orig. Paule Burke
born April 9, 1929, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.
U.S. writer.
She was born to Barbadian parents and attended Brooklyn College. Her autobiographical first novel, Brown Girl, Brownstones (1959), was acclaimed for its acute rendition of dialogue. Her short story "Reena" (1962) was one of the first pieces of fiction to feature a college-educated, politically active black woman as its protagonist. Her most eloquent statement of her belief in black Americans' need to rediscover their African heritage is the novel Praisesong for the Widow (1983). The Fisher King (2000) is a story of love and family conflict.