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Martha Young was born near Newbern, Alabama, on her family’s plantation, but she grew up in Greensboro, Alabama. After graduating from Livingston Female Academy (now the University of West Alabama), she returned to her family home and began writing down Black dialect stories and songs. Her stories, poems, and essays were published in various newspapers and magazines, including New Orleans Times-Democrat and Cosmopolitan. Young's contributions to literature also include notable publications such as Plantation Songs for My Lady Banjo and Plantation Bird Legends. In 1903, she branched out to children’s literature and published Bessie Bell. Young engaged in public readings of her work and wrote poems on religious and sentimental subjects in the later years of her life. She passed away in 1941.

Julia Truitt Yenni [Hikes] was a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She briefly attended Lincoln Memorial University before relocating to New York City. She began her writing career while working as a secretary and attending night classes at Columbia University. She moved to Chicago for a few years before returning to New York, publishing three novels during that time. Her last novel was published in 1951, but she continued to write articles and stories for women's magazines afterwards. Later in life, she resided in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, where she contributed a weekly column to the local newspaper. In 1983, Yenni moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to be closer to her adult children, and she remained there until her passing in 2000.

Clement Wood was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, raised in Birmingham, and completed his bachelor's degree at the University of Alabama. He attended Yale University for law school and briefly practiced law in Birmingham before deciding to work as a teacher while pursuing his passion for writing poetry. His first book of poetry, Glad of Earth, was published in 1917. Over the years, Wood worked a variety of jobs to support his writing, and he branched out to other genres in addition to poetry. He continued writing until his death in 1950.

Tobias Wolff was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but moved frequently during his childhood, living in places like Florida, Utah, and Washington. Wolff served in the United States Army for four years before enrolling at Oxford University, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English. His first novel, Ugly Rumors, was published in 1975 and was loosely based on his experiences in the war in Vietnam. Wolff earned a master’s degree from Stanford University in 1978 and then began a career in higher education, teaching briefly at Goddard College and Arizona State University before settling down at Syracuse University, where he taught for seventeen years. Over the years, he has published short story collections, memoirs, and another novel. He is currently the emeritus Ward W. and Priscilla B. Woods Professor at Stanford University.

Kathryn Tucker Windham was born in Selma, Alabama, and developed a passion for journalism and photography during her upbringing in Thomasville, Alabama. She obtained a bachelor’s degree from Huntingdon College in 1939 and then began a career in journalism, working as a freelance journalist, police reporter, and feature writer for various newspapers, including The Alabama Journal and The Birmingham News. Windham's literary contributions extend beyond journalism, with notable books like 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey, co-authored with Margaret Figh, and her memoir Odd-Egg Editor. She also made a significant impact as a storyteller, participating in storytelling festivals and helping found the National Association for the Preservation and Perpetuation of Storytelling. Windham continued writing until her death in 2011.

Augusta Jane Evans Wilson was born into a privileged family in Columbus, Georgia, but relocated to Mobile, Alabama, after her father’s business went bankrupt during the economic depression of the 1840s. Evans Wilson began writing to help her family financially, and she found success as a novelist. Her novels, including Beulah and Macaria, were popular and sold well. Evans Wilson continued writing and publishing novels until her passing in 1909.

Cindy Wheeler was born in Montgomery, Alabama, but was raised in the Appalachian mountains of Virginia and North Carolina. Wheeler obtained a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and later became a freelance children’s book author and illustrator. Her achievements include the publication of A Good Day, A Good Night, which earned her the Alabama Library Association Award for Best Children's Book in 1985.

John Weld was a native of Birmingham, Alabama. After attending military schools as a teenager, he briefly studied at Alabama Polytechnic Institute before venturing to Kansas City and eventually settling in Hollywood. Although initially working as a movie stuntman, Weld's passion for writing led him to become a journalist. After he sold his first short story in 1927, he resigned from his job and moved to Paris, where he worked for several newspapers and wrote two novels. Weld briefly returned to Hollywood but moved to New York after losing his job due to Depression cutbacks. He began researching the Donner Party for a novel and continued his research after moving to Berkeley, California, in 1935. He moved around California a couple more times, publishing several more books, and he branched out to create travel documentaries in the 1960s and early 1970s. He continued writing until he died in Monarch Beach, Dana Point, California, in 2003.

Maria Howard Weeden, also known as Howard Weeden, was born in Huntsville, Alabama, and received early training from portraitist William Frye. During the Civil War, her family relocated to Tuskegee after the Union army seized Huntsville. Weeden took the opportunity to pursue education at Tuskegee Female College. After the war, her family moved back to Huntsville, and Weeden wrote short stories and essays under the pen name Flake White, primarily in The Christian Observer. Weeden's artistic focus later shifted towards painting portraits of former slaves that were often accompanied by her own verses. Her work gained recognition through exhibitions and publications such as Shadows on the Wall (1898) and Bandana Ballads (1899). Weeden contracted tuberculosis and passed away in 1905.

Annie Vaughan Weaver grew up on her family’s plantation in Selma, Alabama. She graduated from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, but decided not to become a missionary like she had initially planned. Instead, she wrote and illustrated children’s books to raise money for her to study art in New York. She studied at several art institutions, including the Cooper Union Art School and the National Academy of Design, and received fellowships to study Romanesque architecture in Europe. Weaver later taught at the Norton Gallery and School of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida, before resigning to focus on her sculpture. She eventually transformed the Norton estate into a sculpture garden. Upon her passing in 1982, her ashes were interred in Selma.

Booker T. Washington, born into slavery in Virginia, experienced firsthand the challenges faced by African Americans during the Reconstruction era. His determination to pursue education led him to the Hampton Normal and Industrial Institute, where he completed his bachelor’s degree. He then became a teacher in Malden, West Virginia, and later earned a master's degree from Wayland Seminary. In 1881, Washington moved to Tuskegee, Alabama, and worked hard to establish the Tuskegee Institute, which followed the same principles as the Hampton Normal and Industrial Institute. He advocated for self-reliance, dignity of labor, and gradual progress toward racial equality, using his influential public speaking career to address these issues. He published several collections of essays and speeches during his life, but he is best remembered for his 1901 autobiography Up From Slavery. He remained a prominent spokesperson for the Black community until his passing in 1915.

Lella Warren was born in Clayton, Alabama, but frequently moved while she was growing up. She earned a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University in 1921 and published her first novel, A Touch of Earth in 1926. She then began publishing short stories and articles in national magazines and newspapers. Inspired by her father's wishes, Warren began a trilogy set in Alabama that delved into her family's history. The first installment, Foundation Stone, garnered significant acclaim and was compared to Gone With the Wind. Although she published the second book in the trilogy and continued writing, the final installment remained unfinished and unpublished at the time of her passing in 1982.

Eugene Walter was a native of Mobile, Alabama. During World War II, he worked as a cryptographer for the United States Army Airways Communications Systems. He then moved to New York, where he worked in a rare book store and at the New York Public Library in addition to working on set designs. Walter later moved to Paris and Rome, publishing novels, short stories, poems, articles, essays, and even cookbooks while also editing various magazines and literary journals. In 1979, Walter returned to Mobile and continued writing until his passing in 1998. He was posthumously inducted into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame in 2023.

Daniel Wallace is a native of Mountain View, Alabama, near Birmingham. Wallace initially pursued higher education at Emory University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, but he left before graduating in order to live and work in Japan for two years. He then returned to Chapel Hill, took a job in a bookstore, and began writing in his free time. It took nearly fourteen years, a dozen published short stories, and five unpublished novels for Wallace to sell Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions to Algonquin Books for publishing. The novel was adapted for film in 2003, and Wallace himself makes an appearance in the film as a professor at Auburn University. He went on to write additional novels and also branched out to write children’s books. In 2008, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and he now teaches creative writing as the J. Ross MacDonald Distinguished Professor of English at Chapel Hill. He won a Harper Lee Award in 2019 and was inducted into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame in 2023, the same year he published his memoir, This Isn't Going to End Well: The True Story of a Man I Thought I Knew.

Sue Walker is a native of Foley, Alabama. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Alabama, she briefly returned to Foley to teach high school English. She then enrolled at Tulane University and earned a master’s degree in education, a master’s degree in English literature, and a doctorate in English literature. In 1980, Walker began teaching at the University of South Alabama, and in 1981 she founded Negative Capability, a small literary journal, and Negative Capability Press, a notable publishing house. She has earned recognition for her poetry over the years, serving as the Alabama Poet Laureate from 2003 to 2012 and being named the Stokes Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing at the University of South Alabama.

Margaret Walker was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, before her family relocated to New Orleans during her childhood. Walker's exposure to her grandmother's stories about slavery, along with her parents' encouragement, sparked her passion for writing at a young age. She pursued higher education at New Orleans University and Northwestern University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English. Her involvement with the Works Progress Administration's Federal Writers Project in Chicago connected her with writer Richard Wright, who helped with some writing projects. In 1939, Walker returned to higher education, and in 1940 she earned a master’s degree from the University of Iowa. Her thesis was published as the poetry collection For My People in 1942. Walker's career included teaching positions at various institutions, including Jackson State College, and she also established the Institute for the Study of the History, Life, and Culture of Black People. She earned a doctorate from the University of Iowa in 1965. Her dissertation was based on her grandmother’s stories of slavery and became her acclaimed novel Jubilee. Walker died of breast cancer in 1998.

Howell Vines was a native of Short Creek, Alabama, and spent time in Hueytown, Alabama, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, while growing up. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Alabama in 1923, he earned a master’s degree from Harvard University in 1925. Vines taught at several institutions, including William M. Rice Institute (now Rice University) and the University of Richmond, before returning to Alabama, where he focused on writing. Vines wrote and published two novels and two short stories in the 1930s. Although he continued writing, he did not have any further publications before his death in 1981.

Ellen Tarry was a native of Birmingham, Alabama. After graduating from the State Normal School (now Alabama State University) in Montgomery, Tarry taught for several years in Birmingham while also writing for The Birmingham Truth. In 1929, she relocated to New York City, where she became involved in the Negro Writers' Guild and worked for the Federal Writers Project. Her experiences volunteering at Friendship House, a Catholic interracial outreach center in Harlem, influenced her writing, inspiring two children’s books. Over the years, she continued writing children’s books and branched out to write biographies and an autobiography. She was also a civil rights activist and participated in the 1963 March on Washington and the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery. Tarry wrote children’s books late into her life and died in New York City in 2008.

H.E. Taliaferro, pronounced "Tolliver," was a native of western North Carolina. As a young man, he relocated to Roane County, Tennessee, where he learned the tanning trade from his older brothers. Feeling a calling to become a preacher, Taliaferro studied at Madisonville Academy in Tennessee before settling in Talladega, Alabama, in 1835. There, he supported himself through farming and tanning while preaching at local churches. Taliaferro later moved to Tuskegee, Alabama, where he became an editor and writer for the South Western Baptist. While living in Tuskegee, Taliaferro published two literary works, a religious tract titled The Grace of God Magnified and a book of humorous sketches titled Fisher's River. Following the Civil War, Taliaferro briefly worked with local Black Baptists before returning to Tennessee, where he passed away in 1875.

Gay Talese is a native of Ocean City, New Jersey. He developed an early passion for writing and began contributing sports stories to the Ocean City Sentinel-Ledger during high school. Talese earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Alabama in 1953 and then worked as a copyboy for The New York Times before serving in the United States Army. In 1956, Talese returned to the Times as a reporter, later doing freelance work for Esquire magazine as well. In 1961, Talese began publishing nonfiction books, many of which became bestsellers. Talese has also published a memoir, A Writer’s Life, and currently divides his time between Ocean City and New York City.

