and i am lucy anne hurston. thank you. [applause] >> for more information about zora neale hurston visit zora neale hurston.com. >> thank barnes & noble for hosting this so that we can get together and talk about issues that are think are very important. there seems to be some confusion in the united states, a lot of people don't realize that america failed. they think it is still going on. just as i entered here, some guy said to me, i did know america failed to i said stick around, you know, stick around. i also wanted to locate this particular talk in terms of stuff i've been writing. this is, "why america failed" is the third in a trilogy of the american empire. the first one was the twilight of american culture which was published india 2000 a the second was called dark ages of america, and this came out about a month ago, "why america failed." there was, however, a collection of essays that i published about a year ago, so it came between the two and the three. about half the essays about the united states, and the ki

and to help me introduce tonight the panel, women on the horizon, will be author -- >> lucy anne hurston. the life of zora neil hurston. lucy has over her lifetime come piled a detailed knowledge of her aunt0s life and work with an historian0s observant eye. her own work as an academic sociologist with field research in jamaica, among a operations, provides he with a unique perspective of her aunt's life. she us the producer and hosts of two documentaries on zora and a high school production. she currently teaches sociology at manchester community college in connecticut. lucy anne hustoon begins her work, speak and speak again. she ignites passion. once introduced to her stories, those she told and those told about her, people want more. >> ellis walker is an internationally celebrated author poet, and activists, whose books include seven novels, four collections of sort -- short stories, four children's books and volumes ofes says. best known for "the color purple" for which she won the pulitzer prize. and the national book award. her work has been translated into more than two dozen la

[applause] >> i am lucy anne hurston and i'm honored to join you here at the green. a conversation with three extraordinary women whose voices have blazed trails and created an indelible pattern into the fabric of our global tapestry. the green at wnyc, and w. q. x. r. is honoring the 75th anniversary of zora neale hurston's the eyes are watching god and tonight is the final installment of that series. that's began with zora's writing. throughout this evening's conversation you will hear passages from your eyes are watching god selected and written by each of us. we begin with award-winning actress, ruby dee who takes us to the opening passages of the novel. >> thank you, thank you. [applause] this is from the introduction, ships at a distance have every man on board. for some they come in with the tide. for others they sail forever on the horizon never out of sight, never landing until the watcher turned his eyes away. its dreams mocks to death by times. bus is the life of man. now women, forget all those things they don't want to remember and remember everything th