Remembering Ernest J. Gaines

Lisa D. DeNeal
Nov 6 · 6 min read

The award-winning, iconic African-American writer died Tuesday at his home in Oscar, La.

By Lisa D. DeNeal

I scrolled Facebook earlier this afternoon and gasped at the latest post from one of my favorite authors, Bernice L. McFadden (“Sugar,” “Book of Harlan”). “And just like that, the ancestors has called Ernest Gaines home…”

A story link with a photo of Mr. Gaines smiling, confirmed his death. I opened the link, read it then closed it. He was 86 years old and died in his home. News outlets were slow to post stories; the pace…

Keep the story going. Sign up for an extra free read.

You've completed your member preview for this month, but when you sign up for a free Medium account, you get one more story.
Already have an account? Sign in

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade