UGA Press Acquires NewSouth Books

Submitted by Camie on

The University of Georgia Press, a respected publisher of global scholarship, creative and literary works, and general interest books on the American South, announced today its acquisition of NewSouth Books.

Based in Montgomery, Alabama, NewSouth Books is an independent trade publisher widely recognized for its focus on Southern culture and history, particularly civil and human rights. NewSouth was launched in 2000 by Suzanne La Rosa and Randall Williams; La Rosa is the company’s publisher, Williams its editor-in-chief.

La Rosa will join UGA Press on July 1. She will publish 8-12 new titles annually under the NewSouth imprint at UGA Press. Williams will continue to edit selected titles and recommend works for acquisition.

“NewSouth Books has always punched above its weight in representing the culturally complex and socially significant Deep South to the world. We are thrilled to honor Randall and Suzanne’s work by becoming the new publishing home for these award-winning, critically important books and are delighted to continue the imprint as part of UGA Press,” said Lisa Bayer, director of UGA Press.

La Rosa said, “NewSouth is proud to align itself with such a distinguished press going forward, one with which we have such excellent compatibility. Our association with the University of Georgia Press will enhance our visibility and expand our reach. We could not imagine a better partner.”

Since its founding in 2000, NewSouth’s books have been recognized by critics and readers for their outstanding writing and strong cultural content. The publisher’s diverse catalog of more than 400 titles reflects strengths in Southern history, politics, African American history and culture, biography/memoir, civil rights, education, essays, and folklore. Notable titles include:

  • American Founders: How People of African Descent Established Freedom in the New World by Christina Proenza-Coles
  • The Southernization of America: A Story of Democracy in the Balance by Frye Gaillard and Cynthia Tucker
  • The Many Lives of Andrew Young by Ernie Suggs
  • Saving America’s Amazon: The Threat to Our Nation’s Most Biodiverse River System by Ben Raines
  • Fourteenth Colony: The Forgotten Story of the Gulf South During America's Revolutionary Era by Mike Bunn
  • In the Name of Emmett Till: How the Children of the Mississippi Freedom Struggle Showed Us Tomorrow by Robert H. Mayer
  • The Tuskegee Airmen, An Illustrated History: 1939-1949 by Joseph Caver, Jerome Ennels, and Daniel Haulman
  • Hugo Black of Alabama: How His Roots and Early Career Shaped the Great Champion of the Constitution by Steve Suitts

“NewSouth has succeeded due to the talented authors who have trusted us with their research and creativity and to the support of our readers,” said Williams. “Both groups will continue to be well served by our alliance with Georgia.”  

The purchase of NewSouth Books was made possible in part by the generous support of the UGA Press Advisory Council and others, including major gifts from Craig and Diana Barrow, Thomas and Catherine Fleetwood, Candace Gilliland, Ellen Hale Jones and Sheffield Hale, Bruce McEver, and the Wormsloe Foundation.

###

About the University of Georgia Press Founded in 1938, the University of Georgia Press supports and enhances the University of Georgia’s place as a major public research institution by publishing outstanding books by scholars and writers throughout the world. The UGA Press is a member of the Association of University Presses. To learn more, visit https://ugapress.org/.

About NewSouth Books Founded in 2000, NewSouth Books is an independent trade publisher widely recognized for its focus on Southern culture and history, particularly civil and human rights. To learn more, visit http://www.newsouthbooks.com/.

The Fisher Company, a specialist in international mergers and acquisitions focused on publishing and educational media, represented NewSouth Books in this transaction.