I went to go check out the Milstein Library’s new display dedicated to former Barnard alumni Zora Neale Hurston.

If you are anywhere near the front desk of Milstein Library (like I usually am on a Wednesday night), I’d recommend taking a look at the interactive display created by the interdisciplinary artist and literary scholar OlaRonke Akinmowo in honor of Zora Neale Hurston. Honoring Hurston’s centennial celebration, it opened on January 21 and will be closing on the 5th May 2025. The celebration itself will continue for on for three years, commemorating the time that Hurston studied at Barnard College, and there will be workshops and events to look out for. Hopefully, these flags outside Barnard stay for the three years!

For those in the dark, Hurston was an author whose books shone an important light on the struggles of African Americans during the 20th century. Unlike some of her peers, her characters were allowed to be self-reliant and to find personal happiness within themselves, leading to political freedom. Like so many other literary minds, Hurston was unappreciated in her time. However, her books, such as Barracoon: The Story of the Last Black Cargo and Their Eyes Were Watching God are now recognized and appreciated.

OlaRonke Akinmowo who, as Director of The Free Black Women’s Library (a social art project with a collection of over five thousand books written by black people as well as an array of free public programs) has created the interactive display. It has a selection of Hurston books, sadly not all 52, but 10 of Hurston’s own works and then a selection of collaborations, biographies and adjacent works. For those who may not have heard of Hurston herself, you will most likely have come across her influence in novels such as The Color Purple by Alice Walker and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.

The display itself is surrounded by extra information on Hurston and Akinmowo, and there are plenty of pillowed chairs and beanbags for maximum comfort as you take any one of the novels on display to read. There are pictures, art pieces, and flowers to enhance the display and create an atmosphere reminiscent of her books using objects that might usually be found within her stories. Within the multi-media installation, fieldwork footage from the Library of Congress is incorporated to create a Hurston-specific soundscape for the space.

For those desperate for a novel of their own to enjoy, copies of her memoir, Dust Tracks On The Road, will be available only if you are a participant in the two-part workshop. Registration is available on the Barnard Library events website. Other events will continue, with a collage session on March 11 and Zine making on April 8. For anyone unfamiliar with zines, they are self published material that anyone can create. While they are usually based in protest, lots of artists create zines to self-publish their work. As of today, there will be a board with quotes from Dust Tracks On The Road and interactive index cards asking for your thoughts to make the display as interactive as possible.

There are also quotes and displays around campus that you will notice as soon as you start to look out for them!

As stated in the information sheet, “all races, ages, and genders are welcome to read, write, work, rest, daydream, and learn in this space,” and I would recommend even just taking a look.

All photos via Author