Hudson Strode was born in Cairo, Illinois, and moved several times during his childhood before settling in Demopolis, Alabama. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Alabama in 1913 and a master’s degree from Columbia University in 1914. While working as an English professor at Syracuse University, he sold his first short story to a magazine. Although he was ineligible for the draft due to being underweight, Strode arranged troop entertainments during World War I. He experienced bouts of poor health in the late 1920s-early 1930s, but he dedicated himself to writing. His writing career is marked by travel books and a well-received but sympathetic three-volume biography of Confederate president Jefferson Davis. Meanwhile, his teaching career is best remembered for the fiction writing class that he taught for twenty-five years at the University of Alabama. Strode retired in 1963 but continued writing until his death in 1976.

Thomas Sigismund Stribling, who published as T. S. Stribling, was born in Clifton, Tennessee, but spent summers near Gravelly Springs, Alabama. Stribling initially pursued a career in teaching, studying at Southern Normal College and the State Normal College (now the University of North Alabama) before teaching for a year at a public school in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. However, Stribling’s passion for writing prevailed, and he transitioned to full-time writing after brief stints in law and journalism. His early works encompassed children's stories and adventure tales, but his breakthrough came when he began publishing novels in 1917. Notably, Stribling earned a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1933 for the second book in his renowned trilogy, which comprises of The Forge, The Store, and Unfinished Cathedral. While Stribling continued to write a mix of popular and serious novels until 1938, his later years saw him primarily focusing on publishing short stories in magazines until his retirement in 1955. Stribling died in 1965, and his autobiography, Laughing Stock, was published posthumously in 1982.

James Still was born and raised on a farm near LaFayette, Alabama. He earned a master’s degree in English from Vanderbilt University in 1930 and a bachelor’s degree in library science from the University of Illinois in 1931 before becoming a librarian at Hindman Settlement School in Kentucky’s Appalachian region. Still’s first poetry collection, Hounds on the Mountain, was published in 1937, and he quit his librarian job a couple years later so that he could immerse himself in his community and write full-time. His first novel, River of Earth, was inspired by the lives of locals. Still went on to serve in the Army Air Force, work as a librarian, and become an English professor at Morehead State University. He also continued producing works across various genres, including novels, short stories, folklore, children’s books, and poetry. Recognized with prestigious awards and accolades, including two Guggenheim Fellowships, Still's contributions to literature solidified his position as Poet Laureate of Kentucky from 1995-1996. He continued writing until his death in 2001.

Emma Gelders Sterne was a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, in 1916 before returning to Birmingham to campaign for women's suffrage and establish a school for delinquent children. She then lived in various cities, including New York City; Pelham, New York; and Wilton, Connecticut. After selling her first story in 1923, Sterne went on to write children’s books, historical novels, and biographies. Several of her works are set in Alabama. She continued writing until her passing in 1971.

Virginia Sorensen was born in Provo, Utah, and moved to Manti, Utah, and American Fork, Utah, while growing up. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in 1934, Sorensen moved frequently, living in places like Indiana, Michigan, Alabama, and Pennsylvania. Sorensen published her debut novel, A Little Lower Than the Angels, in 1942 and went on to publish additional novels, children’s books, and short stories. Sorensen's work garnered recognition and grants, including two Guggenheim Fellowships that allowed her to conduct research in Mexico and Denmark. She was living in Hendersonville, North Carolina, at the time of her passing in 1991.

Lee Smith is a native of Grundy, Virginia, a small mountain town. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Hollins College (now Hollins University) in 1967 and won a writing grant from the Book-of-the-Month Club, which led to the publication of her debut novel The Last Day the Dogbushes Bloomed in 1968. Smith then moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and worked at The Tuscaloosa News while continuing to write novels. She later moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and embarked on a teaching career in addition to her writing. In 1981, Smith began teaching at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, where she remained until her retirement in 2000. Today, Smith continues to write and live in Hillsborough, North Carolina.

E.B. Sledge was a native of Mobile, Alabama. After briefly attending Marion Military Institute and the Georgia Institute of Technology, Sledge enlisted in the US Marine Corps and fought in Peleliu and Okinawa during World War II. Although he emerged physically unscathed, the psychological scars took years to heal. Following the war, he pursued higher education, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University) before earning a doctorate in zoology from the University of Florida. Sledge then briefly worked for the Florida State Department of Agriculture before embarking on a teaching career at Alabama College (now the University of Montevallo). Sledge's personal accounts of his wartime experiences were initially written for his family but were later published, with the second book released after his passing.

Anne Rivers Siddons was a native of Atlanta, Georgia. After studying illustration at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University), she immersed herself in various creative roles, including writing and editing for Atlanta magazine and designing layouts for various advertising companies. In 1974, Siddons signed a book contract with Doubleday and subsequently published a collection of essays titled John Chancellor Makes Me Cry. Her writing career shifted to focus on novels with the exception of a travel guide to Atlanta published in 1978. Her debut novel Heartbreak Hotel was adapted into the 1989 film Heart of Dixie, and her horror novel The House Next Door was adapted into a Lifetime Television film in 2006. Siddons divided her time between Charleston, South Carolina, and Brooklin, Maine, before her passing in 2019.

Celestine Sibley was a native of Holley, Florida, but grew up in Mobile, Alabama, and Creola, Alabama. She pursued a career in journalism after graduating high school, working for the Mobile Press-Register, the Pensacola News Journal, and The Atlanta Constitution. Throughout her journalistic career, she covered a variety of topics, including politics and southern culture. She published her first murder mystery, The Malignant Heart, in 1958 and continued branching out to new genres, including history books, biographies, short stories, and novels. In 1988, Sibley published a memoir titled Turned Funny. She continued writing columns until her passing in 1999.

Margaret Zehmer Searcy was a native of Raleigh, North Carolina. She completed her undergraduate studies at Duke University in 1946 before becoming the first student to receive a Master of Arts degree in anthropology from the University of Alabama in 1954. Searcy went on teach anthropology at the University of Alabama for over two decades. Alongside her academic career, Searcy authored a notable collection of children's and young adult books, earning recognition and awards such as the Alabama Authors Award in 1980. She passed away in 2017.

Elise Sanguinetti was a native of Anniston, Alabama. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Alabama under the mentorship of Hudson Strode and collaborated with Harper Lee on The Rammer-Jammer, the university's humor magazine. After graduation, she worked as a reporter for The Anniston Star for four years before deciding to move to Pittsburgh and pursue fiction writing. She began publishing short stories in prominent literary journals in 1960 and also wrote several novels over the years. She died in 2014.

Sonia Sanchez is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Hunter College before engaging in a year of postgraduate study in poetry at New York University. Her teaching career began in the mid-1960s, and she became known for advancing Black studies within academia. She also began publishing her poetry in literary journals in the mid-1960s, with her first collection of poetry being published in 1969. Over the years, she began writing children’s books, plays, and columns in addition to poetry. She has received numerous awards for her writing, including a Robert Frost Medal and the Langston Hughes Poetry Award. Sanchez has retired from teaching but continues to write while living in Philadelphia.

Anne Royall was a native of Baltimore who moved to Pennsylvania and Virginia while growing up. She married a Revolutionary War major in 1797. After her husband’s death in 1812, Royall spent time traveling in Alabama and lived there for several years. When she began experiencing financial hardship, Royall decided to explore the United States and write travel books such as Sketches of History, Life, and Manners in the United States. Royall later settled in Washington, D.C., and published newspapers that shed light on government inefficiencies and corruption. She passed away in 1854.

Catherine Rodgers was a native of Camp Hill, Alabama, and exhibited an interest in storytelling since childhood. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Alabama Polytechnic Institute in 1938 having already sold her first short story to The Birmingham News-Age Herald the year before. Rodgers went on to earn a master’s degree from Alabama Polytechnic Institute and also studied under Hudson Strode at the University of Alabama. Throughout her life, Rodgers maintained a commitment to writing while balancing a teaching career. Her only published novel, The Towers Inheritance, was released in 1958. Rodgers continued to write until her passing in 2004.

Julian Lee Rayford was a native of Mobile, Alabama. He demonstrated artistic aptitude from an early age and devoted his life to artistic pursuits like creating sculptures and writing. Throughout his career, he engaged in diverse experiences, including studying at Duke University, apprenticing with the renowned sculptor Gutzon Borglum, and contributing to the war effort during World War II. Over the years, Rayford published collections of poetry and folklore, novels, and nonfiction books while working as a sculptor and reporter. He also played an active role in preserving and promoting Mobile's cultural heritage and created the Farragut-Buchanan sculpture located in Bienville Square. He died of cancer in 1980.

Louise Clarke Pyrnelle was born on an Alabama plantation and received her early education through private tutors. Following the Civil War, her family relocated to Selma, Alabama, and Pyrnelle continued her studies at an Episcopal school in Montgomery. She later studied elocution in New York and embarked on a tour of New England and Canada, captivating audiences with her performances of dialect stories. Returning to Alabama in the late 1870s, she worked as a tutor before getting married and traveling throughout Alabama and Florida while teaching, tutoring, and contributing to the Episcopal Church. Pyrnelle authored her first book, Diddy, Dumps, and Tot, in 1882, and it quickly became a success. After her husband's passing in 1901, she resided in Birmingham until her death in 1907. Her second book, Miss Li'l' Tweety, was published posthumously in 1917. Both books are now recognized as romanticizations of slavery despite being well-received at the time of publication.

Walker Percy was a native of Birmingham, Alabama. Despite initially pursuing a career in medicine, Percy's battle with tuberculosis led him to explore his interests in literature and philosophy. Settling in Covington, Louisiana, he wrote essays on philosophy and semiotics, but it was his first published novel, The Moviegoer, set in New Orleans, that garnered critical acclaim and won the National Book Award in 1962. Percy continued to write and publish novels and nonfiction, receiving accolades such as the T. S. Eliot Award for Creative Writing in 1988. His literary contributions earned him membership in esteemed institutions like the National Institute of Arts and Letters before his death in 1990.

Samuel Minturn Peck was a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Because his father disapproved of his aspirations to be a poet, Peck secretly submitted his work to newspapers under an assumed name while growing up. Later, he completed a master’s degree in literature at the University of Alabama and subsequently obtained a medical degree from Bellevue Hospital Medical School to satisfy his father’s wishes (he never practiced medicine). In 1878, Peck began publishing under his own name, starting with his poem “The Orange Tree.” Over the years, he continued to publish poems, articles, and short stories in prominent newspapers and national magazines, which eventually earned him recognition as Alabama's first Poet Laureate from 1930 until his death in 1938.

Richard North Patterson was born in Berkeley, California, and raised in Bay Village, Ohio. He completed his undergraduate studies at Ohio Wesleyan University and obtained a JD from Case-Western Reserve University School of Law. After working for the Office of the Attorney General of Ohio and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Patterson settled in Birmingham, Alabama, where he became a partner in a law firm. While attending creative writing classes at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, he began writing his first novel, The Lasko Tangent, which was published in 1979. After a hiatus from writing in the mid-1980s, Patterson resumed his writing career, achieving success with the bestselling novel Degree of Guilt in 1993, after which he transitioned to full-time writing. His contributions have earned him various accolades, including the Edgar Allan Poe Award and the Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere. Today, Patterson divides his time between San Francisco and Martha's Vineyard.

Nancy Huddleston Packer was born and raised in Washington, D.C., but spent summers in Birmingham, Alabama. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Birmingham-Southern College in 1945 before obtaining her master’s degree from the University of Chicago in 1947. Packer then embarked on a multifaceted career that included teaching for institutions like Birmingham-Southern College and Stanford University as well as writing short stories and nonfiction. Packer's literary contributions include three short story collections, a memoir, and textbooks on creative writing. She currently resides in Palo Alto, California.

