About Nella Larsen
Nellallitea "Nella" Larsen was an American novelist. Working as a nurse and a librarian, she published two novels, Quicksand (1928) and Passing (1929), and a few short stories. Though her literary output was scant, she earned recognition by her contemporaries. In 1921, Larsen worked nights and weekends as a volunteer with librarian Ernestine Rose, to help prepare for the first exhibit of "Negro art" at the New York Public Library (NYPL). The institution was founded in the 19th century in Manhattan as a nursing home to serve black people, but the hospital elements had grown in importance. A year after her marriage, she published her first short stories. Encouraged by Rose, she became the first black woman to graduate from the NYPL Library School.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.