Barnard’s Tradition of Writers

Known for the strength of its writing program, Barnard includes among its current faculty novelists Jennifer Finney Boylan, Jhumpa Lahiri ’89, and Hisham Matar and poet Yvette Christiansë. Each semester, authors and literary scholars from around the world join the staff. Guests for the 2023-24 academic year include:

One event each term in the department's Writers at Barnard series features current Barnard Creative Writing faculty reading from their work.

Barnard’s notable literary alumnae include:

Zora Neale Hurston '28	Author of Their Eyes Were Watching God and a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance.
Francine du Plessix Gray '52	Journalist and Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer.
June Jordan '57	Award-winning poet, journalist, and essayist who in her writing explored issues of gender, race, immigration, and representation.
Erica Jong '63	Author of Fear of Flying, a novel that figured prominently in the development of second-wave feminism.
Ntozake Shange '70	Author of the Obie Award-winning play, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf.
Mary Gordon '71	Award-winning author known for her novels, short stories, memoirs, and non-fiction books on religious figures. She has recently retired as the Millicent C. McIntosh Professor in English and Writing at Barnard.
Eileen McNamara '74	Journalist and winner of the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.
Anna Quindlen '74	Journalist, novelist, and winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.
Natalie Angier '78	Science writer and winner of the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting.
Rose Marie Arce '86	Co-winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Reporting and three-time Emmy winner for news reporting.
Katherine Boo '88	Investigative journalist and winner of the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.
Jhumpa Lahiri '89	Novelist and winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Edwidge Danticat '90	Author of Breath, Eyes, Memory and National Book Award winner.