Death
Zora Neale Hurston died on January 28, 1960. Though she created many outstanding works, she was not a rich woman. She died poor due to her many anthropological excursions. A few of her close friends took up a collection and made just enough to pay for Hurston's funeral, but not a headstone. Her career began with her unmarked grave in Fort Pierce, Florida.
In 1973, Alice Walker began her search for Zora Neale Hurston's unmarked grave. When she found it, she marked it with a headstone stating, "Zora Neale Hurston: A Genius of the South (Boyd 2006)." Alice Walker sparked huge interest in Hurston's work. Hurston is now seen as one of the most important African American writers.