Literary Cleveland—the nonprofit creative writing center that empowers people to explore literary voices and discover their own—will be distributing 500 books by Toni Morrison at the West Side Market this Saturday, April 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison.

Literary Cleveland is one of the organizers of the yearlong, statewide Toni Morrison initiative. The free books include re-released versions of Morrison’s three novels set in Ohio: “The Bluest Eye,” “Sula,” and “Beloved.”

Anyone can stop by to grab a free book until supplies run out. The larger Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison project, which runs through February 18, 2027, explores the life, literature, and legacy of Morrison.

Literary Cleveland and Ohio Humanities invite everyone to learn about the acclaimed author. Organizers suggest reading Morrison’s work, discussing themes in her writing, reflecting on American history, and building connections at the many scheduled events.

Toni Morrison at her upstate New York home in the 1980sMorrison’s Ohio connections
Born in Lorain on February 18, 1931, Toni Morrison became the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature and won the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction in 1988 for “Beloved.”

Morrison’s 11 novels trace American history through the Black experience—from “A Mercy,” set in the 1680s, to “God Help the Child” in the early 2000s—offering readers a journey through time and truth.

Her debut novel, “The Bluest Eye,” is set in her hometown of Lorain; “Sula” takes place in a fictional Ohio town; and “Beloved” is set in Cincinnati.

The “Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison” initiative builds on Ohio’s declaration of February 18 as Toni Morrison Day and aligns with America250, the national commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The West Side Market book giveaway is in partnership with Rust Belt Humanities Lab and the Cleveland Public Library. The free books are sponsored by Vintage Publishing and Penguin Random House. “Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison” is supported by the Cleveland Foundation, The George Gund Foundation, Ohio Humanities, the Weems Foundation, and others.