Helen Norris was born in Miami, Florida, and later moved with her family to a rural farm near Montgomery, Alabama. She attended the University of Alabama and studied under Hudson Strode, earning her bachelor’s degree in 1938. Norris then obtained her master’s degree from the University of Alabama in 1940 and published her first novel, Something More Than Earth, the same year. Over the years, Norris continued writing novels and short stories, and she also branched out to write poems and plays. Norris's literary achievements were recognized with numerous awards, including her appointment as Poet Laureate for the State of Alabama from 1999 to 2003. She died in 2013 and was inducted posthumously into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame in 2015.

Sena Jeter Naslund is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing from Birmingham-Southern College in 1964 before obtaining her master’s degree and doctorate at the University of Iowa. Naslund subsequently embarked on a teaching career, joining faculty at the University of Montana briefly before accepting a position with the University of Louisville in 1972. In addition to teaching, Naslund focused on her writing career, publishing short stories in literary journals before publishing her first short story collection in 1989 and her first novel in 1993. Her bestselling novel Four Spirits is set in Birmingham, Alabama, during the civil rights movement. Naslund is also known for establishing the Louisville Review as a literary journal and founding Fleur-de-Lis Press to support emerging writers. Currently, she serves as the program director for the MFA in Creative Writing program at Spaulding University and holds the position of Distinguished Teaching Professor and Writer in Residence at the University of Louisville.

Albert Murray was born in Nokomis, Alabama, but was adopted and raised on the outskirts of Mobile, Alabama. He graduated from Tuskegee Institute with a bachelor’s degree in English in 1939 and then taught in the area for several years. After serving in the United States Army Air Corps for several years and briefly returning to Tuskegee to teach, Murray pursued graduate studies at New York University and earned a master’s degree in 1948. Murray spent time teaching in Tuskegee again before returning to active service in the U.S. Air Force. He left the U.S. Air Force in 1962 and settled in New York City to work on his writing. His notable works include essays, memoirs, novels, and poems, and he even collaborated with jazz musician Count Basie on Basie’s autobiography Good Morning Blues. Murray's literary contributions have been recognized through numerous awards and honors, including the DuBois Medal from the W. E. B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research. He continued to live and write in New York City until his death in 2013.

John Trotwood Moore was a native of Marion, Alabama. After teaching in Alabama for several years, he settled in Columbia, Tennessee, where he engaged in farming and livestock activities while contributing columns to Columbia Herald and, later, Clark’s Horse Review. Moore's literary career gained momentum with the publication of his first novel, A Summer Hymnal, in 1901, followed by the establishment of his magazine, Trotwood’s Monthly, in 1905. A horseback riding accident briefly paused Moore’s writing career, but he recovered and continued to publish his works. Moore served as the State Librarian for Tennessee from 1919 until his death in 1929.

Idora McClellan Moore was born on a plantation in Alabama. She received her early education from her mother before attending the Presbyterian Synodical Collegiate Female Institute and the Methodist Centenary Institute in Alabama. Moore began her writing career during her first marriage, publishing her first Betsy Hamilton sketch in the Talladega News-Reporter in 1873. After her husband's death, Moore turned to writing as a means of financial support, gaining recognition for her humorous pieces published in prominent newspapers and magazines like The Sunny South and Harper’s Weekly. Moore also began performing her works as spoken word performances across the country and continued these performances into her old age. Moore self-published a collection of her sketches in 1921 and died in 1929. A revised collection of her sketches was published posthumously in 1937.

William Miller is a native of Anniston, Alabama. He studied under poet Charles Ghigna at the Alabama School of Fine Arts before obtaining a bachelor’s degree from Eckard College in 1982. He went on to earn a master’s degree from Hollins College and then taught for several years at Jacksonville State University. Miller completed a PhD in English and American literature at State University of New York at Binghamton in 1988 and began teaching at York College shortly after. His writing career took off in the early 1990s with the publication of his first two poetry collections. With the encouragement of his mentor Ghigna, Miller also branched out and began writing children’s books, including the acclaimed work Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree, which was featured on the PBS series Reading Rainbow.

A.B. Meek was born in Columbia, South Carolina, but moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, when he was a child. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Alabama before volunteering for military service in the Seminole War in Florida. He had a long career in politics and served in state legal offices, worked as a law clerk, and held positions in the Alabama state legislature. He lived in Mobile, Alabama, for nearly twenty years during this time. Meek also edited newspapers, founded The Southron, and authored works such as “The Red Eagle,” a poem centered on the Creek War of 1813. Although he published many poems and a book on Southwestern history, Meek's ambitious endeavor to write a history of Alabama remained unpublished when he died in 1865.

Robert R. McCammon is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. Under the nurturing influence of his grandparents, McCammon's early exposure to storytelling and literature sparked his passion for writing. After completing a journalism degree at the University of Alabama, he briefly worked as a copy editor. He decided to write full-time after his debut novel, Baal, was published in 1978. McCammon helped found the Horror Writers Association and has garnered global recognition for his novels. He continues to live and write in Birmingham.

Thomas McAfee was a native of Haleyville, Alabama. His early exposure to a vast library and his interest in writing led him to pursue a bachelor's and a master's degree in English from the University of Missouri at Columbia. After serving in the United States Army for two years, he joined the English department at the University of Missouri at Columbia and remained there as a professor for nearly three decades. McAfee's literary journey encompassed the publication of poems and short stories in reputable literary magazines, culminating in his first book, Poems and Stories, in 1960. McAfee continued to write short stories, poems, and even a novel, and he was awarded a writing fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1976. He passed away in 1982 due to lung cancer.

William March, born William Edward Campbell, was born in Mobile, Alabama, but moved frequently while growing up due to his father’s work in the timber business. He briefly attended Valparaiso University and the University of Alabama before enlisting as a private in the United States Marine Corps at the beginning of World War I. March experienced both physical and psychological wounds while serving in France and ultimately earned three medals of bravery. After the war, March returned to Mobile and embarked on a successful career with the Waterman Steamship Company. March later settled in New York City and delved into writing as a means of personal therapy. His first novel, Company K, was published in 1933 and was followed by five other novels as well as numerous short stories. March died in 1954 shortly after the publication of his final novel, The Bad Seed.

Andrew Lytle was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, but also spent time in Guntersville, Alabama, while growing up. After graduating from Vanderbilt University with a bachelor’s degree in 1925, Lytle spent a year in Alabama before attending Yale University in the fall of 1926. Lytle returned to Tennessee in 1929, engaging in farming and writing. He published a biography of Nathan Bedford Forrest in 1931 and contributed to the influential Agrarian anthology I'll Take My Stand. His first novel, The Long Night, was published in 1936 and led to him receiving two Guggenheim fellowships in fiction writing. He later pursued a teaching career while continuing to write fiction and nonfiction. Lytle published his memoir, A Wake for the Living, in 1975 and passed away in 1995.

C. Eric Lincoln was born and raised in Athens, Alabama. He took night classes at the University of Chicago before serving in the United States Navy during World War II. He went on to earn degrees in sociology, philosophy, divinity, and social ethics from institutions such as LeMoyne College, Fisk University, and Boston University. Lincoln held faculty positions at various universities, including Duke University, from which he retired in 1993, and was renowned for his scholarly works on religion and the African American community. In addition to his academic pursuits, he authored a novel, The Avenue: Clayton City, and a collection of poems, This Road Since Freedom. Despite facing health issues in his later years, Lincoln continued to contribute to the discourse on race in American culture through his thought-provoking essays, with his final publication being Coming Through the Fire in 1996. Lincoln passed away in 2000.

Viola Goode Liddell was a native of Gastonburg, Alabama. After obtaining her degree from Judson College in 1922, she embarked on a teaching career and later ventured into writing, publishing short pieces in magazines like Holland’s Magazine and The Georgia Review. Along with short stories and a collection of poetry, Liddell wrote memoirs reflecting on her childhood in Gastonburg and her life in Camden, Alabama. Her second memoir, A Place of Springs, won the Alabama Library Association Nonfiction Authors Award in 1981. Liddell passed away in 1998, with her final memoir being published posthumously in 2004.

Harper Lee was a native of Monroeville, Alabama. She grew up alongside Truman Capote, and their close bond influenced her later writing. Although Lee attended Huntingdon College and the University of Alabama's law school, she left both institutions before obtaining a degree. She relocated to New York, working as an airline reservation clerk while pursuing her writing career. With financial support from friends, Lee dedicated herself fully to writing and produced her iconic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, which drew inspiration from her hometown and people in her life. The book earned her the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961 and was adapted into a film in 1962. Lee also assisted Capote in researching his book In Cold Blood. While Lee published essays in the 1960s, it wasn't until 2015 that an early draft of her first novel, titled Go Set a Watchman, was released. Harper Lee passed away in 2016.

Octavia Walton Le Vert was born and raised in Georgia but moved to Pensacola, Florida, with her family in 1821. In 1833, she made her social debut in Washington, D.C. Le Vert settled in Mobile, Alabama, in 1835, marrying a local doctor and becoming a prominent hostess. Le Vert made two European trips in the 1850s that inspired her to compile her letters and journal entries into Souvenirs of Travel in 1857. Despite her opposition to Alabama's secession, Le Vert remained in Mobile throughout the Civil War, experiencing isolation from society due to her associations with Union officers. After the war, she visited friends in the North before ultimately settling in Georgia, where she spent her remaining years and pursued public lecturing. Le Vert passed away in Georgia in 1877.

Sidney Lanier was a native of Macon, Georgia. He graduated from Oglethorpe College in 1860 and then served in the Confederate Army as one of the Macon Volunteers. He became a prisoner of war and contacted tuberculosis while spending five months in a Union prison at Point Lookout, Maryland. After being released from prison in early 1865, Lanier briefly returned to Macon and then moved to Montgomery, Alabama. While in Alabama, Lanier wrote his first and only novel, Tiger-Lilies, in about three weeks. He then moved to cities like Prattville and Macon to teach or practice law while writing poetry and essays. In 1873, he moved to Baltimore, Maryland, and played flute with the Peabody Orchestra. He became well-known for his musical composition “Black Birds.” Lanier then became a lecturer at John Hopkins University before he died of tuberculosis complications in 1881. His family posthumously published collections of his poetry and essays.

Michael Knight is originally from Mobile, Alabama. He developed a passion for storytelling from an early age and honed his craft throughout his education. After earning his bachelor’s degree from Hampden-Sydney College, he pursued further studies in creative writing at the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Virginia, earning his MA and MFA, respectively. In 1995, Knight began publishing his short stories in literary journals, and in 1998, he published his first novel. With a diverse collection of published novels and short stories, Knight currently works as a professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Cassandra King was born and raised in the rural community of Pinckard, Alabama. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Alabama College (now University of Montevallo) in 1967 and later returned to earn an MFA. Her thesis project served as the foundation for her 1995 debut novel, Making Waves in Zion. King taught at various universities for several years but transitioned to writing full-time in 1998. With several published works, including The Sunday Wife, under her belt, King currently resides in Beaufort, South Carolina.

Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Morehouse College in 1948 before earning a bachelor’s degree from Crozer Theological Seminary in 1951 and a doctorate in theology from Boston University in 1955. King moved to Montgomery, Alabama, and became the pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church as well as president of the Montgomery Improvement Association. King played a pivotal role in organizing the Montgomery Bus Boycott and published Stride Toward Freedom about the boycott afterwards. He co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and led nonviolent campaigns against segregation. One of his campaigns led to his arrest in Birmingham, Alabama, and he wrote “Letter From Birmingham Jail” as a response to those against the campaign. King's powerful speeches, including his iconic "I Have a Dream" address, and his civil rights activism led to him being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. King was shot and killed after he delivered his “I’ve Been To the Mountaintop” speech in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968.

