difference". The Coleman's administration faced labor disputes with the university's labor unions, notably with the Lecturers' Employees Organization and the Graduate Employees Organization. In
40796-548: The university founded the College of Dental Surgery , followed by the establishment of the College of Pharmacy by Albert B. Prescott in 1876. That year, the university awarded its first Doctor of Philosophy degrees: to Victor C. Vaughan in chemistry and William E. Smith in zoology. They were among the first doctoral degrees to be conferred in the nation. During this period, John Dewey , Charles Horton Cooley , George Herbert Mead , and Robert Ezra Park first met at Michigan, where they would greatly influence each other. By
41013-411: The university from legislative control, changed the regent position from appointed to elected, and established a president selected by the regents. Henry Philip Tappan became the university's first president in 1852, with the ambition to shape the institution as a model for future universities. During his decade of service, he overhauled the curriculum, secularized faculty appointments, expanded
41230-424: The university have won 188 medals at the Olympic Games . Notable alumni from the university include 8 domestic and foreign heads of state or heads of government , 47 U.S. senators , 218 members of the U.S. House of Representatives , 42 U.S. Cabinet secretaries , and 41 U.S. governors . The University of Michigan traces its origins to August 26, 1817, when it was established in the Territory of Michigan as
41447-450: The university health service, but wartime distractions plagued his presidency. The influenza epidemic, which caused student deaths from poor care, deeply troubled him. Well-liked by the regents who encouraged him to remain president, nonetheless, Hutchins retired in 1920. The 1920s at the university were marked by the brief tenures of two presidents, Marion LeRoy Burton and Clarence Cook Little . In 1920, when Burton assumed office,
41664-599: The university's various student organizations. Alumni Memorial Hall, funded by contributions from alumni in memory of the University's Civil War dead, was completed by Donaldson and Meier . It was designated as the University Museum of Art in 1946. The area just south of The Diag is predominantly Gothic in character, contrasting with the classical designs prevalent in many of Kahn's university buildings. The Martha Cook Building (1915), completed by York and Sawyer , Samuel Parsons , and George A. Fuller in 1915, draws inspiration from England's Knole House and Aston Hall . It
41881-552: Was "interested in talking about black girlhood". Jan Furman, professor of English at the University of Michigan , notes that the book allows the reader to analyze the "imprinting" factors that shape the identity of the self during the process of maturing in young black girls. She references parts in the book where the main characters are taught to feel less than human, specifically when the shopkeeper avoids touching Pecola's hand when giving her candy. Susmita Roye, an associate professor of English at Delaware State University , notes that
42098-426: Was University Hall (1872–1950), designed by alumnus Edwin Shannon Jennison . The Central Campus today, however, bears little resemblance to its 19th-century appearance, as most of its structures were constructed in the early 20th century. These structures are predominantly the works of Albert Kahn , the university's supervising architect during that period. In 1909, Regent William L. Clements became chairman of
42315-409: Was a notable female writer, she was quick to deny her works being categorized as "feminist", as she believed the title denies the specific necessities of black women. Rather than depict strong female protagonists, Morrison created characters who are actually defeated by the racism and sexism of the historic time period. Anne Salvatore, a professor of English at Rider University, interprets this failure of
42532-533: Was a painter and a musician. Slade died of pancreatic cancer on December 22, 2010, aged 45, when Morrison's novel Home (2012) was half-completed. In May 2011, Morrison received an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Rutgers University–New Brunswick . During the commencement ceremony, she delivered a speech on the "pursuit of life, liberty, meaningfulness, integrity, and truth". In 2011, Morrison worked with opera director Peter Sellars and Malian singer-songwriter Rokia Traoré on Desdemona , taking
42749-400: Was about two years old, her family's landlord set fire to the house in which they lived, while they were home, because her parents could not afford to pay rent. Her family responded to what she called this "bizarre form of evil" by laughing at the landlord rather than falling into despair. Morrison later said her family's response demonstrated how to keep your integrity and claim your own life in
42966-405: Was an Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University . In 2004, Morrison was invited by Wellesley College to deliver the commencement address , which has been described as "among the greatest commencement addresses of all time and a courageous counterpoint to the entire genre". In June 2005, the University of Oxford awarded Morrison an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. In
43183-525: Was called by the regents to assist, with Alfred Henry Lloyd serving as acting president until Little's arrival. Clarence Cook Little was elected president in 1925, advocating for individualized education and reforming curricula, particularly for women. Little proposed a curriculum division after two years to address knowledge gaps, leading to the University College proposal, which was ultimately abandoned after his resignation in 1929. Following Little's resignation, Alexander Grant Ruthven , an alumnus,
43400-407: Was challenged in the Northville , Michigan, school district after a parent filed a complaint petitioning for the removal of the book from the AP Literature and Composition curriculum, stating the book's portrayal of sexual assault was not age-appropriate. A committee, consisting of a school administrator and other educators, evaluated the book and recommended that the board vote to maintain the book in
43617-419: Was challenged, along with 56 other books, by a newly created District Wide Library Committee, in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, Alaska. This advisory committee was created and individual members selected by current Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District School Board members, in a change from the district's standard operating procedures. The committee was tasked with seeking out specific titles on
43834-568: Was commissioned by the New York State Writers Institute at the State University of New York at Albany, where she was teaching at the time. It was produced in 1986 by Capital Repertory Theatre and directed by Gilbert Moses . Morrison was also a visiting professor at Bard College from 1986 to 1988. In 1987, Morrison published her most celebrated novel, Beloved . It was inspired by the true story of an enslaved African-American woman, Margaret Garner , whose story Morrison had discovered when compiling The Black Book . Garner had escaped slavery but
