Alice Walker

Alice Walker is a writer, poet and activist known for her contributions to contemporary literature, social justice, and African American studies. Her body of work includes seven novels, four collections of short stories, four children’s books, and multiple volumes of essays and poetry. Walker received the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction and the National Book Award for her novel "The Color Purple," which is widely studied in women’s and African American studies programs.

Walker’s bibliography features titles such as "The Temple of My Familiar," "By the Light of My Father’s Smile," and "Possessing the Secret of Joy," which addresses the psychological and physical effects of female genital mutilation. This novel led to the book and documentary film "Warrior Marks: Female Genital Mutilation and the Sexual Blinding of Women," produced in collaboration with filmmaker Pratibha Parmar. Her other works include "We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: Inner Light in a Time of Darkness" and "The Same River Twice: Honoring the Difficult," which recounts her experiences with the adaptation of her novel and the challenges of censorship and criticism.

"The Color Purple" has been adapted into a feature film and a Tony Award–winning Broadway musical, further cementing its influence in literature and the arts. Walker’s work has been translated into more than two dozen languages, with book sales exceeding 15 million copies. Her achievements include induction into the California Hall of Fame and the opening of her archives at Emory University in Georgia. She has also received the Mahmoud Darwish Literary Prize for Fiction.

Walker’s activism spans human rights, social justice, and the rights of all living beings. She frequently participates in literary festivals, university lectures, and cultural events, sharing insights on the intersections of literature, activism, and global human rights. Her career reflects a commitment to expanding compassion and advocating for the economically, spiritually, and politically marginalized, as well as supporting those working toward societal transformation.