Alice Walker Interview: Joining The Civil Rights Movement & Writing 'The Color Purple'
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Alice Walker recalls the influence of both her parents, being the youngest of 8 children, her family facing racism, how she fell in love with art at a young age, immediately joining the Civil Rights Movement when she got to college, and starting her first book while living in Africa. Walker discusses how her 10th and most popular book, The Color Purple was inspired by stories from her Grandparents and why she was determined to have people understand their voices.
Alice Walker is an American writer, poet, and activist. Born in Eatonton, Georgia on February 9, 1944, the daughter of sharecroppers, Walker was injured in a childhood accident that blinded her in one eye. Her mother felt Walker would be better suited for writing than doing chores. Her writing and academic prowess afforded her a scholarship to Spelman College, where she studied for two years before transferring to Sarah Lawrence College, where she graduated in 1965. After graduation, Waker moved to Mississippi to become involved in the Civil Rights Movement. She began teaching and writing poetry, short stories, and essays. In 1967, Walker married Melvyn Rosenman Leventhal, a Jewish civil rights lawyer and the couple became the first legally married interracial couple in Mississippi. The couple had a daughter before divorcing in 1976. Walker published her first book of poetry, Once (1968) and first novel, The Third Life of Grange Copeland (1970) to much acclaim. In the late 1970s, Walker moved to Northern California, where she wrote her most popular novel, The Color Purple in 1982. The book, which explores themes of gender and sexuality and features a lesbian relationship, won a Pulitzer Prize. It was adapted into a film by Steven Spielberg in 1985 starring Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, and Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey would later produce a musical version of the book with Quincy Jones in 2004. Walker continues to publish essays, short stories, and poems including a memoir, The Chicken Chronicles, in 2011.
From the 2013 PBS Documentary “Makers: Women Who Make America”, examines how women have helped shape America over the past 150 years, striving for a full and fair share of political power and economic opportunity.
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Alice Walker, Writer & Activist
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Пікірлер: 63
I could sit and listen to her story’s all day. You could learn alot from her just by listening.
And she looks so radiant and healthy. Her skin is so smooth her voice so silky...
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you....... what a gift to hear her speak and share so much of her wisdom.
As a Kenyan studying in the US and currently reading 'Meridian' by Alice Walker for my literature class, and watching this video, it feels great to understand her story. I am also proud to hear that her first book began in Kenya. Thank you Alice Walker for your continued inspiration 🇰🇪🇰🇪❤️❤️
I absolutely love this interview with Ms. Walker. She is so humble and brilliant!
I have adored Alice Walker for decades now. She is an amazing human being, clear-minded, compassionate, courageous, and authentic. Her work has kept me sane in an insane world. I am grateful to and for her.
Wow her life's story is a movie. As a young person I could listen to her speak all day. So many wonderful life lessons and jewels found in this interview. Beautifully done!
I love her so much. I met her in the early 2000s. I was so moved by her presence and my reading of her book "In Search of Our Mother's Gardens" that I became overwhelmed in telling her how her stories impacted my own life.
An awesome writer....amazing talent and treasure....as an African American man.....she gave me different views to my soul....pain and soberiety.....🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
This is such a wonderful interview. As a woman born at the end of the 1960s, I was born during the civil rights era but grew up in a misogynistic household because my mother died at such a young age. For me, Ms. Walker's works illuminate so much of the darkness within me as a woman AND as a writer, and I will forever be grateful. May she always be blessed by God.
She is one of one. Will forever love her poetry. Thank you Ms. Alice Walker...❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
What a beautiful soul, lady, and interview! 😌Thank you 🙏🏾for taking the to Interview this living legend at this point in time. She has always been one of my favorite authors.❤
I loved this so so much, now I definitely need to read all of her books. Just her voice alone and the perspective she has is sooo insightful 🩷
Beautiful soul. Thank you very much ❤
When Walker speaks of her writing she lights up completely. She has many more stories to give to the world. Thank you for sharing your creative mind 💕👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼❤️
I always learn invaluable & timeless lessons from Alice’s various means of expression, including in interviews like this. ❤️❤️❤️
beautiful conversation. Thanks
Loved this interview. One of the most heart full interviews on the internet. Amazing Job Walker.
Alice Walker your vision your parents your ancestors gave birth to the COLOR PURPLE I never read the book but I admire You THANK YOU FOR THE COLOR PURPLE 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜👏🏽👏🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
4:23 Simple Beautiful! Awesome Spirit! Thank you for sharing your beautiful journey of love for humanity.💕🙏
What an outstanding interview!!!!!
What a life changing Intrview❤
Sooooo good. Food for the soul
Beautiful!
I NEED TO MEET YOU!!!!! Inspirational
I can see and feel your spiritual aura. It’s beautiful!💕
She looks incredible. Flawless skin.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼thank you for your comment, yes it’s seamless!💕
💜💜💜💜💜
she looks soooo good!
@AppleMackBrew
5 ай бұрын
Her skin is flawless
Oh, my heavens!💕
Yes, thanks for that comment 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💕
❤
🥰
It is wonderful to see a brilliant, beautiful, iconic African American/ Native American woman. ❤
@jolenesimon6123
5 ай бұрын
She's African American. She would not be accepted by Native Americans
See below
I’m surprised there’s no mention of Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah or Stephen Spielberg 🤔
@michellelaguerre8760
6 ай бұрын
I am not surprised because she has been a powerful writer before Oprah or Whoopi was on TV. Spielberg may have made some impact on the movie but not so much in her life story. This interview is mostly based on her life as an African-American woman writer and more
@talkttalk2010
6 ай бұрын
@@michellelaguerre8760 very true but her book The Colour Purple would not have become as well known as it did if not for Spielberg and Whoopi Goldberg
She is one of the best writers alive today - of any colour. Sorry Americans but you don't own her, she is too great - she is global - like Arundhati roy, Murakami, Salman Rushdie, Alan Bennet, Mohsin Hamid or Iosbelle Carmody. ... I cannot think of anyone else alive that is universally as poignant - obviously there are many greats that are dead. like 99.9% more.
@jolenesimon6123
5 ай бұрын
She is a great African American
@godshallsmiteyouu
3 ай бұрын
@@jolenesimon6123….and that’s what I love! 🫶🏾❤️😇
ACCORDING TO REVELATION S, JESUS HAS FEET Of BRONZE AS BURNT IN A FURNACE AND HAIR LIKE WOOL.
JESUS IS NOT EUROPEAN LOOKING.. GET OVER IT. 😂
Unfortunately, her only child, Rebecca Walker, had a very negative and traumatizing experience with Alice Walker, been a nonexistent Mother.
Color Purple was just a anti black male hit piece. Propaganda
@godshallsmiteyouu
3 ай бұрын
And 75% of y’all still ain’t shi!! Jajajaja 😂
That book and that movie is disgraceful to black people
@godshallsmiteyouu
3 ай бұрын
Yet, the “Bible” condoned you people being slaves! Lol jajajaja 😂