Legendary author Toni Morrison, who died Monday at 88 years old, rose to prominence for her work dedicated to centering the lives and histories of Black Americans.

A trailblazer in the Black community and beyond, Morrison had long been celebrated for her fearlessness and grace in calling out racism and distilling salient points from sometimes uncomfortable conversations. While public discourse around race has been magnified under the Trump administration, Morrison had never shied away from the subjects importance, pointing out injustices for decades.