Alice Walker Biography Essay

Many writers are known for their amazing stories, but no one really knows the story behind the actual writer. Alice Walker was born on February 9, 1944, in Eatonton, Georgia. She is the youngest of the eight children of Willie Lee and Minnie Walker. Her parents were poor sharecroppers who instilled in her the value of hard work. When Walker was eight, she was shot in the eye with a BB gun causing her to become partially blind. Although her blindness was seen as a setback, it allowed her to attend Spelman College on a scholarship for the handicapped. At Spelman, Walker became involved as an activist. She went on to complete her education at Sarah Lawrence College. Immediately after graduating from college, Walker returned to the south where she went on to continue her involvement in activism. She played a role in the Civil Rights Movement where she became involved in voters registration drives. In 1967, she married a civil rights lawyer, Melvyn Leventhal, and the couple gave birth to a daughter. Walker went on to teach at different universities while continuing to write poems and novels. Alice Walker’s experiences growing up helped her to grow as a writer and become very successful. Alice Walker is not only famous for the many poems and
Walker is most known for her novel, The Color Purple. This novel has won many awards including the Pulitzer Prize, and it has also became a film. Although she is known for her works of fictions, Walker strived in writing poetry as well. Her poetry ranges from many topics. Many of the themes relate to successes and failures, social and political issues, and African-American heritage. Walker claims that her poetry has constantly saved her from suicide (Brantley and Robbins). Her writing has also made a significant impact on the lives of women especially African- American. Giving it her all, Alice Walker’s literary career can be seen as a great