Helen Keller was born and raised in Tuscumbia, Alabama. She became blind and deaf after a childhood illness, but she overcame her communication barriers with the help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan. Sullivan introduced Keller to manual sign language, enabling her to grasp the concept of symbolic representation. With Sullivan's guidance, Keller acquired the ability to speak and comprehend multiple languages, which led her to pursue higher education and obtain a bachelor’s degree from Radcliffe College in 1904. Her first and most famous book, The Story of My Life, was published in 1905 and details her first twenty-three years. Keller's personal experiences fueled her lifelong commitment to social reform, leading her to advocate for the rights and education of disabled individuals and champion causes such as women's suffrage and labor unions. Over the years, she wrote essays, speeches, articles and books for these causes. Her humanitarian contributions were recognized through numerous accolades, including the Legion of Honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Keller experienced a stroke in 1961 and passed away in 1968.

Rodney Jones had a rural upbringing in northern Alabama and started writing poems in high school. He completed his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Alabama in 1971 and continued writing poetry, selling three of his poems to The Atlantic Monthly in 1972. Jones then obtained an MFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1973 before pursuing a career in education while continuing to write. He was an English professor at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale until 2012. Jones's profound impact on contemporary poetry is evidenced by his numerous accolades, including the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Peter I.B. Lavan Award, and the Harper Lee Award, accompanied by prestigious fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Jones now lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, and teaches in the low-residency MFA program at Warren Wilson College.

Madison Jones was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and had a formative upbringing listening to Bible stories, tales of the Civil War, and folk tales while living with his maternal grandparents in Belle Meade. Summers spent working on his father's farm further shaped his experiences. He was drafted and served in the United States Army Corps of Military Police before earning a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University in 1949. He went on to earn his master’s degree from the University of Florida in 1951 and then taught at Miami University of Ohio. His debut novel, The Innocent, was published in 1957 and marked the beginning of his career as a novelist. Jones briefly taught at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville before joining Auburn University's English department until his retirement in 1987. Throughout his career, Jones received notable fellowships, including the Rockefeller Foundation fellowship in 1968 and the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1973. The 1970 film I Walk the Line is an adaptation of one of Jones’s novels, An Exile. Jones continued to live and write in Auburn, Alabama, until his death in 2012.

Mary Johnston was a native of Buchanan, Virginia, and grew up surrounded by books due to her frequent illnesses as a child. Her family lived in Birmingham, Alabama for a few years before moving to New York, where Johnston began writing short stories. Four years later, the family moved back to Birmingham due to financial difficulties, and Johnston continued working on a novel she had begun in New York. She published her debut novel, Prisoners of Hope, in 1898, gaining moderate success. However, it was her second novel, To Have and To Hold (1900), that catapulted her to popularity, providing financial stability for her family. Johnston authored twenty more novels, championed causes such as women's suffrage and prison reform, and established herself near Germantown, Virginia. Despite declining popularity, she remained devoted to her writing until her death from cancer in 1936.

Rheta Grimsley Johnson is originally from Colquitt, Georgia, but was raised in Montgomery, Alabama. She discovered her passion for journalism early on and actively pursued it. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Auburn University, she gained experience at various newspapers and press agencies, eventually becoming a reporter and columnist for The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Her columns gained national recognition through distribution by the Scripps-Howard News Service, and she has published collections of her columns such as America's Faces. Today, Johnson writes columns for King Features Syndicate and has also written memoirs and a biography.

Angela Johnson is originally from Tuskegee, Alabama, but relocated to Ohio during her childhood. She briefly attended Kent State University, deciding to leave because of writer’s block. She worked as a child development worker for Volunteers in Service to America before pursuing writing full-time. Johnson's literary achievements span picture books, young adult novels, poetry, and short story collections. She is a three-time recipient of the Coretta Scott King award for her young adult novels and has been honored with the Alabama Author award twice. She earned her most prestigious accolade, the five-year MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, in 2003. She continues to write and was inducted into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame in 2023.

Robert Inman is a native of Elba, Alabama. He pursued a career in journalism after graduating from the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in radio-television journalism in 1965. His experience as a reporter and as a press secretary to Governor Albert Brewer shaped his understanding of media and communication. Inman returned to the University of Alabama and completed the MFA program in 1979, leading to him pursuing fiction writing in his spare time. His acclaimed debut novel, Home Fires Burning, garnered attention from the Hallmark Hall of Fame television production company and was adapted for the screen. He subsequently focused on fiction writing and screenwriting while also maintaining his engagement with journalism for many years through a weekly column for the Charlotte Observer. In the early 2000s, Inman branched out and began writing stage plays. He continues to live and write in Conover and Boone, North Carolina.

J.H. Ingraham was born and raised in Maine. He set sail for New Orleans in 1830 and then traveled upriver to Mississippi, chronicling his experiences in a series of letters published in the Natchez Courier. These letters were later compiled into the successful book The South-West. Ingraham established himself as a popular novelist, producing several successful works, but financial difficulties led to bankruptcy in 1842. To make more money, Ingraham began publishing serial novels in popular magazines, producing over seventy-five novels in six years. Ingraham became an Episcopal minister in 1847 and began engaging in prison ministry and serving as a parish priest in various locations, including Mobile, Alabama. Ingraham's literary accomplishments continued with the publication of the bestselling novel The Prince of the House of David. He remained committed to his writing and religious duties until he died of an accidental gunshot wound in 1860.

Zora Neale Hurston was born in Notasulga, Alabama, but was raised in Eatonville, Florida, an all-Black town. She experienced racial segregation for the first time when attending boarding school in Jacksonville, Florida. Hurston's passion for writing emerged during her time at Howard University in Washington D.C., and she published her first short story in the university’s literary magazine. She later moved to New York and became an integral part of the Harlem Renaissance, receiving recognition for her work and earning a scholarship to Barnard College, from which she earned a bachelor’s degree in 1928. Hurston's interests expanded to anthropology, leading her to conduct research in the southern United States and the Bahamas, collecting folklore material. She published in many genres, including folk stories, novels, plays, and autobiography, and she was known for her ability to tell the stories of common people. After facing false accusations of child molestation, Hurston’s reputation was tarnished, and her publisher didn’t accept any subsequent novels. Despite setbacks, Hurston continued to write and publish short stories and articles while working various jobs to support herself. She died of a heart attack in 1960.

William Bradford Huie was a native of Hartselle, Alabama. After graduating from the University of Alabama in 1930, he embarked on a successful career in journalism, working as a reporter for the Birmingham Post and later as the editor and publisher of American Mercury. Huie's literary contributions encompassed both fiction and nonfiction, with notable works like The Klansman and He Slew the Dreamer. He was known to delve into controversial subjects such as racism, the Emmett Till case, and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Huie died in 1986 and was posthumously inducted into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame in 2018.

Peter Huggins was born in Oxford, Mississippi, but his family moved frequently when he was growing up. He pursued higher education at the University of the South, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1973. Although he obtained a JD from Samford University in 1978 and was admitted to the bar in Louisiana, Huggins never practiced law. Instead, Huggins shifted his focus to writing and garnered national recognition for his poetry. He furthered his academic pursuits by earning an MFA from the University of Alabama and subsequently became an English instructor at Auburn University, where he remained for the next thirty years. Huggins published primarily poetry but also branched out to children's books and young adult novels. He continued to live and write in Auburn, Alabama, until his passing in 2022.

Andrew Hudgins was born into a military family and moved from base to base before settling in Montgomery, Alabama. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English and history from Huntingdon College in 1974 before teaching for one year in Montgomery. Returning to higher education, Hudgins obtained a master's degree in English from the University of Alabama and later completed studies at Syracuse University and the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop program. He embarked on a successful poetry career, publishing his Pulitzer-Prize-finalist debut collection, Saints and Strangers, in 1985. Hudgins has been recognized with numerous fellowships over the years, including ones from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim Foundation. He was inducted into the Fellowship of Southern Writers in 2007 and currently serves as a faculty member in the English department at Ohio State University.

Milford W. Howard was born in Georgia but moved to Arkansas at a young age. Howard passed the bar and practiced law in Alabama, but he turned to lecturing when he experienced financial setbacks. One of his lectures inspired his work If Christ Came to Congress, which aims to expose corruption. After a career in politics as a member of Congress, Howard began writing short stories and turned to giving lectures again. He practiced law before moving to California in 1919 and publishing two novels. One of his novels, The Bishop of the Ozarks, was adapted as a silent film, and Howard played the lead. He eventually established a school for children in the mountains of Alabama but faced financial difficulties, leading to the closure of the school and further setbacks. Howard passed away in 1937.

Johnson Jones Hooper was a native of Wilmington, North Carolina. While growing up, Hooper worked with his father in the printing industry and showed promise as a humorist by the age of fifteen with the composition of his poem “Anthony Milan's Launch.” Hooper passed the bar in 1838 and pursued a legal career in Alabama, eventually joining his brother's practice in LaFayette. Hooper’s story, “Taking the Census in Alabama,” was published in Spirit of the Times in 1843, helping Hooper reach a national audience. He continued writing humorous stories, the most famous of which included his well-known character Simon Suggs, and many of them were compiled in a book in 1845. Hooper also worked as an editor for various newspapers and held political positions, including serving as Alabama State Prosecutor. He died of tuberculosis in 1862.

Homer Hickam is a native of the coal mining community of Coalwood, West Virginia. He exhibited a keen interest in storytelling and avidly consumed science fiction literature during his formative years. Encouraged by his admiration for rocket scientist Dr. Wernher von Braun, Hickam and a group of friends constructed and launched their own rockets following the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik in 1957. After earning a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and serving in the United States Army, Hickam became a government engineer, working for various agencies, including NASA. Since retiring from engineering, Hickam has devoted his time to writing. He has published several fiction and nonfiction books, the first of which was published in 1998. He continues to write and currently resides in Huntsville, Alabama.

Caroline Lee Hentz was a native of Lancaster, Massachusetts. She demonstrated her talent for writing at a young age, crafting plays during her early adolescence. By the time she was seventeen years old, she was a teacher and was known locally for her poems and stories. She married Nicholas Hentz when she was twenty-four years old, and the couple resided in various locations as Nicholas pursued his career in teaching and academia. While living in Covington, Kentucky, Caroline wrote the play De Lara: or, The Moorish Bride, winning a contest but receiving only partial compensation. Caroline continued writing, publishing novels, short stories, and articles. The couple moved to various cities in Alabama, including Florence, Tuscaloosa, and Tuskegee, so Nicholas could further his career in teaching and academia while Caroline continued writing. Her writings gained popularity, with her books becoming bestsellers of the era. She passed away in Florida in 1856, and her children published additional collections of her short stories posthumously.

George Wylie Henderson was born in Warriorstand, Alabama, but relocated to Wetumpka, Alabama, with his family when he was young. Later, the family moved to Tuskegee, Alabama, and Henderson pursued his education at Tuskegee Institute, where he gained proficiency in the printing trade and graduated in 1922. Henderson later moved to New York City, working as a linotype operator for the New York Daily News. Henderson's literary career commenced with the publication of his short stories in the Daily News, followed by the release of his well-received novel, Ollie Miss, in 1935. Despite facing negative reviews for his second novel, Jule, Henderson continued writing and worked on a third novel, Baby Lou and the Angel Bud, which remained unfinished when he passed away in 1965.

