Professor unveils the life of the first African American woman to write a novel

In 2003, scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. helped publish what's believed to be the first novel ever written by an African American woman. That book, drawn from a manuscript dating back to the mid-1800s', was a bestseller, but mystery surrounded the author until professor Gregg Hecimovich decided to go on a two-decade journey of discovery, culminating his new non-fiction book, "The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts." Michelle Miller has more. "CBS Saturday Morning" co-hosts Jeff Glor, Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson deliver two hours of original reporting and breaking news, as well as profiles of leading figures in culture and the arts. Watch "CBS Saturday Morning" at 7 a.m. ET on CBS and 8 a.m. ET on the CBS News app. Subscribe to "CBS Mornings" on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/CBSMornings Watch CBS News live: https://cbsn.ws/1PlLpZ7c​ Download the CBS News app: https://cbsn.ws/1Xb1WC8​ Follow "CBS Mornings" on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3A13OqA Like "CBS Mornings" on Facebook: https://bit.ly/3tpOx00 Follow "CBS Mornings" on Twitter: https://bit.ly/38QQp8B Subscribe to our newsletter: https://cbsn.ws/1RqHw7T​ Try Paramount+ free: https://bit.ly/2OiW1kZ For video licensing inquiries, contact: licensing@veritone.com