Destined to become a famous author, Zora Neale Hurston and her friends, Carrie and Teddy, are about to enter the fourth grade in Eatonville, Florida, around the turn of the twentieth century. Zora, who is smart, articulate, curious, and known for her imaginative stories, is definitely the leader of this group. Zora and her friends are fortunate to live in the supportive community of Eatonville, one of the first self-governing African American towns in the United States, incorporated in 1887. The children of Eatonville are able to avoid much of the racisim and its accompanying discrimination and violence that was standard at the time.
Zora, Carrie, and Tommy make friends with a stranger in town, a travelling troubadour and turpentine worker named Ivory. They are shocked when his decapitated body is found on the railroad tracks a few days later. Zora attributes his death to Mr. Pendar, the alligator man. After more investigation, Zora and her friends find out that Ivory’s death was the result of racial hatred and learn more about the reality of life outside the protective cocoon of Eatonville.
Zora Neale Hurston is one of our great American writers. It was fun to meet Zora in her formative years as a confident, inquisitive girl roaming around Eatonville. I have had the pleasure of visiting Eatonville during the annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival of Arts and Humanities which just celebrated their 31st year. Zora and Me includes information on Zora Neale Hurston’s life and work.
Zora’s adventures continue in Zora and Me the Cursed Ground.