In the hours since the announcement of her death, Toni Morrison's quotes are going viral, as writers and fans celebrate the acclaimed writer's work.
Her quotes and clips have found new life on the internet, with her most famous quote on the real function of racism being perpetual 'distraction' shared and retweeted thousands of times within hours of her death.
Morrison became part of the American literary canon, and also enjoyed the unique privilege of mass pop culture appeal.
A few months ago, a resurfaced clip of Morrison being interviewed by Australian journalist Jana Wendt went viral.
In the clip, Morrison states she wanted to feel free to not have the white gaze in her work, which predominantly features African American characters.
“You don’t think you’ll ever change and incorporate books with white lives in them substantially?” Wendt asks.
The query is met with a forceful rejoinder from Morrison.
"You can’t understand how powerfully racist that question is can you? Because you can never ask a white author, 'when are you going to write about black people'... even the inquiry comes from a place of being in the centre," Morrison responds coolly.
"And being used to being in the centre," Wendt gracefully backtracks, nodding apologetically.
"It’s inconceivable that where I already am is the mainstream," Morrison ends.
The internet was awash with quotes from her books and tributes to Morrison on Tuesday morning, with writers and thinkers paying tribute to the luminary including former President Barack Obama who called her a 'national treasure'.
"We know that her stories—that our stories—will always be with us, and with those who come after, and on and on, for all time," he shared on Instagram.
Morrison made history as the first African-American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1993.
She was the author of a celebrated canon chronicling modern America and the legacy of slavery including The Bluest Eye (1970), Sula (1973), Song of Solomon (1977) and Beloved (1987).
