Zora Told Countee: Hurston's Letter to Countee Cullen

As part of their "American Masters" series, PBS published a letter from Zora Neale Hurston to Countee Cullen. Besides addressing the writer's views on white liberals, segregation and Negro writers, it's beautifully written and full of Hurston's famous personality.

March 5, 1943

Dear Countee:

Thanks a million for your kind letter. I am always proud to have a word of praise from you because your friendship means a great deal to me. It means so much to me because I have never known you to make an insincere move, neither for personal gain, nor for malice growing out of jealousy of anyone else. Then too, you are my favorite poet now as always since you began to write. I have always shared your approach to art. That is, you have written from within rather than to catch the eye of those who were making the loudest noise for the moment. I know that hitch-hiking on band-wagons has become the rage among Negro artists for the last ten years at least, but I have never thumbed a ride and can feel no admiration for those who travel that way. I have pointed you out on numerous occasions as one whose integrity I respected, and whose example I wished to follow.

Head to PBS.org for the full text. Thanks to Dream Hampton for spreading the link via Twitter.

--Whitney Teal

Lifestyle Gumbo: Eatonville, Florida

[Eatonville restaurant, Washington, D.C.]

A delightful new restaurant has opened up here in Washington, D.C. this week. Now, we have restaurant openings all the time in our fair city, but this one is particularly special: It's inspired by Zora Neale Hurston!

Yes, Eatonville, which opened on Tuesday, May 12 in D.C.'s U Street Corridor is named after the legendary writer's Florida hometown and features Florida swamp-certifed dishes like Fish and grits (served with the fish of the day, buttery grits and collard greens), shrimp and sausage etoufee, and of course lots of crispy chicken, mashed potatoes and Cajun fries.

I had a chance to check them out on Saturday night, along with two of my friends. We were planning to go to Busboys and Poets (a fantastic, literary U Street institution that I'll write about later, I'm sure), but saw Eatonville and thought it might be a great change of pace.

It was packed, and we ate outside until it began to rain. Then we were moved to a long, family-style table with other patrons who had got caught in the torrent. My food was great (I was a little afraid to order the fish and grits that I wanted, so I opted for the safe choice of crispy chicken and cajun fries. Greens were also in the entree, but never arrived with my food.) The wait staff was very friendly, and I will definitely go back to sample other dishes.

[Zora Neale Hurston]

Sidenote: I just purchased a copy of the first Hurston biography in 25 years, Wrapped In Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston by Valerie Boyd. I'm just a couple of pages in, but I'm definitely on the fence. Boyd's writing is extremely poetic and flowery, but I wonder if that takes away from the fact-based nature of the genre?

If you are at all of fan of Hurston, please, please, please get yourself to D.C. to take a look at Eatonville. Even if you don't eat, the beautiful imagery (all inspired by Hurston's life and works) are enough to keep you entertained.

Eatonville
2121 14th St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
202.332.ZORA


Check out this video, from EatonvilleRestaurant.com. The restaurant is searching for a few countrified chefs and decided to catalogue their quest on their Web site. Here's episode 1:

Eatonville Chef Search episode 1 from Electric Communications on Vimeo.