A trailblazing newspaper founder, an influential teacher and poet, and an inspirational author/priest have been selected as the newest members of the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame.
The 2024 class of honorees include Robert Sengstacke Abbott, publisher and editor of one of the most influential Black-owned newspapers of the early 20th century; Wyatt Prunty, founding director of the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and the Tennessee Williams Fellowship Program; and Barbara Brown Taylor, an author and Episcopal priest.
Prunty and Taylor will inducted into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame, administered by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library at the University of Georgia, at separate events this fall. The celebration of Abbott’s posthumous induction is slated for early 2025.
“The newest members of the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame have rich legacies rooted in Georgia and extending well beyond the borders of our state,” said Toby Graham, university librarian and associate provost. “We look forward to celebrating their literary accomplishments.”
Robert Sengstacke Abbott, a native of St. Simons Georgia, founded The Chicago Defender in 1905, printing initially in a room in his boarding house and later growing the newspaper to a circulation of more than 500,000 Black readers weekly across the country. Abbott envisioned the paper as a bastion for Black interests, nurturing the literary careers of renowned figures like Gwendolyn Brooks, Willard Motley, and Langston Hughes, who contributed to its poetry column. Through the newspaper, Abbott played a pivotal role in catalyzing the Great Migration, prompting a significant exodus of African Americans from the South to the North following World War I. In recognition of his civic engagement and leadership, Abbott was appointed by the Illinois Governor to the Chicago Commission on Race Relations in 1919. This commission, which later produced a groundbreaking report in 1922 on African American urban conditions, underscored Abbott's commitment to addressing social injustices.
While Abbott’s celebration is expected to be held in February 2025, the details of the program have not been finalized at this time. Updates will be posted at georgiawritershalloffame.org.
Poet Wyatt Prunty, who was born and raised in Athens, Georgia, is Carlton Professor of English and Creative Writing (Emeritus) at Sewanee – the University of the South. He is the author of nine collections of poetry and served as editor of the essay collection Sewanee Writers on Writing. Notably, Prunty has worked throughout his career to nurture emerging literary talent, teaching writing seminars at Johns Hopkins, Louisiana State University, and Washington and Lee University, in addition to Suwanee. He is the founding director of the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and the Tennessee Williams Fellowship program, editor of the Johns Hopkins Poetry and Fiction Series, and former chancellor of the Fellowship of Southern Writers.
In celebration of his induction into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame, Prunty will return to Athens on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, to read his work and answer questions from the audience. The event will be held at 6 p.m. in the 3rd floor reading room of the University of Georgia Main Library.
Barbara Brown Taylor, an author and American Episcopal priest, served as a professor at Piedmont College, where she taught for 20 years until she retired in 2017. Ordained in 1984, Taylor was heavily involved in the Episcopal Church, serving as rector of Grace-Cavalry Episcopal Church in Clarkesville, Georgia. Her literary endeavors predominantly explore spirituality, faith, and religion, crafted in a manner accessible to a wide audience. In her memoir, Holy Envy, she shares poignant moments of encountering diverse faiths and cultures, fostering a spirit of curiosity and mutual respect among her students. In 2014, Taylor was named one of TIME's 100 most influential people for her profound insights into faith and her ability to inspire believers and nonbelievers alike.
For her Georgia Writers Hall of Fame celebration, Taylor will be joined on stage by Widespread Panic’s John Bell, where they will discuss writing, inspiration, and living in a small rural town in northeast Georgia. The Thursday, Sept. 26 event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required and limited. Visit georgiawritershalloffame.org to reserve your seat.
The Georgia Writers Hall of Fame honors Georgia writers, past and present, whose work reflects the character of the state – its land and people. Abbott, Prunty, and Taylor join a group of more than 75 writers, some of whom are recipients of prestigious creative awards such as the Pulitzer Prize, the Academy Awards, and the Nobel Peace Prize.
For the full list of honorees, visit georgiawritershalloffame.org.