Welcome to the Mississippi Writers Page Newsletter for November 29-December 5, 2002

In this issue:

• This week in Mississippi Literary History
• Author events: readings, book signings, and appearances
• On the horizon: upcoming events to plan for

The following events all happened during this week in Mississippi history.

Year:
1894: Librarian and etymologist Margaret Samuels Ernst was born in Natchez, Mississippi. (Dec. 4)

1908: Librarian and medical writer Thomas Edward Keys was born in Greenville, Mississippi. (Dec. 2)

1923: Historian Kenneth K. Bailey was born in Coldwater, Mississippi. (Dec. 3)

1923: Malcolm Franklin was born in Shanghai, China. (Dec. 3)

1925: Novelist and nonfiction writer John Alfred Williams was born in Jackson, Mississippi. (Dec. 5)

1929: Philosopher John Howie was born in Jackson, Mississippi. (Dec. 3)

1930: Law professor Eugene F. Mooney was born in Jackson, Mississippi. (Dec. 2)

1931: Journalist Robert N. Pierce was born in Greenville, Mississippi. (Dec. 5)

1932: William Faulkner published “Mountain Victory” in the Saturday Evening Post. (Dec. 3)

1934: Willie Morris was born in Jackson, Mississippi; within half a year, the family moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi. (Nov. 29)

1936: William Faulkner published“Vendee” in the Saturday Evening Post. (Dec. 5)

1937: Tennessee Williams’s play The Fugitive Kind premiered with the Mummers of St. Louis, directed by Willard Holland. (Nov. 30)

1947: Tennessee Williams’s play A Streetcar Named Desire premiered on Broadway, directed by Elia Kazan, and starring Marlon Brando and Jessica Tandy. At the same time the play also debuted in New Orleans (without the Broadway cast). (Dec. 3)

1951: Eudora Welty’s story “The Bride of the Innisfallen” was published by the New Yorker. (Dec. 1)

1952: Eudora Welty’s story “The Ponder Heart” was published in the New Yorker. (Dec. 5)

1953: William Faulkner left for Paris to begin work on the movie Land of the Pharaohs for Howard Hawks. (Nov. 30)

1970: I Can't Imagine Tomorrow and Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen, by Tennessee Williams, were televised together under the title Dragon Country by New York Television Theatre. (Dec. 3)

1981: Psychiatrist Harley Cecil Shands died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm in New York City. (Dec. 4)

1995: Historian James Franklin Hopkins died in Lexington, Kentucky. (Dec. 5)

1998: Poet Margaret Walker Alexander died of cancer in Chicago. (Nov. 30)

Jan. 9: Square Books, Oxford, Mississippi

Acclaimed novelist and short story writer Bobbie Ann Mason will read from her new biography of Elvis Presley. For more information, visit the Square Books web site, www.squarebooks.com.

Jan. 16: Bondurant Auditorium, University of Mississippi campus, Oxford, Mississippi, 7 p.m.

Tom Chandler, poet laureate of Rhode Island and author of Wingbones and Sad Jazz, reads from his poetry. Sponsored by the John and Renee Grisham Visiting Writers Series and the English Department. For more information, contact the department at (662) 915-7439, or online at www.olemiss.edu/depts/english.

Feb. 6: Bondurant Auditorium, University of Mississippi campus, Oxford, Mississippi, 7 p.m.

U.S. Poet Laureate (2001-2002) Billy Collins reads from his poetry and offers commentary on his work and other matters. Sponsored by the John and Renee Grisham Visiting Writers Series and the English Department. For more information, contact the department at (662) 915-7439, or online at www.olemiss.edu/depts/english.

Feb. 17: Old Chemistry Auditorium, University of Mississippi campus, Oxford, Mississippi, 7 p.m.

Clifton L. Taulbert, author of the acclaimed classic Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored, will speak. This event is in conjunction with Open Doors, the University of Mississippi’s yearlong observance of the 40th anniversary of the integration of higher education. Sponsored by the John and Renee Grisham Visiting Writers Series and the English Department. For more information, contact the department at (662) 915-7439, or online at www.olemiss.edu/depts/english.

If you know of upcoming literary events by or about Mississippi writers, please let us know by writing us at mwp@olemiss.edu. 

The following events are planned for the coming weeks and months. You may wish to begin planning now to attend or participate.

March 25, 2003

Poetry Reading by Andrew Hudgins, Bondurant Hall Auditorium, The University of Mississippi campus, in Oxford.

March 26-30, 2003

Seventeenth Annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, New Orleans, Louisiana. For information, visit their web site at www.tennesseewilliams.net.

April 10-13, 2003

Oxford Conference for the Book, Oxford, Mississippi.

July 20-25, 2003

30th Annual Faulkner & Yoknapatawpha Conference, The University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi

If you know of additional news items for this newsletter or if you have suggestions, please write us at mwp@olemiss.edu.

For more information about events in the Oxford and University of Mississippi community, see the Ole Miss Community Calendar:
www.olemiss.edu/calendar/

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