44051-522: Was deemed inappropriate content. In particular, the school highlighted the fact that the book contains "a description of a father raping his daughter". Furthermore, East Wake High assigned an alternative book to their reading list, The Color Purple . The Bluest Eye , however, was still left available within their libraries for students to read if they wish at their own discretion, as the school wished to make clear that they were not "denying students access to that level of literature". In 2016, The Bluest Eye
44268-408: Was developed by Alexander Jackson Davis . The first structures built included four Greek Revival faculty residences in 1840, as well as Mason Hall (1841–1950) and South College (1849–1950), which functioned as both academic spaces and dormitories. Only one of the original faculty residences remains today; it has been renovated in the Italianate style to serve as the President's House , making it
44485-531: Was elected president by unanimous vote. He would lead the university through the Great Depression and World War II . Under Ruthven's leadership, the university administration became more decentralized with the creation of the university council, various divisions, and a system of committees For years, the university was a backwater in theoretical physics. Nonetheless, this changed under department head Harrison McAllister Randall , who brought theorists Samuel Goudsmit , George Uhlenbeck , and Otto Laporte onto
44702-403: Was made by Baker City schools superintendent Arnold Coe, and was supported by the school board. In 1999, parents of students at Stevens High School in Claremont, New Hampshire , objected to the book's being assigned to lower grade levels. The case started when parents complained to the school that they thought the book contained content that was sexually inappropriate for children. As a result,
44919-516: Was not removed from the curriculum as Schwalm's objections were not upheld in court. In March 1999, The Bluest Eye was successfully banned from Baker High School language arts program in Baker City, Oregon , after multiple complaints from parents about the content of the book. The original source of contention for this novel was the rape scene between Cholly and Pecola. Later, the book was banned for being "sexually explicit", "unsuited for age group", and containing "controversial issues". The decision
45136-440: Was often viewed as being made too simple for the reader. Early critics were also ambivalent about Morrison's portrayal of the black woman as an object in society rather than a person, only ever going so far as to bring this fact to light and rarely commenting past it. The most in-depth analysis of the novel began with feminist critique. There were also notable differences between African-American critics (who often identified more with
45353-452: Was on the debate team, the yearbook staff, and in the drama club. In 1949, she enrolled at Howard University in Washington, D.C. , seeking the company of fellow black intellectuals. She was the first person in her family to attend college, meaning that she was a first-generation college student . Initially a student in the drama program at Howard, she studied theatre with celebrated drama teachers Anne Cooke Reid and Owen Dodson . It
45570-401: Was once his student, would lead the university through World War I and the Great Influenza epidemic . In 1910, Harry Burns Hutchins assumed the presidency, becoming the first alumnus to hold that position. He had spent seven years in Ithaca, New York , where he was called by Andrew Dickson White and Charles Kendall Adams to establish the Cornell Law School . Hutchins then became
45787-459: Was one of the university’s early women’s residences. York and Sawyer also designed the Law Quadrangle, which features a flagstone courtyard by landscape architect Jacob Van Heiningan. The Lawyers' Club, part of the quadrangle, includes a clubhouse, dining hall, and dormitory, modeled after English clubs with an Elizabethan-style lounge and a dining hall inspired by the chapels of Eaton . The Law Library's main reading room showcases craftsmanship from
46004-437: Was published by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston in 1970, when Morrison was aged 39. It was favorably reviewed in The New York Times by John Leonard , who praised Morrison's writing style as being "a prose so precise, so faithful to speech and so charged with pain and wonder that the novel becomes poetry ... But The Bluest Eye is also history, sociology, folklore, nightmare and music." The novel did not sell well at first, but
46221-409: Was published in 1970. The critically acclaimed Song of Solomon (1977) brought her national attention and won the National Book Critics Circle Award . In 1988, Morrison won the Pulitzer Prize for Beloved (1987); she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. Born and raised in Lorain, Ohio , Morrison graduated from Howard University in 1953 with a B.A. in English. Morrison earned
46438-424: Was pursued by slave hunters. Facing a return to slavery, Garner killed her two-year-old daughter but was captured before she could kill herself. Morrison's novel imagines the dead baby returning as a ghost, Beloved, to haunt her mother and family. Beloved was a critical success and a bestseller for 25 weeks. The New York Times book reviewer Michiko Kakutani wrote that the scene of the mother killing her baby
46655-418: Was the Kalamazoo Branch of the University of Michigan from 1840 to 1850. Furthermore, the university struggled with issues due to its regents' dependence on the legislature from 1837 to 1850. Despite several attempts to gain independence, progress was slow until the late 1840s, when regents gained leverage, supported by Michigan citizens. This led to a revision of the organic act on April 8, 1851, which freed
46872-549: Was the Ruthven Museums Building (1928), designed in the Renaissance style. Other architects who contributed to the Central Campus include Spier & Rohns , who designed Tappan Hall (1894) and the West Medical Building (1904); Smith, Hinchman and Grylls , the architects of the Chemistry Building (1910) and East Engineering Building; and Perkins, Fellows and Hamilton , who designed University High School (1924). The Michigan Union (1919) and Michigan League (1929), completed by alumni Irving Kane Pond and Allen Bartlit Pond , house
47089-421: Was while at Howard that she encountered racially segregated restaurants and buses for the first time. She graduated in 1953 with a B.A. in English and a minor in Classics, and was able to work with key members of the Harlem Renaissance era such as Alain Lock and Sterling Brown . Additionally, she participated in the university's theater group, known as the Howard Players, where she had the opportunity to travel
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