In celebration of Black History Month, we honor the life and legacy of Toni Morrison, revolutionary Nobel Prize-winning writer and birder.
Morrison had a deep and lasting connection to the natural world. Seen as an “unlikely bird whisperer” by her son, Morrison carried with her a profound admiration for nature's beauty, which was reflected in much of the literature she created. Her musings on the birds of Central Park impacted her works and ultimately celebrated both the flight of hope and freedom—as well as sorrowful moments when those freedoms were withheld from people who looked like her. Throughout her life, Morrison felt humbled by our feathered friends, who were often seen as messengers of peace or signs of joy during difficult times. In this way, birds provided Morrison with much inspiration, leaving behind a poetic legacy that will continue to be admired by many generations to come.
In this moving Audubon Magazine contributory piece, Remembering Toni Morrison, the Bird Whisperer, Afro Indigenous Storyteller Sanda Guzmán beautifully portrays the impact that Morrison had on her personal relationship with birds. |
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