Jean Toomer

Jean Toomer was one of the most important authors of the Harlem Renaissance, a period spanning the 1920s and 30s when African-American literature and art blossomed in Northern cities like New York. A poet, novelist, playwright, and essayist, Toomer wrote works that were at times spiritual and at times personal, capturing the new spirit of African-American culture of the time.

Toomer was born Nathan Pinchback Toomer on December 26, 1894 in Washington, D.C. He was the grandson of P.B.S. Pinchback, the first African-American governor in the United States, and his father, Nathan Toomer, was a cabinetmaker who moved the family to Sparta, Georgia when Toomer was six. During his school years in Georgia, Toomer experienced both racism and segregation, inspiring him to later write works reflecting a deep interest in race, identity, and the African-American experience.

After high school, Toomer enrolled at Degree Hall, a school in West Virginia for African-American students. Soon after, he transferred to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania to study literature and philosophy - a decision that was influenced by the writings of philosopher Henri Bergson. Toomer’s time at Lincoln exposed him to the broader world of African-American culture, inspiring him to write and publish his own works. In 1921, Toomer released his first major work - the groundbreaking book Cane, which was a collection of stories, sketches, and poetry.

Cane received widespread critical acclaim, and its ground-breaking, flowing verse and prose won Toomer the admiration of critics, art experts, and the general public. Cane was a highly symbolic and deeply personal work, depicting the struggles of its characters in rural, turn-of-the-century Georgia, while also exploring the concept of racial identity. Toomer’s works reverberated across generations, and is still read and studied today.

In 1925, Toomer released his second book, The Galloway Story. The book was a series of essays, personal narratives, and poems, and again, explored the concept of race and identity. The personal nature of the works mirrored Toomer’s own struggles with identity as a black man living in the North and as a man of mixed-race ancestry. His works delved into a wide range of topics, but identity was always the nucleus around which his works revolved.

Jean Toomer was a trailblazer - he was one of the first major African-American voices of the 20th century, and his innovative works helped create the strong literary tradition of the Harlem Renaissance. His works were often controversial, as they pushed the boundaries of what it meant to be African-American. His writing style was lyrical and passionate; it combined traditional conventions of literature and poetry with innovative ideas and rhythmic prose. His works were also deeply personal, as they explored issues of grief, identity, race, and love.

The legacy of Jean Toomer has long been respected by the literary community, and many argue that he was a major force in helping to shape the culture of the Harlem Renaissance. Toomer’s works were innovative, pushing the boundaries of traditional African-American literature, and his spiritual and personal essays, stories, and poems influenced generations of writers that followed. Toomer’s works remain relevant today and his influence can still be seen in African-American literature, providing a strong foundation from which modern authors continue to build.