Zora Neale Hurston: In Our Time
To launch Black History Month at Nine Orchard, please join us in the West Room as we stride into an insightful discussion about the history and audacity of one of the greatest writers of our time, Zora Neale Hurston.
Rae Chesny, of the Zora Neale Hurston Trust, will explore Hurston’s legacy with National Book Award-winning author Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winner Blair Underwood — about stories new and old, the Harlem Renaissance, and focusing a contextual lens on such a profound body of work, now 65 years since Hurston's passing.
To commemorate her seminal career, Amistad will also feature Hurston’s newly discovered novel, The Life of Herod the Great, and their upcoming reissue series of ten Hurston titles, including Their Eyes Were Watching God and Dust Tracks on a Road, as well as the profound artwork commissioned to embellish these new releases.
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RAE CHESNY is a visionary Zora Neale Hurston scholar, interdisciplinary storyteller, and cultural practitioner transforming how we engage with history, literature and legacy. She also authored Zora’s Garden, a celebrated children’s book that debuted in Eatonville, Florida—Hurston’s cherished hometown—during the summer of 2022. Her expertise has graced platforms such as American Black Journal, Michigan Chronicle, and Black Enterprise.
DR. IBRAM X. KENDI is a National Book Award-winning author of fifteen titles for adults and children, including nine New York Times bestsellers—five of which reached #1 on the NYT list. Dr. Kendi is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Boston University, and the director of the BU Center for Antiracist Research. He is also a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a CBS News contributor. In 2020, Time Magazine named Dr. Kendi one of the 100 Most Influential People in the world. He was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2021.
BLAIR UNDERWOOD is a two-time Emmy Award-winner, Grammy Award-winner, Tony Award and Golden Globe nominee. He is still gathering accolades for the breakout summer 2024 hit feature, Longlegs. He will next be seen co-starring in A Spoonful of Chocolate, an independent feature by director RZA. He also is in postproduction on Viral, a feature film he directed and stars in opposite Sarah Silverman and Alfre Woodard.
Doors at 6pm. Beer, wine and cocktails will be available.
The conversation begins at 7pm.
- Please RSVP with the form.
- Please do not RSVP with the same name more than once.
- Capacity is limited, and RSVP does not guarantee entry.
- Only the first 175 guests with e-mail confirmation will be admitted.
- Please enter at 10 Allen Street
For dinner or drinks afterward, please consider making a reservation at Corner Bar or Swan Room.
