Jones, Gayl

American novelist and poet Gayl Jones was born November 23, 1949, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Gayl Jones’s first novel, Corregidora, which was published by Random House in 1975, explored the psychological effects of slavery and sexual abuse on a modern black woman. In addition to novels, Jones has published works of poetry, such as Song for Anninho (1981) and The Hermit-Woman (1983); plays, including award-winning, Chile Woman (1974); and collections of short stories and criticism.

Educated at Connecticut College, (B.A., 1971) and Brown University (M.A., 1973, D.A., 1975). Gayl Jones taught English at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor from 1975 to 1983.

"Gayl Jones." Contemporary Authors Online. Gale Biography In Context. http://ic.galegroup.com (accessed February 2012).

American poet, novelist and editor Clarence Major was born December 31, 1936, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Educated at the State University of New York at Albany (B.S.) and the Union for Experimenting Colleges and Universities (Ph.D., 1978), Clarence Major has written numerous books of poetry, including his most recently published, Myself Painting, (2009).

Major has written prize winning fiction, including My Amputations, for which he received the Western States Book Award in 1986. Major is also the author of articles, essays, reviews, and other nonfiction, as well as the editor of several anthologies.

Since 1989, Clarence Major has been a professor of twentieth century American literature at the University of California at Davis.

"Clarence Major" Contemporary Authors Online. Gale Biography In Context. http://ic.galegroup.com (accessed February 2012). ClarenceMajor.com. http://www.clarencemajor.com/html/biographical.html (accessed February 2012).