Zora Neale Hurston was an American author, anthropologist, and filmmaker. Her work often depicted racial struggles in the South and the lives of African American communities. She published research on hoodoo and became widely celebrated for her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, which was published in 1937. Hurston was a key figure during the Harlem Renaissance, contributing not only through her novels but also through more than 50 short stories, plays, and essays.

Born in Notasulga, Alabama, Hurston moved to Eatonville, Florida, in 1894. This community would become the backdrop for many of her stories. With a background in anthropological research from her time at Barnard College and Columbia University, Hurston had a profound interest in African-American and Caribbean folklore and how these stories shaped community identity.

Hurston's writings chronicle the complexities of the African-American experience and her own struggles as a woman in the community. Her work saw a revival of interest in the 1970s when Alice Walker published "In Search of Zora Neale Hurston", sparking a new generation's appreciation for Hurston's contributions to literature and culture. In the 21st century, her legacy continues with posthumous publications such as Every Tongue Got to Confess and Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo".