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The Toni Morison Society is an official author society of the American Literature Association. Founded in 1993, the Society is a registered, tax-exempt organization.  Its membership consists of scholars and readers of Toni Morrison's works from around the world.  The Society's mission is to initiate, sponsor, and encourage critical dialog, scholarship, publications, conferences, and other projects devoted to the study of the life and works of Toni Morrison. 

This website includes information about the history, organization, programs, events, and resources of the Toni Morrison Society. We invite you to browse the site freely for information about the work and upcoming events of the Society and to make use of the bibliographic resources. We also invite you to join the Society and make a tax-deductible contribution to support our on-going scholarly and community outreach programs that focus on the works of Toni Morrison.

Society Places Second Bench in Oberlin, Ohio

Photo: Hilary Solan

On Friday, April 23, 2009, the Toni Morrison Society's Bench by the Road project placed a new bench in the park at the corner of North Main (Rt. 58) & Lorain Streets (Rt. 511) in Oberlin, Ohio. The bench placement was supported by Oberlin College, and the ceremony was attended by President Marvin Kislov, Professor Toni Morrison, members of the society, the Oberlin College community and the city of Oberlin.

The wording on the Oberlin bench reads: "The Bench by the Road Project was launched by the Toni Morrison Society in honor of Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison, a native of Lorain, Ohio. This bench is placed in memory of the enslaved men, women and children who followed the path of the Underground Railroad and sought refuge in the community of Oberlin, Ohio, in their quests for emancipation. Their spirit endures and will inspire us until every human is raised up to freedom."

Morrison chose the site both because of its proximity to her hometown of Lorain, Ohio but also as a tribute to the former residents of Oberlin, both white and black, who bravely assisted those escaping from slavery via the Underground Railroad. For more information see articles under Bench by the Road Project.

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