Mildred Taylor

Mildred Taylor was born in Jackson, Mississippi, but her family moved to Toledo, Ohio when she was just three months old. Taylor grew up in Toledo, though her family frequently visited relatives in Mississippi, which is where she developed an interest in and knowledge of the South. She attended the University of Toledo and spent two years in Ethiopia with the Peace Corps, teaching English and history. Taylor then attended the University of Colorado where she received a Master’s degree in journalism and was active in the Black Student Alliance. In 1975, she published her first book, Song of the Trees, which began the Logan family saga that would continue in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Taylor now lives with her daughter in Colorado.