Wyatt Blassingame
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Brief Biography
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.
Publications
John Smith Hears Death Walking. New York; Bartholomew House, 1944.
For Better, For Worse. New York; Crowell, 1951.
Great Trains of the World. New York; Random, 1953.
The French Foreign Legion. New York; Random, 1955.
Live from the Devil. Garden City, NY; Doubleday, 1959.
They Rode the Frontier. New York; Watts, 1959.
The Golden Geyser. Garden City, NY; Doubleday, 1961.
Halo of Spears. Garden City, NY; Doubleday, 1962.
Out-Island Doctor. Garden City, NY; Doubleday, 1963.
The First Book of Florida. New York; Watts, 1963.
The US Frogmen of World War II. New York; Random, 1964.
The First Book of the Seashore. New York; Watts, 1964.
Naturalist Explorers. New York; Watts, 1964.
Stephen Decatur, Fighting Sailor. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1964.
The First Book of American Expansion. New York; Watts, 1965.
Ponce de Leon, A World Explorer. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1965.
Sacagawea: Indian Guide. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1965.
Franklin D. Roosevelt: Four Times President. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1966.
Baden-Powell. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1966.
Bowleg Bill. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1967.
Bent Fort: Crossroads of the Great West. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1967.
Combat Nurses of World War II. New York; Random, 1967.
Navy's Fliers in World War II. Philadelphia, PA; Westminister, 1967.
Osceola. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1967.
Eleanor Roosevelt. New York; Putnam, 1968.
The Look-it-up Book of Presidents. New York; Random, 1968.
The Story of the Boy Scouts. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1968.
The Story of the United States Flag. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1969.
Medical Corps Heroes of World War II. New York; Random House, 1969.
Jake Gaither; Winning Coach. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1969.
Halsey: Five-Star Admiral. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1970.
William Tecumseh Sherman, Defender of the Union. Englewood Cliffs, NJ; Prentice, 1970.
Diving for Treasure. Philadelphia; Macrae-Smith, 1971.
Ernest Thompson Seton. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1971.
John Henry and Paul Bunyan Play Baseball. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1971.
Joseph Stalin and Communist Russia. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1971.
How Davy Crockett Got a Bearskin Coat. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1972.
Dan Beard, Scoutmaster of America. Champaign, Ill.: Garrard, 1972.
Jim Beckwourth, Black Trapper and Indian Chief. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1973.
Wonders of Alligators and Crocodiles. New York; Dodd, 1973.
Pecos Bill Rides a Tornado. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1973.
The Everglades, from Yesterday to Tomorrow. New York; Putnam, 1974.
Paul Bunyan Fights the Monster Plants. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1974.
The Little Killers: Fleas, Lice, Mosquitos. New York; Putnam, 1975.
Wonders of Frogs and Toads. New York; Dodd, 1975.
Science Catches the Criminal. New York; Dodd, 1975.
William Beebe, Underwater Explorer. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1976.
Wonders of The Turtle World. New York; Dodd, 1976.
Pecos Bill Catches a Hidebehind. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1977.
Wonders of Raccoons. New York; Dodd, 1977.
Pecos Bill and the Wonderful Clothesline Snake. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1978.
Thor Heyerdahl, Viking Scientist. New York; Elseyier/Nelson, 1979.
Wonders of Crows. New York; Dodd, 1979.
The Incas and the Spanish Conquest. New York; J Messner, 1980.
Porcupines. New York; Dodd, 1982.
Skunks. New York; Dodd, 1981.
Underwater Warriors. New York; Random House, 1982.
Wonders of Egrets, Bitterns, and Herons. New York; Dodd, 1982.
His Kingdom for a Horse. New York; Dodd, Mead, 1983.
The Strange Armadillo. New York; Dodd, 1983.
Wonders of Sharks. New York; Dodd, 1984.
Joint Publications:
The Mountain Men. New York; F Watts, 1962.
Frontier Doctors. New York; F Watts, 1963.
Men Who Opened the West. New York; Putnam, 1966.
For Better, For Worse. New York; Crowell, 1951.
Great Trains of the World. New York; Random, 1953.
The French Foreign Legion. New York; Random, 1955.
Live from the Devil. Garden City, NY; Doubleday, 1959.