Aileen Kilgore Henderson was born and raised in Cedar Creek, Alabama. She experienced the impact of the Great Depression when her family moved to a farm in Brookwood, Alabama. After completing high school, she worked at the S.H. Kress store before joining the Women's Army Corps during World War II. Following her military service, she pursued higher education at the University of Alabama, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in education in 1950. Henderson taught school in Northport, Alabama, and Panther Junction, Texas, before meeting and marrying her husband, a park ranger. She accompanied her husband to different locations across the United States while volunteering and doing museum work. After earning her master’s degree in education from the University of Alabama in 1966, Henderson began her writing career. She published her first children’s novel, The Summer of the Bonepile Monster, in 1995 and continued exploring new genres, publishing magazine articles, short stories for adults, and even memoirs inspired by her experiences in Texas. She passed away early in 2023, at the age of 102.

Paul Hemphill was a native of Birmingham, Alabama. Initially aspiring to become a professional baseball player, he later discovered his talent for writing during his time at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University). He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1959 and pursued a career in journalism, working for a variety newspapers and magazines over his lifetime, such as The Atlanta Journal. He won a Neiman fellowship in 1968 and spent a year at Harvard, where he began writing a book about country music. That book, The Nashville Sound, was published in 1970. Hemphill continued authoring fiction and nonfiction books, including his notable baseball novel, Long Gone. Hemphill's memoir, Leaving Birmingham, reflects on his personal experiences. He continued writing until his death in 2009.

Lillian Hellman was born in New Orleans and spent part of her time in New York while growing up. She attended New York University but left without a degree, deciding to pursue work as a manuscript reader before shifting her focus to writing plays. The play, The Children’s Hour, was her first to be produced. It opened on Broadway in 1933 before Hellman moved to Hollywood to be a screenwriter for MGM. She continued dividing her time between Hollywood and New York while writing screenplays and plays for well over a decade. Two of her plays, The Little Foxes and Another Part of the Forest, are inspired by Demopolis, Alabama, where her mother grew up. During the McCarthy era, Hellman’s involvement in leftist political causes led to accusations of being a Communist, resulting in her being blacklisted from Hollywood. Despite these occurrences, she continued to write plays, later turning her attention to writing memoirs that offered her perspective on the events of that era. Hellman died of a heart attack in 1984.

W.L. Heath was born in Lake Village, Arkansas, but raised in Scottsboro, Alabama, by relatives following the loss of his mother. After attending the Baylor Military Academy and briefly serving as a combat pilot during World War II, Heath graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Virginia. Heath had a successful career as a writer, producing novels for adults from the 1950s until the 1970s and also venturing into children's literature in the 1970s. After retiring in 1988, Heath resided in Guntersville, Alabama, until his passing in 2007.

Betsy Hearne was born in Wilsonville, Alabama, and developed a passion for storytelling and writing from an early age. After completing her bachelor’s degree in history at the College of Wooster in Ohio, she embarked on a career as a children's librarian. Hearne returned to higher education and earned her master’s degree from the Graduate Library School of the University of Chicago in 1968. After graduating, Hearne became an influential children’s book reviewer, taught classes in children’s literature, and began writing for publication. Over the years, Hearne has published in a variety of genres, including young adult novels, short story collections, and children’s picture books. After obtaining her PhD from the Graduate Library School of the University of Chicago in 1985, Hearne joined the faculty as a professor. She later began teaching at the University of Illinois's School of Information Sciences, and she served as director of the Center for Children's Books at the University of Illinois from 1999 until her retirement in 2007.

Sara Henderson Hay, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, had early connections to Anniston, Alabama through her mother's roots. After relocating to Anniston, Hay attended high school and began publishing her poems in The Anniston Star. She pursued higher education at Brenau College in Georgia and later transferred to Columbia University in New York City. After graduation, Hay worked for the publishing company Charles Scribner's Sons while continuing to write and publish poetry. Her poetry collection Field of Honor won a contest in 1933 and was subsequently published. Hay continued to write while also taking jobs as a secretary and, later, as a reviewer. Some of her notable works include The Delicate Balance and Story Hour. She received several accolades for her poetry and was recognized as a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania. Her final book, A Footing on This Earth, was published in 1966 before her passing in 1987.

Harriet Hassell was raised on a farm near Northport, Alabama, and demonstrated an early passion for writing. She enrolled at the University of Alabama at fifteen years old but left before finishing her degree, choosing to return home to work on her writing. Seven years later, she re-enrolled at the university and joined a fiction-writing class taught by Hudson Strode. Her short story "History of the South" gained recognition, winning a national contest and appearing in the anthology Spring Harvest. In 1938, Hassell published her novel Rachel's Children, which received favorable reviews. Despite the initial success, she chose not to publish any further works and instead married a local attorney and relocated to Port Washington, Long Island, New York, where she resided until her passing in 1970.

James Haskins was born in Demopolis, Alabama, while it was segregated. Denied access to public libraries, he relied on encyclopedias purchased by his mother and assistance from a white woman to obtain books. Haskins attended the prestigious Boston Latin School and later returned to Alabama for college. While attending Alabama State University, Haskins was expelled due to his participation in the civil rights movement. He then earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Georgetown University before returning to Alabama State University for a bachelor’s degree in history. Haskins continued in higher education, earning a master’s degree in social psychology from the University of New Mexico, before beginning his teaching career at a public school in Harlem in 1966. His experiences inspired his book Diary of a Harlem School Teacher and led to a prolific career as an author, writing over one hundred nonfiction books for various age groups. Haskins was a dedicated educator and taught at the Staten Island Community College before becoming a professor of English at the University of Florida. He continued teaching and writing until his death in 2005.

Gustav Hasford was raised in Russellville, Alabama, and displayed an early passion for literature and journalism. He gained experience in writing and editing through his school newspaper and part-time work at local papers. After leaving high school, Hasford enlisted in the United States Marines and served as a military journalist in Vietnam. Upon his discharge, he moved to Longview, Washington, where he pursued a variety of jobs while dedicating time to writing. He relocated to southern California in the early 1970s and began working on a novel about his Vietnam experience. This novel, The Short-Timers, was published in 1979 and later adapted into the film Full Metal Jacket. Even after experiencing legal troubles and spending a few months in jail, Hasford continued writing and published two more novels before he passed away in Greece in 1993.

George Washington Harris was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, but relocated to Knoxville, Tennessee, as a child to work in his stepbrother's metalworking shop. He held a variety of jobs throughout his life, including stints as a steamboat captain, a farmer, and the superintendent of a glass manufactory. In 1843, Harris began publishing short pieces in Spirit of the Times. He went on to publish short pieces in the Nashville Union & American, the Chattanooga Daily American Union, and the Knoxville Press and Messenger. During the Civil War, he spent time in Decatur, Alabama, among other cities. Harris passed away in Knoxville in 1869, leaving behind an unpublished book manuscript that disappeared and was never recovered.

Carolyn Haines was born and raised in Mississippi. With a journalistic background inherited from her parents, Haines completed her bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Southern Mississippi in 1974. For the next decade, Haines worked as a photojournalist at various newspapers while writing fiction in her free time. In 1985, she returned to higher education and earned a master's degree in creative writing from the University of South Alabama. Her first novel, A Deadly Breed, was published in 1988. Haines gained recognition for her mystery novels, including her popular "Bones" series featuring detective Sarah Booth Delaney. Alongside her writing pursuits, she dedicates herself to teaching creative writing and actively participates in animal rescue endeavors while residing on a farm in Alabama.

Sara Haardt was a native of Montgomery, Alabama. She graduated from Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1920. After briefly teaching at Margaret Booth School, Haardt returned to Goucher College to teach English. Her first short stories were published in The Reviewer in 1922. Despite battling tuberculosis throughout her life, Haardt persisted in her writing endeavors, publishing works such as her novel The Making of a Lady. Haardt’s tuberculosis led to her death in 1935. A collection of her short stories titled Southern Album was curated by Haardt’s mentor H.L. Mencken and published the year following Haardt’s death.

Winston Groom was born in Washington, D.C., but spent his formative years in Mobile, Alabama. Despite initially intending to pursue a legal career, his passion for writing led him to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Alabama in 1965. Groom's experience serving in the US Army and completing a thirteen-month tour of duty in Vietnam deeply influenced his literary works, including his critically acclaimed novel Better Times Than These and the widely recognized Forrest Gump, which was adapted into a successful film. His nonfiction tends to have military themes as well, including his Pulitzer-nominated book Conversations with the Enemy. Groom was inducted into the Alabama Authors Hall of Fame in 2018 before his death in 2020.

Harold Wayne Greenhaw was born in Sheffield, Alabama, but raised in Trussville and Tuscaloosa. He was inspired to become a writer after spending six months reading heavily while in a body cast after having a spine-correcting operation. Greenhaw studied creative writing in Mexico before enrolling at the University of Alabama, where he honed his writing skills under Hudson Strode. Greenhaw worked as a journalist for several publications, including The Tuscaloosa News and The Alabama Journal, while freelancing for national newspapers and magazines. He achieved literary success with his debut novel, The Golfer, in 1967, and went on to publish a diverse range of works encompassing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, and screenplays. Throughout his career, Greenhaw also held editorial and teaching positions, sharing his expertise and fostering writing projects in correctional facilities. He died in 2011 due to heart surgery complications and was posthumously inducted into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame.

Shirley Ann Grau was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, but spent part of her childhood in Montgomery, Alabama. She pursued higher education and earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Tulane University before beginning to publish her stories in 1951. Grau's literary accomplishments include publishing her first collection of stories, The Black Prince, in 1955, and her first novel, The Hard Blue Sky, in 1958. Notably, she received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1965 for her novel The Keepers of the House, set in rural Alabama. Grau has been recognized for her literary contributions with honorary doctorates as well as a 2018 induction into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame. She died of stroke complications in 2020.

Philip Henry Gosse was born in Worcester, England, but raised in Poole. He demonstrated an early aptitude for drawing under the influence of his father, who was a painter. Despite limited formal education, he delved into extensive reading, borrowing books from acquaintances to broaden his knowledge. In 1827, Gosse moved to Newfoundland, Canada, where he immersed himself in the study of natural history, joined book and debating societies, and embraced Methodism. Gosse later moved to Alabama and taught at Pleasant Hill while studying local natural history, but he left after eight months due to heat, humidity, and his discomfort with slavery. Gosse then settled in London, teaching, writing scientific articles, and publishing books on natural history. His works explore diverse subjects, including Canadian and Jamaican natural history, marine biology, and the establishment of home aquariums. In 1855, his book Letters From Alabama was published serially and discusses Alabama’s plants, animals, and culture. Gosse's religious convictions prompted his attempt to reconcile biblical creationism with scientific discoveries in his controversial 1857 book Omphalos. Despite criticism, he continued to publish and teach until his death in 1888.

Gail Godwin was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but raised in Asheville, North Carolina. Growing up in a household supported by her hardworking mother, Godwin immersed herself in reading and began writing at a young age. After completing a bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of North Carolina, she became a reporter for a year in Miami and then worked at the US Embassy in London for several years. Later, she decided to pursue her passion for writing and obtained an MFA and a doctorate from the University of Iowa. Godwin has since authored numerous novels and short stories, earning accolades such as a 1975 Guggenheim Fellowship. In 2015, her autobiography Publishing: A Writer's Memoir was published. She continues to write from her home in Woodstock, New York.

Rebecca Gilman is a native of Trussville, Alabama, who developed a passion for dramatic literature at an early age, finding inspiration in George Bernard Shaw's plays. Gilman pursued higher education, earning a bachelor’s degree from Birmingham-Southern College, a master’s degree from the University of Virginia, and an MFA from the University of Iowa. Gilman began writing plays while still in college and moved to Chicago to live and write after graduating from UI. Her breakthrough came with the production of The Glory of Living in 1997, which garnered critical acclaim and led to further successes such as Spinning Into Butter. Recognized with prestigious awards and fellowships, Gilman continues to make significant contributions to the theater scene, with her most recent work, Luna Gale, being performed at the Goodman Theatre in 2014.

