"To Free Someone Else": Toni Morrison the Book Editor

"In 1979, Toni Morrison addressed the Barnard graduating class and delivered a now-famous maxim: "the function of freedom is to free someone else." This fragment of a sentence has widely circulated on the Internet as an inspirational quote, but the context for the remark has long since been forgotten. It's no accident that Morrison spoke these words to the mostly white audience of an elite women's college,"

"As the only Black woman editor at Random House between 1972 and 1983, Morrison had the power to decide which Black writers received the visibility and resources of a major publishing house. Dana A. Williams's new book, Toni at Random: The Iconic Writer's Legendary Editorship, explores the efforts that Morrison took to make all of her writers feel free to express themselves in an industry that prioritized profit over artistry."

Toni Morrison served as the only Black woman editor at Random House from 1972 to 1983 and used that position to expand visibility and resources for Black writers. Morrison published books that many other editors would not have taken on, including bestselling autobiographies of Black activist-celebrities. Morrison cultivated an editorial identity that emphasized allowing writers full expressive freedom within a commercial industry. The Barnard maxim "the function of freedom is to free someone else" underscored her belief in communal responsibility among elites who decide who shall flourish and who shall wither. Morrison consistently prioritized artistry over profit and championed meaningful storytelling opportunities.

Read at The Nation