interest in story telling at a young age. her father told her african american folk tales. something she would weave into her work. she attended howard and colonel university. she began teaching at height of the civil rights movement. it was then khloe became known as tony. a nickname and the last name of her ex-husband. during her teaching, she began sharing storying with a writing group. one story became her first book. the bluest eye. released in 1970 it was praised for its look at race and american beauty standards. criticized for its explicit nature. she became more widely known in 1977 with song of sol man. a feature book of the month. she game known for characters who challenge views on race and