Hurston began writing short tales as a novelist in 1920. Unfortunately, for many years, her work was overlooked by the mainstream literary public. She did, however, establish a following among African Americans. Mules and Men was released in 1935. It is considered one of the classics of the Harlem Renaissance. After this success, Hurston went on to write more novels, essays, and children's books. In addition to writing, she worked as a social worker during this time. She died in 1960 at the age of 65 due to complications from kidney disease. According to the Florida Library Association, four collections of Hurston's manuscripts are held by various institutions: the University of South Florida, the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University, and the John F. Kennedy Library. She wrote over 20 books, including novels, autobiographies, and children's stories. Some of her most famous works include Dust Tracks on a Road (1931), Mules and Men (1935), and Tell My Horse (1938). Dust Tracks on a Road is the story of a black woman who travels across Florida looking for work and eventually ends up helping to build a railroad. Mules and Men is about a group of men in the South during the Great Depression who ride mules together to make money.