Faye Gibbons was born in Carter Quarter, Georgia, but frequently moved with her family through the mountains and mill towns of northern Georgia. Her family didn’t have modern amenities like electricity, so storytelling became a cherished pastime. After attending school for the first time at the age of nine, Gibbons discovered her love of reading. She pursued higher education and earned a bachelor’s degree from Berry College in 1961. Gibbons taught in Georgia and Alabama before pausing her teaching career to raise a family and pursue a writing career. Her debut book, Some Glad Morning, was published in 1982, and she has since authored fiction and nonfiction works, engaging with readers through school visits and library events. Gibbons has received accolades such as the Georgia Book of the Year Award for juvenile fiction in 1983 and the Alabama Author Award in 1998. She currently resides in Deatsville, Alabama, actively contributing to literary communities and promoting the joy of reading and storytelling.

Charles Ghigna is originally from Bayside, New York, but relocated to Fort Myers, Florida, at a young age. His passion for writing poetry began in childhood and was encouraged by a high school teacher who urged him to keep a writing journal. Ghigna pursued higher education, earning a bachelor’s degree from Florida Atlantic University in 1967 and a master’s degree in education in 1970. He taught English in Fort Myers before moving to Birmingham, Alabama, in 1974, where he taught creative writing and served as poet-in-residence at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. Ghigna's extensive literary career includes publishing poetry in national magazines, writing children's books, and receiving notable awards and nominations. He is affectionately known as "Father Goose" for his engaging school readings. He currently lives and writes in a treehouse in Homewood, Alabama, near Birmingham.

Anne George was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and spent her early years under the care of her grandparents. She faced challenges when the family relocated to a farm in Lowndes County, Alabama, including a daily train commute and being placed in a higher grade level at a young age. George pursued higher education, earning a bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish from Samford University before teaching English in Birmingham junior high and high schools for over twenty years. She returned to higher education and obtained a master’s degree in English and education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1971. George co-founded Druid Press in 1982 and sold it after ten years when she decided to write full-time. She ultimately gained recognition for her Southern Sisters mystery series, which comprises of seven published books.

Charles Gaines was born in Jacksonville, Florida, but moved to Birmingham, Alabama during his childhood. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Birmingham-Southern College in 1963 and then spent two years living in Ireland and writing. Gaines then returned to higher education and earned his MFA from the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop in 1967. His debut novel, Stay Hungry, was published in 1972 and explores bodybuilding culture. It was later adapted into a film. Throughout his career, he authored nonfiction books, collaborated on screenplays, and ventured into entrepreneurship. Gaines also co-authored several fitness books for children with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Currently, Gaines divides his time between residences in Birmingham, Alabama, and Nova Scotia.

Frye Gaillard is a native of Mobile, Alabama. He pursued a career in journalism after earning his bachelor’s degree in history from Vanderbilt University in 1968. Gaillard worked for publications such as Race Relations Reporter in Nashville, Tennessee, and The Charlotte Observer in North Carolina during his journalism career. He later transitioned to teaching, becoming an instructor in nonfiction writing at Queens College in 1990. Throughout his prolific career, he has authored or co-authored over twenty books, covering a wide range of topics such as country music and southern culture. Notably, his work The Dream Long Deferred was adapted into a documentary film in 1991. Gaillard's contributions extend beyond nonfiction, as he collaborated with singer-songwriter Kathryn Scheldt and co-wrote ten songs featured on her album Southern Girl. Currently, Gaillard resides on the Gulf Coast of Alabama near Mobile.

Tom Franklin is a native of Dickinson, Alabama, who demonstrated his early passion for writing through the creation of self-made comic books and short stories inspired by Conan the Barbarian and Tarzan. Franklin completed his bachelor’s degree in English at the University of South Alabama in 1990, and he further honed his writing skills through the completion of an MFA at the University of Arkansas in 1998. His first collection of short stories, Poachers, was published in 1999, and his first novel, Hell at the Breech, was published in 2003. Throughout his writing career, Franklin has held notable residencies and fellowships, such as the Philip Roth Residency in Creative Writing at Bucknell University and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Franklin is currently an associate professor of fiction writing at the University of Mississippi.

H.E. Francis was a native of Bristol, Rhode Island. He served in the United States Air Force during World War II and then pursued higher education with the help of the G.I. Bill, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree from Brown University. Francis taught at several esteemed institutions before joining the English department at the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 1966. Recognized for his proficiency in both writing and translation, Francis wrote novels and short story collections in addition to translating works by Spanish-language authors. His contributions to literature were acknowledged through the establishment of an annual short story competition in his name. He died in Huntsville in 2024.

Jesse Hill Ford was born in Troy, Alabama, but spent time in Jasper, Alabama, and Nashville, Tennessee during his childhood. After graduating from Vanderbilt University in 1951, Ford entered the United States Navy. Ford returned to higher education afterwards, obtaining his master’s degree from the University of Florida in 1955. After briefly working in public relations, Ford moved to Humbolt, Tennessee, and began writing full-time. Ford sold his first short story to Atlanta Monthly in 1959 and published his first novel in 1961. In 1965, Ford published the novel The Liberation of Lord Byron Jones, which is about the murder of a local man. He continued writing short stories and novels. After The Liberation of Lord Byron Jones was adapted into a movie in 1970, Ford and his family experienced vandalism and harassment. Late in 1970, Ford shot and killed a Black man that was trespassing on his property. Ford was acquitted of murder charges, but his life and career were damaged. He continued writing editorials and screenplays before committing suicide in 1996.

Fannie Flagg, originally known as Patricia Neal, was born and raised in Irondale, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. She attended the University of Alabama and the Pittsburgh Playhouse drama school before working a variety of jobs, including co-hosting a morning show, making comedy albums, and acting in television shows, movies, and plays. She transitioned to writing full-time in the 1980s, with her first novel, Coming Attractions, being published in 1981. In 2001, Flagg won the Alabama State Council on the Arts Distinguished Artist Award, and in 2012, she won the Harper Lee Award.

Zelda Fitzgerald was a native of Montgomery, Alabama. Despite her limited interest in formal education, she graduated from Sidney Lanier High School in 1918. After graduation, Zelda met writer F. Scott Fitzgerald at a local dance, and he became one of her suitors. Zelda agreed to marry Scott after the publication of his first novel in 1920. Immersed in the vibrant literary and social milieu of New York City, they became emblematic figures of the Jazz Age. Zelda wrote several articles and short stories on flappers that were published with her husband’s name added to the byline. Zelda and Scott’s lives were marked by constant travels between Europe and the United States until Zelda’s mental health worsened after she was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1930. Despite spending most of the rest of her life in mental health facilities, Zelda continued to write and completed her novel, Save Me the Waltz. Zelda died in 1948 in a fire at Highland Hospital.

John Finlay was a native of Ozark, Alabama, who grew up on his family’s farm near Enterprise, Alabama. Finlay pursued higher education at the University of Alabama, earning his bachelor’s degree in English in 1964 and his master’s degree in English in 1966. He taught for four years at the University of Montevallo before successfully pursuing a doctoral degree at Louisiana State University from 1970-1980. Following his conversion to Roman Catholicism, he returned to his family farm in 1981 and dedicated himself to writing and scholarship. Despite being diagnosed with AIDS in 1982, Finlay continued his creative and intellectual pursuits until his death in 1991. Posthumously, several collections of his poetry and essays were published.

Julia Fields hails from Perry County, Alabama. She grew up on a farm and developed a passion for reading and writing poetry from a young age. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English from Knoxville College in 1961, she taught in Birmingham while pursuing further education at Middlebury College and the University of Edinburgh. Fields gained national recognition with the publication of her poems in prominent magazines such as Negro Digest. In 1966, her first short story, titled “Ten to Seven,” was published in Negro Digest. Fields went on to receive prestigious fellowships and grants, including a Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship, and in 1968 she published her first book of poetry. Fields completed her master’s degree in English in 1972 from Middlebury College. Over the years, Fields continued to write and publish additional books in genres like poetry and children’s literature while also teaching at various institutions. She currently resides in Washington, D.C.

Mary McNeil Fenollosa was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama. After Fenollosa lost her husband at the age of 20, she began writing for publication. In 1894, Fenollosa began working as an assistant to Oriental art expert Ernest Fenollosa at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She married Ernest Fenollosa in 1895, and they moved to Japan a couple years later. While in Japan, Fenollosa published a collection of poetry and a novel set in Mobile. After Fenollosa and her husband moved back to the United States, she wrote multiple novels set in Japan. Following her husband's passing, Fenollosa dedicated herself to editing his work and faced financial struggles, ultimately selling his art collection and her own property. Despite writing additional novels, her creative output dwindled, and she spent her later years with her children until returning to Alabama shortly before her death in 1954. Notably, several of her novels were adapted into silent films.

Alice Fellows was a Tuscaloosa native. She obtained her bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama in 1948, where she studied fiction writing under Hudson Strode. She began writing a novel, Laurel, in Strode’s class and completed it with the support of a fellowship from the Eugene F. Saxton Memorial Fellowship Trust. Laurel was published in 1950 and adapted for television in 1951. After her first publication, Fellows pursued graduate studies in history at Columbia University and later finished her master’s degree in Bloomington, Indiana. In 1977, Fellows began a successful career as an editor at Simon & Schuster publishing company before transitioning to travel writing in the 1990s. She passed away in 2016.

Lucile Watkins Ellison was a native of Pennington, Alabama. She obtained a bachelor's degree from Mississippi State College for Women (now Mississippi University for Women) before working as a teacher and reporter in Meridian, Mississippi. In the late 1930s, Ellison relocated to Washington, D.C., where she worked for the National Education Association for over three decades. After being diagnosed with cancer in the 1970s, Ellison began writing what she called “the Lucy stories,” a collection inspired by her own family. Butter on Both Sides, her debut book, was published in 1979 shortly before her passing, while two additional works were released posthumously.

Tim Dorsey was born in Indiana but raised in Riviera Beach, Florida. He became interested in writing while attending Bishop Guertin High School, a Catholic boarding school in New Hampshire. After earning a bachelor’s degree in transportation from Auburn University in 1983, Dorsey began his career as a police and courts reporter at The Alabama Journal. In 1987, Dorsey moved to Tampa, Florida, to work at The Tampa Tribune, and he also began writing a novel during this time. His debut novel Florida Roadkill was published in 1999 as the first installment of the “Serge A. Storms” mystery series. After his first publication, Dorsey began writing full-time and published a new novel in his “Serge A. Storms” mystery series each year until his death in 2023.

Elizabeth Dewberry was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. After completing her undergraduate studies at Vanderbilt University, she pursued graduate studies at the University of Alabama before transferring to Emory University, where she obtained her PhD in American literature in 1989. Dewberry’s debut novel, Many Things Have Happened Since He Died, was published in 1990. Dewberry went on to hold teaching positions at Samford University and Ohio State University while continuing to write novels. In the mid-1990s, Dewberry began writing plays, and she was playwright-in-residence at Florida State University in the early 2000s. Today, Dewberry is settled in Florida and continues to write novels and plays.

Borden Deal was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi. After serving in the United States Navy during World War II, Deal pursued his education at the University of Alabama under the mentorship of Hudson Strode. He lived in various cities in Alabama during his life, including Tuscaloosa and Scottsboro. Deal’s literary career gained momentum when he won a contest sponsored by the Tomorrow magazine with his short story "Exodus" in 1948. He went on to write novels, short stories, poems, and book reviews, and several of his works were adapted for film and television. Some of his publications were penned under the names Lee Borden, Loyse Deal, or Michael Sunga. Deal received prestigious awards and fellowships for his work, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1957. He died of a heart attack in 1985.

