Born in 1969 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Edwidge Danticat moved to the United States in 1981 when she was twelve. She holds a bachelor’s degree in French literature from Barnard College and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Brown University. Her novels often reflect the history and struggle of Haiti and her people. A master storyteller, Danticat is often inspired by her dreams and by the stories she heard as a child. Krik?Krak!, a collection of short stories, draws on those sources. Her first novel, Breath, Eyes, Memory, is an unforgettable tale of the struggles of four generations of Haitian women and a 1998 Oprah Book Club selection. In her most recent novel, The Dew Breaker, she examines fear, poverty, oppression, love, and forgiveness. Her work has been translated into many languages, including French, Spanish, and Korean. Danticat is the editor of The Butterfly’s Way: Voices from the Haitian Dyaspora in the United States and The Beacon Best of 2000: Great Writing by Men and Women of All Colors and Cultures. She is also the author of After the Dance, a journey back to Haiti during the island’s annual Mardi Gras celebration.

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Photograph by Jayar Williams

Exhibition Materials