* She was the oldest of three children, and her siblings included a brother, Herbert, and a sister, Phyllis.
* Lorde began writing poetry at an early age, and her first book, "First Cities," was published in 1968.
* She went on to publish eleven books of poetry, including "The Black Unicorn" (1978), "The Cancer Journals" (1980), and "Our Dead Behind Us" (1986).
* Lorde was also a prolific essayist and activist, and her work often addressed issues of race, gender, sexuality, and class.
* She co-founded the Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press in 1980, and she was also a founding member of the National Black Feminist Organization.
* In 1981, Lorde was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she underwent a mastectomy. She continued to write about her experiences with cancer in her poetry and essays, and she became a vocal advocate for women's health and reproductive rights.
* Audre Lorde died on November 17, 1992 in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, at the age of 58.
* She is considered one of the most important and influential poets of the twentieth century, and her work continues to be read and studied around the world.