Nella Larsen’s Early Life
Nella Larsen was born in Chicago, Illinois to West Indian father Peter Walker and to Danish mother Mary Hanson Walker. Shortly after Larsen was born, her parents separated. Her mother married Peter Larsen, who was white. However, Larsen guarded her family history so it is unclear what really happened. According to Larsen’s biographer, Thadious M. Davies, Peter Larsen and Peter Walker were probably the same person. It is believed that Walker passed as white to obtain a job with the Chicago railway.
Larsen’s Educational Endeavors
In 1907, Larsen began attending Fisk University. From 1910 to 1912, she audited classes at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. She returned to the United States and settled in New York City. Between 1912 and 1915, she received training to become a nurse.In 1919, Larsen married physicist Elmer Imes. Her marriage to Imes provided her with social prominence and enabled her to meet influential people during the Harlem Renaissance movement. In 1921, Larsen began working at the New York Public Library in Harlem. She also attended Columbia University, where she studied to become a librarian.
Larsen Pursues a Writing Career
Larsen's first publication was of two children's articles that were published in the magazine, Brownies' Book. In 1926, she published "The Wrong Man" and "Freedom." Her novels that followed were a notable success. They tackled issues of race and identity. Her first novel, Quicksand (1928), was about a biracial woman and her second novel, Passing (1929), was about two light-skinned women.
In 1930, she published the story "Sanctuary." However, it was later discovered that the publication closely resembled another story. In the same year, Larsen was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship. She became the first African American woman recipient. Following her latest work, Larsen wrote another novel, but her publisher rejected it.
Larsen and Imes divorced in 1933. From thereafter, Larsen lived in obscurity and never published again. She worked as a nurse in a New York City hospital until her death on March 30, 1964.
