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The famous novelist's birth date is Feb, 9, 1944. She was born at home under the sign of Aquarius.
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Happy Birthday, Alice!
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Alice Walker's mother put her in school at the age of four. As her father was a poor farmer and her mother a maid, it wasn't easy to go to school. It grew harder for Alice as she grew shyer and more conscious of her race.
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Alice started writing in 1952. She kept these works to herself, away from everyone, including her family.
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At the tender age of eight, attending school, Alice Malsenior Walker was accidentally shot in the right eye by her brother Curtis (while playing a game) with a BB gun. When she was finally able to see a doctor a week later, Alice's eye was permanently blinded.
*In this image from later on, note that her right eye is wide open and looking in a slightly different direction than her left. -
When Alice turned fourteen (14), she had the scarred tissue that had developed over her wounded eye removed. Although blind, the eye was visible, and the surgery clue was a tiny blue sphere. Alice achieved the title of valedictorian, the most popular girl, and was voted the homecoming queen of her class as a senior. Alice said her injury "really allowed me to see people and things, really to notice relationships and to learn to be patient enough to care about how they turned out." -Alice Walker
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After enrolling with three gifts (a sewing machine, a typewriter, and a suitcase),Alice met Martin Luther King Jr. on campus at Spelman College. She credits him as her reason for later returning South, and involving herself as an activist.
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Alice Walker participated in the 1963 March on Washington, protesting the eve of the Iraq War. She was later arrested for participating in crossing a police barrier.
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In 1964, Alice moved to the Sarah Lawrence College, where her writing abilities were greatly increased by her teachers.
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Alice's first work of fiction, "To Hell with Dying", was published and appeared in the Best Short Stories by Negro Writers. It told of the good and bad times of 2 children and old Mr. Sweet, and of the children trying to prolong the inevitable.
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Alice married Melvyn Leventhan in 1967 after knowing him for two years.
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Melvyn and Alice had their first and only daughter on November 17, 1969. They named her Rebecca Walker.
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In 1994, Alice changed her middle name to Tallulah-Kate, in memory of her maternal great grandmother and her paternal grandmother.
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Alice claimed a spot in the Hall of Fame in 2006.
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Alice recieved her most recent award in 2010.
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Alice's latest creation, a memoir titled The Chicken Chronicles, came out in May of 2011.
