Toni Morrison has her own day in her home state of Ohio and libraries are ready to celebrate. Morrison, known for novels such as Song of Solomon and Beloved, was born and raised in Lorain, and her early novels The Bluest Eye and Sula were both set in Ohio.

During her career, Morrison received the Nobel Prize for Literature and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She died in 2019. Championing the cause of honoring Morrison were two State Representatives Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) and Joe Miller (D-Amherst). Their legislation, House Bill 325, was strongly supported by the OLC and was signed into law by Gov. DeWine on Dec. 21, 2020. Now the legendary novelist’s birthday, Feb. 18 is officially Toni Morrison Day in Ohio.

To celebrate, Lorain County Community College and African-American literature professor Jewon Woo have created an interactive story map of Morrison’s hometown that includes the Lorain Public Library System where she read books and once worked as an aide.

Take a tour of the Toni Morrison Reading Room at the Lorain Public Library System.

Book Riot published 10 Facts about the Incomparable Author.

Cleveland News 5 did a piece on Toni Morrison and how growing up in Northeast Ohio played a major role in her writing.