Zora Neale Hurston: Forgotten foremother of anthropology

Abstract

Zora Neale Hurston was a clandestine pioneer in anthropology until her rediscovery by the likes of scholars Gwendolyn Mikell and Irma McClaurin. Her contributions have been overlooked as a result of her writing style. It would be remiss to discuss the history of anthropology without discussing both Hurston’s innovations in scholarship and her contributions to the body of cultural preservation and knowledge. She spearheaded the development and introduction of native and diaspora anthropology. Black and female anthropologists alike can trace elements of their theoretical and ideological heritage through Zora Neale Hurston.