A brilliant writer, a fierce friend and a truly phenomenal woman
- President Barack Obama,
The poems and stories she wrote . . . were gifts of wisdom and wit, courage and grace
- President Bill Clinton,
She moved through the world with unshakeable calm, confidence and a fierce grace . . . She will always be the rainbow in my clouds
- Oprah Winfrey,
She was important in so many ways. She launched African American women writing in the United States. She was generous to a fault. She had nineteen talents - used ten. And was a real original. There is no duplicate
- Toni Morrison,