Kate Chopin

Born Katherine O'Flaherty in St. Louis, Missouri, Kate Chopin married Oscar Chopin and moved to New Orleans, where she absorbed the Creole culture that would later infuse her stories. After her husband's death, she began writing seriously, publishing two collections of short stories, "Bayou Folk" and "A Night in Acadie," which earned her a reputation as a local colorist. Her 1899 novel "The Awakening" was a groundbreaking exploration of a married woman's sexual and emotional awakening, but its frankness scandalized critics and was banned from many libraries. Chopin died in 1904, her work largely forgotten until feminist scholars revived it in the mid-20th century. Today she is celebrated as a precursor to modernist literature and a vital voice in early feminist fiction, with "The Awakening" recognized as a classic of American literature.