Rest in peace, Toni Morrison!

Internationally acclaimed novelist and Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, who was among the pioneers of  Afro-American literature, passed away at the age of 88.

Her family announcing her sad demise gave out a statement mentioning that the “extremely devoted mother, grandmother, and aunt” had “passed away peacefully last night [5 August] surrounded by family and friends”.

“Although her passing represents a tremendous loss, we are grateful she had a long, well lived life”, it further stated.

Morrison, whose best-selling literary work explored themes of racism, slavery, feminism, colonialism and freedom, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993 and thus became the first black woman to become a Nobel laureate.