They Rode the Frontier. New York; Watts, 1959.
The Golden Geyser. Garden City, NY; Doubleday, 1961.
Halo of Spears. Garden City, NY; Doubleday, 1962.
Out-Island Doctor. Garden City, NY; Doubleday, 1963.
The First Book of Florida. New York; Watts, 1963.
The US Frogmen of World War II. New York; Random, 1964.
The First Book of the Seashore. New York; Watts, 1964.
Naturalist Explorers. New York; Watts, 1964.
Stephen Decatur, Fighting Sailor. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1964.
The First Book of American Expansion. New York; Watts, 1965.
Ponce de Leon, A World Explorer. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1965.
Sacagawea: Indian Guide. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1965.
Franklin D. Roosevelt: Four Times President. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1966.
Baden-Powell. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1966.
Bowleg Bill. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1967.
Bent Fort: Crossroads of the Great West. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1967.
Combat Nurses of World War II. New York; Random, 1967.
Navy's Fliers in World War II. Philadelphia, PA; Westminister, 1967.
Osceola. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1967.
Eleanor Roosevelt. New York; Putnam, 1968.
The Look-it-up Book of Presidents. New York; Random, 1968.
The Story of the Boy Scouts. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1968.
The Story of the United States Flag. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1969.
Medical Corps Heroes of World War II. New York; Random House, 1969.
Jake Gaither; Winning Coach. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1969.
Halsey: Five-Star Admiral. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1970.
William Tecumseh Sherman, Defender of the Union. Englewood Cliffs, NJ; Prentice, 1970.
Diving for Treasure. Philadelphia; Macrae-Smith, 1971.
Ernest Thompson Seton. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1971.
John Henry and Paul Bunyan Play Baseball. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1971.
Joseph Stalin and Communist Russia. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1971.
How Davy Crockett Got a Bearskin Coat. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1972.
Dan Beard, Scoutmaster of America. Champaign, Ill.: Garrard, 1972.
Jim Beckwourth, Black Trapper and Indian Chief. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1973.
Wonders of Alligators and Crocodiles. New York; Dodd, 1973.
Pecos Bill Rides a Tornado. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1973.
The Everglades, from Yesterday to Tomorrow. New York; Putnam, 1974.
Paul Bunyan Fights the Monster Plants. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1974.
The Little Killers: Fleas, Lice, Mosquitos. New York; Putnam, 1975.
Wonders of Frogs and Toads. New York; Dodd, 1975.
Science Catches the Criminal. New York; Dodd, 1975.
William Beebe, Underwater Explorer. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1976.
Wonders of The Turtle World. New York; Dodd, 1976.
Pecos Bill Catches a Hidebehind. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1977.
Wonders of Raccoons. New York; Dodd, 1977.
Pecos Bill and the Wonderful Clothesline Snake. Champaign, Ill.; Garrard, 1978.
Thor Heyerdahl, Viking Scientist. New York; Elseyier/Nelson, 1979.
Wonders of Crows. New York; Dodd, 1979.
The Incas and the Spanish Conquest. New York; J Messner, 1980.
Porcupines. New York; Dodd, 1982.
Skunks. New York; Dodd, 1981.
Underwater Warriors. New York; Random House, 1982.
Wonders of Egrets, Bitterns, and Herons. New York; Dodd, 1982.
His Kingdom for a Horse. New York; Dodd, Mead, 1983.
The Strange Armadillo. New York; Dodd, 1983.
Wonders of Sharks. New York; Dodd, 1984.
Joint Publications:
The Mountain Men. New York; F Watts, 1962.
Frontier Doctors. New York; F Watts, 1963.
Men Who Opened the West. New York; Putnam, 1966.
Themes
Wyatt Blassingame wrote fiction and nonfiction children's books, short stories, and novels. Many of his works are set in Florida. Themes in his writing include mystery, folklore, and history.
Publisher
Alabama Authors of the 19th and 20th Centuries, edited by Beverley Park Rilett, http://AlabamaAuthors.org
Collection
Citation
Blassingame, Wyatt, “Wyatt Blassingame,” Alabama Authors of the 19th & 20th Centuries, accessed September 19, 2024, https://alabamaauthors.org/items/show/542.