Mississippi Writers Trail

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The Mississippi Writers Trail is a series of historical markers which celebrate the literary, social, historical, and cultural contributions of Mississippi's most acclaimed and influential writers. An advisory committee of state cultural agencies oversees the process of installing historical markers in places of significance to an author's life. To emphasize the literary focus of the trail, the markers are cast in the shape of an open book and display information about the author's life with the goal of educating the public about the legacy of Mississippi writers.

Overview[]

The Mississippi Writers Trail debuted on the State Capitol grounds in Jackson, Mississippi at the 2018 Mississippi Book Festival with an unveiling of two marker prototypes honoring Eudora Welty and Jesmyn Ward, connecting the past and present contributions of Mississippi authors.[1][2] The program runs as an unfunded mandate which means these literary markers are produced and installed as funding becomes available.[3]

Initial support from a Statehood Grant through the National Endowment for the Humanities was key for installing the first phase of markers for the Trail.[4] The Writers Trail has received additional support from the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area,[5] the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area, and the City of Clarksdale, Mississippi[6] to install markers for authors located within the service area of each organization.

Selection and placement process[]

The Mississippi Writers Trail Advisory Committee, composed of many state cultural institutions, selects several scholars who identify potential authors for inclusion in the Writers Trail and to draft the text for each marker. Final locations are determined in consultation with local communities; authors or their surviving families are consulted for the market text as well.[7]

Mississippi Writers Trail Advisory Committee[]

Mississippi Writers Trail markers[]

Writer Marker Location City Marker Photo Date of Installation
Margaret Walker Alexander Margaret Walker Center,

Jackson State University

Jackson, MS
Margaret Walker Marker Photo
 July 8, 2019
William Faulkner Rowan Oak,

Faulkner Home and Museum

Oxford, MS
William Faulkner Marker Photo
 October 10, 2019
Shelby Foote E.E. Bass Cultural Arts Center Greenville, MS Shelby Foote Marker October 18, 2019
Walker Percy E.E. Bass Cultural Arts Center Greenville, MS
Walker Percy marker
 October 18, 2019
Elizabeth Spencer Merrill Museum Carrollton, MS Elizabeth Spencer marker October 5, 2019
Ida B. Wells Rust College Holly Springs, MS Ida B. Wells marker November 7, 2019
Eudora Welty Eudora Welty House and Garden Jackson, MS Eudora Welty marker September 10, 2018
Tennessee Williams Cutrer Mansion Clarksdale, MS Tennessee Williams marker October 17, 2019
Richard Wright George W. Armstrong Library Natchez, MS
Richard Wright Marker Photo 2.jpg
 July 23, 2020
Anne Moody Louis Gaulden and Riquita Jackson

Family Memorial Park

Centreville, MS Anne Moody Marker Photo.jpg May 26, 2021
Dorothy Shawhan Wright Gallery of Kethley Hall,

Delta State University

Cleveland, MS
Dorothy Shawhan Marker.jpg
 July 23, 2021
Richard Ford Carnegie Public Library Clarksdale, MS1
photo of Richard Ford marker shaped like an open book
 September 2, 2021

References[]

  1. ^ "First Chapter of Mississippi Writers Trail Begins - MDA". Mississippi Development Authority. 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  2. ^ "The Eudora Welty Foundation » Dedication of Welty Marker on Mississippi Writers Trail To Feature NEH Chair Jon Peede". Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  3. ^ Mitchell, Jerry. "Mississippi literary trail unmarked". The Clarion Ledger. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  4. ^ "NEH Creates "Statehood Grants" of up to $30,000 for Humanities Projects Celebrating State History". National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  5. ^ staffreport (2019-07-02). "2019 Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area Grants Announced". News and Events. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  6. ^ "27th Annual Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival to Unveil Mississippi Writers Trail Marker at Cutrer Mansion on October 17". News-Template. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  7. ^ "Mississippi Writers Trail". Mississippi Arts Commission. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
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