Babs Deal was a native of Scottsboro, Alabama. She was a substitute teacher in Scottsboro before she joined the United States Army as a clerk-typist in Washington, D.C. Later, she pursued her studies at the University of Alabama, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in 1952 under the guidance of Hudson Strode. During this time, she met and married writer Borden Deal. Babs Deal's writing career blossomed with the publication of her first novel, Acres of Afternoon, in 1959, followed by numerous novels and short stories that garnered attention. Despite personal changes and a divorce from Borden Deal, she continued to write and eventually settled in Gulf Shores, Alabama, until her passing in 2004.

Rebecca Harding Davis was born in Washington, Pennsylvania but spent part of her life in Big Spring (now Florence), Alabama. Harding Davis’s big break came in 1861 when her short story, "Life in the Iron-Mills," was published in The Atlantic Monthly. It was groundbreaking for its brutal realism and depiction of workers’ struggles. She found success publishing popular fiction in magazines like Peterson’s Magazine and literary fiction in magazines like Harper’s Magazine. Her work had a significant impact on American literature and influenced other writers, including her son, Richard Harding Davis, who became a well-known writer in his own right. Rebecca Harding Davis passed away two days after she had a stroke in 1910.

Vicki Covington is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She demonstrated a strong inclination for writing from a young age, chronicling her experiences in personal journals. While attending the University of Alabama from 1971-1976, Covington earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in social work. Covington's literary endeavors gained traction in the 1980s when her short stories were published in several literary magazines, including The New Yorker. Over the years, she has authored several novels and also co-wrote a memoir with her husband, Dennis Covington.

Dennis Covington was a native of Birmingham, Alabama. He pursued his passion for writing at the University of Virginia and earned his bachelor’s degree. After serving in the United States Army, Covington furthered his education by completing an MFA at the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Covington then returned to Birmingham, teaching English and engaging in theater. In 1983, he began working as a war correspondent, taking many trips to El Salvador over the course of six years. 1991 marked the publication of his first novel, Lizard, which he began while completing his MFA. In 1995, he ventured into nonfiction and wrote the acclaimed book Salvation on Sand Mountain. Covington joined Texas Tech University in 2004 as a creative writing professor, and he became a columnist for The American Scholar in 2017. He died in 2024 from complications of dementia.

Mary Elizabeth Counselman was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but spent part of her childhood in Gainesville, Georgia. She began writing poetry at a young age and later pursued her education at Alabama College (now the University of Montevallo) and the University of Alabama. She worked as a reporter for The Birmingham News before settling in Gadsden, Alabama, where she taught creative writing at Gadsden State Junior College and the University of Alabama. Counselman gained recognition for her contributions to pulp magazines, with her most famous publication being the short story "The Three Marked Pennies" in Weird Tales. Her works also appeared in mainstream publications, and some of her stories were even adapted for television. Counselman died in 1994.

Thomas H. Cook was a native of Fort Payne, Alabama, who developed a passion for writing during his childhood. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy from Georgia State College in 1969 and then obtained a master’s degree in American history from Hunter College in 1972. Cook also obtained a master’s degree in philosophy from Columbia University in 1976 before moving back to Georgia, where he taught English and history at Dekalb Community College and worked for the Atlanta magazine. His first novel, Blood Innocents, was published in 1980, and he began writing full-time in 1982. Cook currently resides with his family in Cape Cod and New York City.

Lonnie Coleman was born in Bartow, Georgia, but moved to Montgomery, Alabama when he was twelve years old. He began his journey towards becoming an author during his time at the University of Alabama, where he honed his skills under the guidance of Hudson Strode. While completing his undergraduate degree, he won two short story competitions and wrote several plays produced by the Blackfriars Dramatic Society. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree in 1942, Coleman served in the United States Navy for four years. Coleman’s first novel was published in 1944, but it wasn’t until 1972 that Coleman found significant financial success with the paperback rights of his novel Beulah Land. This achievement allowed him to pursue writing full-time and resulted in the publication of several acclaimed novels. Several of Coleman's works were also adapted for television and the stage over the years. Coleman died of cancer in 1982.

Octavus Roy Cohen was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. He began his career as an engineer after graduating from Clemson Agricultural College. However, he soon transitioned to journalism and then briefly practiced law before dedicating himself to writing full-time. Cohen's literary contributions encompassed a wide range, including short stories published in national magazines, novels, and plays performed on Broadway. He spent many years in Birmingham, Alabama, and wrote 250 short stories about African American life based on his observations. Even at the time they were published, these stories drew criticism for their racial bias. Cohen also ventured into writing motion picture scripts and radio dramas, and his work found success on television adaptations in the 1950s. He died of a stroke in 1959.

Zitella Cocke was born and raised in Marion, Alabama, where she displayed an early passion for poetry. After completing her education at Judson Female Institute, she embarked on a journey to Europe to study music. Returning to Alabama, she taught at Judson and published her poems in various periodicals. Over the years, she ventured to cities like Chicago and Baltimore, teaching music, writing, and engaging in translation work. Cocke authored several books, including collections of poems and short stories for children. Despite losing her eyesight in 1916, she continued to write until her passing in 1929.

William Cobb was born in Eutaw, Alabama, and raised in Demopolis, Alabama. After completing his undergraduate studies at Livingston State College (now the University of West Alabama), he earned a master’s degree in English at Vanderbilt University and accepted a teaching position at Alabama College (now the University of Montevallo). In 1964, the publication of his award-winning short story, "The Stone Soldier," earned him recognition in the literary community. Cobb continued writing and published several novels, a collection of short stories, and several plays, some of which were produced in New York City. Throughout his career, he received accolades such as a fellowship for creative writing from the National Endowment for the Arts and held the esteemed position of writer-in-residence at the University of Montevallo. He continued writing after retirement until his death in 2020.

C. Terry Cline Jr. was originally from Birmingham, Alabama, but was raised in Florida. Despite an early aspiration to pursue writing, Cline faced challenges in finding an audience for his initial novels. During the 1960s and 1970s, he ventured into radio, television, and entrepreneurship, owning multiple businesses in Georgia and Alabama. In 1975, Cline achieved his breakthrough with the publication of his novel Damon, which marked the beginning of a prolific period during which he published a total of nine novels by 1989. In 1979, Cline married fellow author Judith Richards, and the couple resided in Fairhope, Alabama, before his passing in 2013.

Jeremiah Clemens was born in Huntsville, Alabama. He pursued a diverse and eventful career that encompassed law, politics, military service, and literature. After completing his education at the University of Alabama, he engaged in legal practice before venturing into politics, serving in the Alabama legislature and the United States Senate. Clemens's military service included participation in the Texas Revolution and the Mexican War, where he drew inspiration for his early novels. Despite his Unionist sympathies, he reluctantly supported secession while serving as a delegate to the Secession Convention in 1861. Following the Civil War, Clemens continued writing and advocating for the Union cause. He died in Huntsville in 1865.

John Henrik Clarke was born in Union Springs, Alabama and spent part of his childhood in Columbus, Georgia, after a storm destroyed his family’s home. After migrating to Harlem, New York, in 1933, he pursued self-education through public libraries and engaged with the Harlem History Club, nurturing his passion for Black history. Clarke's literary pursuits encompassed poetry, short stories, and historical articles, while his role as an educator and advocate for African studies led him to teach at esteemed institutions such as the New School for Social Research, Cornell University, and Hunter College. Clarke's significant contributions to the Pan-African movement and his dedication to African American history and culture earned him numerous accolades and recognition. He died of a heart attack in 1998.

Mark Childress hails from Monroeville, Alabama. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English and journalism from the University of Alabama before beginning his journalism career. During this career, he contributed to publications such as The Birmingham News and Southern Living. Childress published his first novel, A World Made of Fire, in 1984 and soon retired from journalism to pursue his career as an author. His acclaimed novel Crazy in Alabama was adapted into a film in 1999. Childress has also delved into children's literature and has received prestigious accolades for his literary accomplishments. He currently resides in New York.

James Saxon Childers grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. He served as a United States Navy pilot during World War I and then earned his bachelor’s degree at Oberlin College in 1920. He later earned a master’s degree at Oxford University while attending as a Rhodes Scholar. Childers spent the next seventeen years teaching literature and creative writing at Birmingham-Southern College while also contributing as a columnist and book reviewer for The Birmingham News. Childers published his first novel in 1926 and continued publishing numerous novels, travel books, and biographies over the years. His works were well-received by critics, particularly his travel books. Childers served as a US Air Force intelligence officer during World War II and later worked for The Atlanta Journal and the US State Department. Despite facing challenges due to his liberal views on integration, Childers remained dedicated to his writing and lecturing career until he died of cancer in the mid-1960s.

Clarence Cason was born and raised in Alabama. He graduated from the University of Alabama in 1917 before enlisting in the United States Army during World War I. After the war, Cason worked as a journalist for several newspapers, including The New York Times. Cason earned his master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin and accepted a position teaching journalism at the University of Minnesota, during which he published a journalism style book. He eventually returned to the University of Alabama to establish the Department of Journalism and continued to write essays for national publications. He used essays he had written about the South as a starting point for his book 90° in the Shade. Cason committed suicide in 1935, just before the publication of 90 in the Shade.

Forrest Carter, originally known as Asa Earl Carter, was born in Alabama. He served in the US Navy during World War II and later worked as a radio announcer. Carter became involved in segregationist movements by publishing a segregationist magazine, starting a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan, and working as a speechwriter for George C. Wallace. In the 1970s, he re-emerged under the pseudonym Bedford Forrest Carter and achieved literary success with novels like The Rebel Outlaw, Josey Wales and The Education of Little Tree. Despite his literary accomplishments, Carter's past and associations continued to generate public scrutiny. He passed away in Texas in 1979.

Archie Carr was born in Mobile, Alabama, but moved to Fort Worth, Texas, when he was young. He developed a deep interest in nature during his childhood camping trips. His educational journey took him to various institutions, where he studied English and zoology, and he eventually earned a PhD from the University of Florida. Carr's research and conservation efforts focused on sea turtles, leading him to establish the Caribbean Conservation Corporation and receive prestigious awards for his contributions to the field. Alongside his scientific publications, Carr also wrote works for the general audience, exploring topics such as his first trip to Africa and the natural history of sea turtles. Carr died of stomach cancer in Florida in 1987. His legacy lives on through the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge and posthumously published works.

Carl Carmer was born and grew up in rural upstate New York. He completed his bachelor’s degree at Hamilton College in 1914 and his master’s degree at Harvard University the following year. After teaching English at Syracuse University and the University of Rochester and serving in World War I, Carmer moved to Alabama to teach at the University of Alabama. During this time, he embarked on a scholarly exploration of Alabama, immersing himself in its folklore and people. Carmer then transitioned to a career in journalism before deciding to focus on writing. His first book of poetry was published in 1930 and was based on his experiences in Alabama. In 1934, he published a prose book, Stars Fell on Alabama, about his experiences in Alabama, and it quickly became a bestseller. He then began publishing books about New York folklore, books about American folklore, and children’s books. Carmer died in 1976.

Truman Capote was born in New Orleans but primarily raised in Monroeville, Alabama, by his mother’s relatives. He formed a lifelong friendship with Harper Lee, who lived next door. Capote moved to New York City with his mother and stepfather in 1933. He pursued writing and, in 1948, published his debut novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms, which drew from his childhood experiences in Monroeville. In 1958, Capote released his acclaimed masterpiece, Breakfast at Tiffany's, exploring themes of love, identity, and belonging. His most significant literary achievement, In Cold Blood, a groundbreaking “nonfiction novel” published in 1966, blurred the lines between fiction and reality, chronicling a brutal set of murders in a small Kansas town. He continued writing but was less successful before his death in 1984.

