It could be argued that Zora Neale Hurston is one of the most influential female writers of our century. Authors such as: Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Terry McMillan and Mary Monroe would agree.

“From what I had read and heard, Negroes were supposed to write about the race problem. I was and am thoroughly sick of the subject. My interest lies in what makes a man or a woman do such-and-so, regardless of his/her color,” said Hurston in her memoir, Dust Tracks on the Road.

Hurston’s contributions to literature cannot be denied. Just ask New York Times bestselling author, Mary Monroe (author of God Don’t Like Ugly) who says that Hurston saved her sanity.

“When I was a young girl and driving my family crazy with my talk about writing books, they told me almost every day that black females didn’t write books,” says Monroe.

And like Hurston, Monroe can remember having trouble starting out as a writer.

“I think that her best book is Their Eyes Were Watching God, but my favorite is her autobiography Dust Tracks on a Road,” says Monroe of Hurston. “We share so much in common that it seemed like I was reading my life story when I read hers.  We are both from poor southern families, and like her, I had a very hard time succeeding as a writer.”

Perhaps Hurston’s most important work is, Their Eyes Were Watching God. The book was later made into a movie and premiered on television. The film was produced by Oprah Winfrey and starred Halle Berry in the role of Janie.

The character of Janie, in Their Eyes… is considered one of the most important roles in women’s history. Hurston’s ability to make her characters come alive in dialogue and on pages is a particular talent that became a trademark for the author – which reached mass appeal after her death.

It might not have been too forward to use a metaphor and say, “Zora was the class’ problem child.” This might in fact be true. While in Harlem, Hurston was close with Langston Hughes until the two had a disagreement over a stage play. The two never spoke again, though Hughes referred to Hurston as, ‘The perfect darkie for the white folks,’” in his autobiography.

Richard Wright, author of Black Boy, and another writer of the Harlem Renaissance blasted Their Eyes Were Watching God, calling the black characters too simple. Critic Harold Peece called her autobiography, “The tragedy of a gifted mind.”

Of what Hurston might think of newer black authors, Monroe says, “On one hand, I think she’d be proud to see so many of us in print and enjoying so much success,” the author says. “However, I think she’d probably roll her eyes at some of the provocative titles (including mine…) on bookstore shelves these days.”

Hurston, a sister of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, died of hypertensive heart disease on Jan. 28, 1960. She was penniless. Her book in progress, The Life of Herod the Great, was never completed.

In 1975, Alice Walker (author of The Color Purple) wrote about her recounting of the life of Hurston for Ms. Magazine. The story was called, In Search of Zora Neale Hurston. The result – Walker ended up giving Hurston a proper burial. Prior to Walker’s efforts, Hurston was laid to rest in an unmarked grave.

Hurston’s personal story is as daring, important, and sometimes as heartbreaking as the characters that she made audiences love and hate. But her contributions to women in literature are undeniable.

Lucy Anne Hurston (Zora’s niece) is handling the Zora Neale Hurston trust along with Victoria Sanders and Associates. Lucy was reached for interview and was given questions, but did not respond at the time that this story went to press.

James Sanders is a contributing writer for Crème Magazine; he has also contributed to the Huffington Post in the past.