Photo byWVU Pearl S. Buck Collection

West Virginia has produced its share of remarkable individuals, but few have left as indelible a mark on both literature and social justice as Pearl S. Buck. Born in Hillsboro, West Virginia in 1892, Buck went on to become one of America's most renowned authors, the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, and a tireless advocate for human rights. Over the course of her life, she published more than seventy books, many of which became bestsellers, but it is The Good Earth that remains her most celebrated work.

A Childhood Between Worlds

Pearl S. Buck's early life was anything but typical. Raised in Chinkiang, a small port city in China’s Kiangsu province, she was the daughter of Presbyterian missionaries. By the age of four, Buck was fluent in both Chinese and English, an experience that would shape her worldview and her writing for the rest of her life. Immersed in the culture and language of China, she became intimately familiar with the lives of ordinary Chinese people, especially the rural poor.

Despite her deep connection to China, Buck’s mother insisted on a Western education, and she returned to the U.S. to attend Randolph-Macon Women’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia. After completing her studies, she married Lossing Buck, an agricultural expert, and returned to China, where she lived in a remote village among impoverished farmers. These years spent in rural China provided the foundation for her most famous novel, The Good Earth, a portrayal of Chinese peasant life that resonated with readers worldwide.

Literary Triumph and Nobel Prize

Published in 1931, The Good Earth brought Buck international acclaim and a Pulitzer Prize. The novel's vivid depiction of rural Chinese life during the early 20th century gave many Western readers their first real insight into a world vastly different from their own. It wasn't just a success in the U.S.; the novel became a global bestseller, translated into multiple languages.

In 1938, Pearl S. Buck achieved another milestone when she became the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. She was recognized for her rich and empathetic portrayals of Chinese society and her efforts to bridge cultural divides. Buck's Nobel win was groundbreaking—not only for American women but for the broader literary world. It would be another 55 years before another American woman, Toni Morrison, would win the same honor.

An Advocate for Human Rights

While Pearl S. Buck is best known for her literary achievements, her humanitarian efforts were just as significant. Alongside her writing career, she worked tirelessly to promote human rights and social justice, particularly on behalf of marginalized communities. During World War II, Buck actively supported China in its struggle against the Japanese invasion, raising millions of dollars for medical relief and speaking out against the atrocities of war.

Her activism extended far beyond China. In the U.S., Buck was a passionate advocate for civil rights, supporting campaigns for African American equality, women's rights, and the Equal Rights Amendment. She also spoke out against nuclear testing, adding her voice to the chorus of those calling for peace and global responsibility.

However, Buck’s outspoken liberal views made her a target during the McCarthy era. Senator Joseph McCarthy and his supporters viewed her as a subversive figure, and she was placed under FBI surveillance, which lasted from 1938 until her death in 1973. But despite the political pressure, Buck never wavered in her commitment to justice.

Creating Homes and Hope

One of Pearl S. Buck's most enduring legacies was her work with children. In 1949, she founded Welcome House, the first international, interracial adoption agency in the U.S. This was in response to the thousands of mixed-race children fathered by American servicemen in Asia, many of whom were shunned by their local communities and left without families. Buck recognized their plight and worked tirelessly to find homes for them.

Her compassion for vulnerable children didn’t stop there. In the final decades of her life, she established the Pearl S. Buck Foundation, which provided foster care for Asian-American children who could not be adopted. Through her efforts, she helped thousands of children find stability and care in a world that had largely abandoned them.

A Lasting Legacy

Pearl S. Buck lived an extraordinary life that bridged two worlds—East and West, poverty and wealth. By the time of her death in 1973, she had achieved global recognition not only as a literary giant but also as a powerful advocate for the oppressed. Buck spent her final years in the quiet town of Danby, Vermont, but her influence extended far beyond the confines of any one place.

Her final resting place is at Green Hills Farm in Pennsylvania, where she had lived for much of her later life. True to her deep connection to China, her tombstone bears her name not in English, but in Chinese characters. In this simple act, she honored both her heritage and the culture that had so profoundly shaped her life and career.

Pearl S. Buck’s legacy is vast—her novels, essays, and speeches continue to inspire readers and activists alike. Yet, perhaps her greatest contribution was her ability to humanize cultures and struggles that many Westerners had never considered. In a time of great global division, her life reminds us of the power of empathy, understanding, and the written word.