Jimmy Buffett was born in Mississippi in 1946 and raised in Mobile, Alabama. After graduating in 1969 from the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, Buffett had a successful career as a musician and writer. His deep connection to Alabama and the Gulf Coast greatly influenced his writing, infusing it with a sense of place and adventure. Starting with Tales From Margaritaville (1989), a best-selling collection of short stories partially based on his songs, Buffett went on to write novels like Where is Joe Merchant? (1992) and A Salty Piece Of Land (2004). In his autobiography, A Pirate Looks At Fifty (1998), Buffett shares his personal journey from a young boy in Alabama to a renowned artist. Buffett died in 2023.

Virginia Pounds Brown was a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She had a multifaceted career that encompassed librarianship, writing, and bookselling. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in 1937, and she earned a master’s degree in library science from Emory University in 1942. After working as reference librarian at Birmingham-Southern College for a couple years, she was promoted to director of the library from 1944-1948. Then, for over two decades, Brown owned and operated a bookstore in Birmingham with her husband. She authored and co-authored books focusing on Alabama's history. In 2003, she published her memoir titled Mother & Me. Brown died in 2014.

Mary Ward Brown was a native of Hamburg, Alabama. Despite limited access to books during her upbringing on a farm, Brown's passion for writing blossomed through her involvement in high school journalism and her pursuit of English and journalism at Judson College. In 1939, Brown got married and moved to Auburn, Alabama, where she began to write short stories. She continued to write short stories after moving back to Hamburg to manage the family farm after the death of her father. Several of her short stories were published in the 1950s, but Brown stopped writing due to the pressure of running the farm while raising her son. She resumed writing after her husband died in the 1970s. Her notable accolades include the Ernest Hemingway Foundation Award/PEN American Center Award, Alabama Library Association Fiction Award, Lillian Smith Award, Harper Lee Award, and Hillsdale Fiction Prize. Brown died of pancreatic cancer in 2013.

Joe David Brown was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He started his career as a reporter for the Birmingham Post before becoming the city editor for the Dothan Eagle. After working for newspapers in Atlanta, Chattanooga, and St. Louis, Brown began working at New York Daily News. Brown served as a paratrooper in the United States Army during World War II before briefly returning to New York Daily News. He began publishing short stories in The Saturday Evening Post and published his first novel, Stars in My Crown, in 1946. A movie adaptation of his first novel was released in 1950. Brown worked for Time magazine for eight years before leaving to pursue freelance work. He died in 1976.

Rick Bragg is a native of Piedmont, Alabama. He contributed to his high school and college newspapers before beginning his career as a sports writer for The Jacksonville News. Bragg left The Jacksonville News to work for The Anniston Star and The Birmingham News. Then, he began covering stories of national interest at St. Petersburg [Fla.] Times. Bragg took a year to study journalism at Harvard University after being awarded a Neiman Fellowship in 1992. In 1994, he began working for the New York Times, and he earned a Pulitzer Prize in 1996 for his human interest stories. His first book, an autobiographical account of his difficult childhood, was published in 1997. In 2003, Bragg resigned from The New York Times to work exclusively on his own books. He is currently a journalism professor at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Arna Bontemps was born in Alexandria, Louisiana, but grew up in southern California. After completing his bachelor’s degree in English at Pacific Union College in 1923, he worked at the Los Angeles Post Office and wrote poetry in his free time. He moved to New York City and began teaching at Harlem Academy after one of his poems was published in The Crisis in 1924. Bontemps gained recognition for his poetry and also published his first novel God Sends Sunday. He moved to Huntsville, Alabama, to accept a teaching position at Oakwood College when Harlem Academy closed in 1931. While in Alabama, his first children’s books were published. He resigned from Oakwood College in 1934 and briefly lived in California, Chicago, and the Caribbean before returning to Chicago to attend library school at the University of Chicago. Bontemps spent the next twenty-three years as the head librarian at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. While there, he taught creative writing classes and continued his own writing. He briefly taught at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Yale University before returning to Fisk University to be a writer-in-residence in 1971. Bontemps died of a heart attack in Nashville in 1973.

Wyatt Blassingame was born in Demopolis, Alabama. After attending Howard College and transferring to the University of Alabama, he graduated in 1930 with a bachelor’s degree. Blassingame briefly worked as a police reporter for The Montgomery Advertiser before beginning his graduate studies at the University of Alabama. However, he departed without completing his thesis in 1933. Blassingame moved to New York City, where he focused on writing and found success selling short stories to mystery magazines. He married in 1936 and settled on Anna Maria Island in Florida. He taught writing at Florida Southern College from 1948 to 1951 and later taught at Manatee Junior College. His first book, a collection of mystery stories titled John Smith Hears Death Walking, was published in 1944. Blassingame continued writing and published many books, including novels and children's books. Blassingame died in Bradenton, Florida, in 1985.

Jack Bethea was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. He began his career as a cub reporter for The Birmingham Age-Herald while still in high school and continued working as a reporter until 1916, when he became the city editor of The Birmingham Ledger. Following the closure of the Ledger, Bethea worked at a local department store before joining The Birmingham Post as a managing editor in 1921. Alongside his journalism pursuits, Bethea also dabbled in fiction writing and was associated with the Loafers' Club, a group of Birmingham writers. His short stories and serialized novels gained recognition and were published in national magazines like Collier's. Bethea published four novels between 1924 and 1928, two of which were adapted into motion pictures. In 1928, Bethea struggled with a lingering illness and committed suicide in a downtown Birmingham hotel in July of that year.

John Bensko was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He earned a BA and MFA from the University of Alabama before continuing his studies at Florida State University. Bensko obtained his PhD in 20th-century poetry and narrative technique from FSU in 1985. His debut volume of poetry, Green Soldiers, was published in 1981. It was chosen by Richard Hugo for the Yale Series of Younger Poets award that same year. Bensko taught at the University of Alabama, Old Dominion University, Rhodes College, and as a Fulbright Professor in American Literature at the University of Alicante, Spain, before his current position as an English professor at the University of Memphis. He has been instrumental in developing the MFA and undergraduate creative writing programs at the University of Memphis. He has also launched a summer program in creative writing at the Universidad de Alicante through the Study Abroad Office.

Robert Bell was born and raised in Tarrant City, Alabama. His passion for literature and writing developed during his high school years, leading him to pursue an English major at Birmingham-Southern College. After serving in the US Army, Bell resumed his studies, earning a bachelor’s degree in English from BSC in 1950. He continued his education at Harvard University, where he obtained a master’s degree in English in 1952. Bell worked at the Mobile Public Library and, later, the Fort Worth Public Library while working on a novel set in Fairhope, Alabama. His novel, titled The Butterfly Tree, was published in 1959. Bell went on to hold positions as a librarian or book shop owner in the cities of San Francisco, New Orleans, and Mobile. He earned a master’s degree in library science from Louisiana State University in 1967, and he earned a doctorate in library science from the University of California Berkeley in 1974. In 1976, Bell accepted a librarian position at the University of California Davis, where he wrote three reference works on classical mythology. In his retirement, he returned to writing fiction, which was never published. His correspondence with Fairhope, Alabama, resident Mary Lois Timbes was published in 2001, two years after Bell’s death, as Meet Me at the Butterfly Tree.

John Beecher was born in New York but raised in Birmingham, Alabama. Beecher spent many years working in the steel mills, which inspired him to begin writing poetry. He pursued higher education, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Alabama and a master’s degree in English from the University of Wisconsin before engaging in graduate studies in sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Beecher's career spanned various roles, including writing for newspapers, serving in the United States Merchant Marine, running a ranch in Sonoma County, and engaging in civil rights activities in the 1960s. In 1956, Beecher and his wife established Morning Star Press, later known as Rampart Press, to promote the works of blacklisted poets. He died of lung disease in 1980.

William Bartram was born near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the son of renowned botanist John Bartram. He spent four years exploring the Southeast and looking for plant specimens after persuading one of his father’s contacts in England to fund his expedition. The story of his expedition, Travels, was published fourteen years after his return and sold well in Europe. He declined offers to become a botany professor at a college that later became known as the University of Pennsylvania and to join the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Bartram died in 1823 in his garden.

Gerald W. Barrax was born in Atalla, Alabama. He served in the United States Air Force from 1953-1957. While serving in South Carolina, Barrax began studying poetry in his free time. He enrolled at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh to study English in 1959, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1963. He also earned a master’s degree in 1969 from the University of Pittsburgh. Barrax went on to have a successful teaching career as an English instructor at North Carolina Central University and later as a faculty member at North Carolina State University. He published five books of poetry during his lifetime and earned awards from the city of Raleigh, North Carolina, and the state of North Carolina for his contributions to fine arts.

John Gorman Barr was born in Milton, North Carolina. He attended the University of Alabama, where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts. In 1845, Barr began practicing law and writing for the Tuscaloosa Observer. When the Mexican War began, Barr recruited a company of soldiers from Alabama and served as captain from 1847-1848. After returning from Mexico, Barr continued practicing law and became editor of the Tuscaloosa Observer. Barr also wrote stories about frontier life in Alabama, and they were published nationally for several years. He died of sunstroke while en route to his appointment as U.S. Consul in Melbourne, Australia, in 1858.

Joseph Glover Baldwin was born in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. After obtaining his license to practice law when he turned twenty-one, Baldwin decided to move to the Southwest. He practiced law briefly in DeKalb, Mississippi, before moving to Gainesville, Alabama. Although he was successful as a lawyer, he decided to enter politics, serving a two-year term in the Alabama House of Representatives. He ran for the United States Congress in 1848 but failed. Baldwin moved his family to Livingston, Alabama, in 1850, and he continued practicing law while also writing humorous sketches of characters he encountered during his legal career. His literary pursuits gained recognition when he published these sketches in a book titled The Flush Times of Alabama and Mississippi. In 1855, he published a second book, a collection of political portraits. Shortly before his second publication, Baldwin left Alabama for San Francisco, California, where he was appointed to the California Supreme Court. He died of tetanus in 1864.

Douglas Fields Bailey was born in Dothan, Alabama. He was mentored by creative writing professor Hudson Strode at the University of Alabama. Bailey also attended Birmingham-Southern College and the University of Missouri before leaving academia to pursue a journalism career in Marianna, Florida, and Dothan. In 1945, Bailey began working in insurance during the day and writing a novel at night. Strode sent a manuscript of Bailey’s novel, Devil Make a Third, to a publisher in New York, and it was published in 1948. Bailey then pursued a career in business and didn’t publish anything else. He died in Dothan in 1987.

Ace Atkins was born in Troy, Alabama. He was raised in Auburn, Alabama, and graduated from Auburn University in 1994. After graduation, Atkins relocated to Florida, where he worked in a bookstore and served as a correspondent for the St. Petersburg Times before transitioning to crime reporting at the Tampa Tribune. While at the Tampa Tribune, he earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination for his investigative feature series on a forgotten murder of the 1950s. His career as a novelist began with the publication of his first "Nick Travers" mystery novel, Crossroad Blues, in 1998. In 2001, Atkins became a full-time novelist and moved with his family to Oxford, Mississippi.

James Agee was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. He first began writing poetry and short stories while attending Phillips Exeter Academy, in Exeter, N.H. After graduating from Harvard in 1932, he began working for Fortune magazine in New York City. He was sent to Alabama for eight weeks with photographer Walker Evans to gather material for a story about tenant farmers in 1936, but the material turned into the book Let Us Now Praise Famous Men instead of a magazine article. Agee began writing reviews for Time magazine in 1939, and he became a movie columnist for The Nation in 1942. In 1948, he quit his magazine jobs to pursue novel writing and screenwriting. His most prominent screenplays were The African Queen and The Night of the Hunter. He died in New York City in 1955. His posthumously published semi-autobiographical novel A Death in the Family was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1958.